Contract Manager

Microsoft•Chicago, IL

15h•Hybrid

About The Position

Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation (CO&I) is the team behind the cloud. Within CO&I, the Global Contract Management (GCM) team is responsible for delivering core datacenter infrastructure for Microsoft’s cloud business. The MS portfolio consists of complex, multi-disciplinary, large scale, multi-year datacenter construction and lease projects. We are looking for a passionate, high-energy individual to help build the cloud datacenters that power the world’s largest online services. As part of this role this individual would define, maintain, and execute sourcing strategies for one or more complex projects to ensure optimal costs and sufficient continuity of supply and/or service, sharing expertise across stakeholder teams. Integrates business specifications for complex purchasing areas into request for proposal processes, collaborating on supplier scorecard criteria to drive corrective actions. Coordinates contract and price negotiation activities for multiple categories cross-functionally, identifying cost reduction opportunities and supporting negotiations. Applies understanding of tradeoffs to drive business impact, influencing managers to adopt practices. Ensures policy compliance, manages remediation of sourcing issues, and identifies opportunities to adapt policies to mitigate risks. Ensures quality of deliverables, communicates delays, and drives contingency plans leveraging risk data cross-regionally. Executes contracts with control processes, resolving contract roadblocks and adjusting business impact models cross-functionally. Drives early business engagements for complex areas, advising teams on sourcing solutions and strategies. Leads supplier on-boarding processes and develops account plans for complex purchasing categories, serving as a contact point between multiple accounts and suppliers. This role may be eligible for hybrid or remote work, up to 25%.

Requirements

Master's Degree in Engineering, Construction, Supply Chain, Business, Finance or related field AND 3+ years' experience in data science/analytics, finance, project management, supply chain, and/or operation
OR Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction, Supply Chain, Business, Finance or related field AND 4+ years' experience in data science/analytics, finance, project management, supply chain, and/or operations
OR equivalent experience.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role.
Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.

Nice To Haves

Master's Degree in Engineering, Construction, Supply Chain, Business, Finance or related field AND 6+ years experience in data science/analytics, finance, project management, supply chain, and/or operation
OR Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Construction, Supply Chain, Business, Finance or related field AND 8+ years experience in data science/analytics, finance, project management, supply chain, and/or operation
OR equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Ensures consistency, timeliness, quality, and accuracy of deliverables, and ensures stakeholders are aware of Service Level Agreement (SLA) and/or defined milestones and deliverables terms. Communicates delays to stakeholders and independently proposes and executes contingency measures. Leverages data to anticipate and mitigate risk and negative business impacts by ensuring compliance with agreed-upon terms, communicating delay potential to stakeholders, and supporting the execution of contingency plans cross-functionally and/or cross-regionally as needed.
Ensures adherence to policy, educates stakeholders and suppliers on policy compliance, and manages the remediation and resolution of sourcing issues. Identifies opportunities to adapt policy as needed to mitigate risk and better enable suppliers to meet business requirements. Facilitates periodic Microsoft-driven supplier audits against policy/contractual requirements. Ensures the governance model maintains up to date sourcing and supplier data.
Understand industry contracting norms and Microsoft contracting requirements; participate and/or lead negotiation of contracts that meet business goals.
Processes and supports stakeholder requests based on defined contracting strategies via engagement and/or leveraging workflow process or technology, where applicable in support of product and service requirements.
Develop strategies for the construction services scope and construction sub-contractors, organize bid results, communicates complete strategy and results to senior management.
Integrates business specifications for complex contracting areas into request for information (RFI) and/or request for proposal (RFP) processes. Collaborates cross-functionally to define and manage General Contractors against their respective agreement(s), coordinates performance/recovery reviews, and drives corrective actions, performs necessary contract management activities.
Identifies risks and roadblocks to contract execution and drives action internally and/or externally to resolve and/or escalate, as appropriate.
Executes contracts and complies with established control processes to ensure delivery and execution on contracts in alignment with business requirements.
Manages contract and price negotiation activities for construction categories (early works, General Contractor, etc.) and ensures needs are met while also reflecting Microsoft's cross-functional engagements with contractors. Identifies cost reduction opportunities and works closely with suppliers and internal stakeholders to drive cost competitiveness.
Monitors and mitigates the impact of change orders to the underlying business case, and partners cross-functionally to adjust impact models.
Develops formal notices/responses based on contract requirements
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, such as project managers, legal counsel, procurement, finance, and suppliers, to ensure smooth contract execution and delivery. You will be required to build and maintain strong relationships with the stakeholders, as well as communicate and negotiate effectively with them.
Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and persuade at all levels. You should be able to communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing, as well as negotiate effectively and constructively.
Analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to handle complex and ambiguous situations. You should be able to analyze data and information, identify and solve problems, and make sound and timely decisions.
A proactive, collaborative, and customer-oriented mindset, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team. You should be able to take initiative and ownership, work well with others, and deliver value to the customers.