Event Readiness Program Manager

Microsoft • Redmond, WA

3d

About The Position

The Datacenter Community Affairs team is part of Microsoft’s Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I) organization. It supports the growth and operations of Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure by managing relationships with local communities, developing engagement strategies, and addressing social impact, risks, and opportunities. The team drives community investment programs and stakeholder engagement efforts in regions where Microsoft builds and operates datacenters, helping to ensure projects are delivered in alignment with our Community First Infrastructure commitments. In alignment with Microsoft’s values, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where employees can do their best work while strengthening the communities we serve. Within this team, the Event Readiness Program Manager plays a critical role in strengthening how we plan and execute community and stakeholder-facing events across the AMERS region. This role is responsible for building and operationalizing a standardized event readiness program that ensures events are safe, well-coordinated, and executed with consistency and rigor. The role leads structured readiness reviews, risk identification, and mitigation planning, enabling teams to proactively manage safety, security, and operational considerations. The Event Readiness Program Manager partners closely with Community Affairs, Global Security, CELA, and other cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment, establish governance rhythms, and provide clear visibility into event readiness and risk. This individual helps ensure that every engagement reflects Microsoft’s commitment to safety, operational excellence, and community trust and enabling teams to deliver events safely, efficiently, and at scale.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, or related field AND 4+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR equivalent experience.
• Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: 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 Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 6+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance, or related field AND 8+ years experience in program management, process management, or process improvement OR equivalent experience.
• Experience in safety, security, event operations, or risk management
• Experience supporting external-facing or high-visibility events
• Familiarity with governance frameworks, compliance, or readiness processes
• Proven ability to drive alignment and accountability across diverse stakeholder groups
• Strong communication skills with ability to translate complex risks into clear insights
• Experience managing timelines, risks, and dependencies across multiple workstreams

Responsibilities

• Drives end-to-end event safety readiness by establishing and executing structured review processes, ensuring all events meet defined safety, security, and operational standards prior to execution in partnership with Global Security and other subject matter experts who provide threat assessments and domain expertise
• Leads cross-functional alignment across Global Security, CO+I, and CELA teams to ensure shared understanding of requirements, risks, and readiness decisions
• Identifies, tracks, and communicates risk by synthesizing inputs from Global Security and other stakeholders into clear, actionable insights for leadership and event teams
• Establishes and scales governance rhythms (e.g., readiness reviews, checkpoints, escalation paths) and repeatable processes to enable consistent, high-quality decision-making across events and regions
• Identifies, assesses, and communicates risk by synthesizing input from multiple stakeholders into clear, actionable insights for leadership and event teams
• Manages program execution and timelines by proactively identifying dependencies, resolving blockers, and ensuring readiness milestones are achieved
• Provides clear reporting on readiness status, risks, and mitigation plans to support informed decision-making
• Serves as a central point of coordination for event readiness, driving accountability across stakeholders and ensuring alignment through execution
• Perform other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Benefits

• Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level