Global Manager of Quality Assurance - Construction

Microsoft•Houston, TX

18h

About The Position

Microsoft’s Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I) builds and operates the cloud infrastructure that powers Microsoft services, including more than 160 datacenters, 130+ edge sites, over 2 million miles of fiber, and millions of servers and network and storage devices. The Global Manager of Quality Assurance – Construction is a functional leadership role responsible for developing, implementing, and scaling global quality assurance systems, standards, and governance models to support consistent, predictable, and compliant construction execution across the global data center portfolio. The role focuses on strategy, process design, and organizational capability. It enables regional construction teams to deliver high-quality projects through disciplined contractor management, standardized QA practices, and proactive risk mitigation. Reporting to the Global Director of Quality Assurance, this leader helps architect the global QA framework and drives alignment and continuous improvement across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Project Management, Architecture, Engineering, or a related field and 12+ years of related experience, or equivalent experience.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer, and/or government security screening requirements, including passing the Microsoft Cloud Background Check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated expertise in construction QA/QC, including inspections, commissioning quality, defect prevention, root-cause analysis, and contractor quality management.
Experience building and scaling QA standards, processes, governance, KPIs, and systems across multiple projects, sites, or regions, rather than only executing an existing quality program.
Proven ability to influence construction teams, contractors, engineering, design, and supply chain partners to improve quality performance and drive consistent execution.
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Project Management, Architecture, Engineering, or a related field and 15+ years of related experience, or equivalent experience.
15+ years of experience working on data center projects.
10+ years of project management experience.
10+ years of people management experience.

Responsibilities

Support the Global Director in defining the enterprise construction QA strategy and aligning it with engineering, design, safety, and project execution priorities.
Develop and maintain the global QA operating model, including roles, responsibilities, decision rights, and interfaces with regional execution teams.
Establish scalable frameworks for contractor quality management, inspection readiness, commissioning quality, and defect prevention.
Create, refine, and govern global QA standards, procedures, checklists, and verification protocols.
Lead development of digital QA systems, dashboards, and reporting tools that provide visibility into quality performance, trends, and systemic risks.
Partner with Engineering, Design, Supply Chain, and Construction to integrate QA processes throughout the project lifecycle, from design through commissioning.
Establish and manage global QA governance forums that promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Establish global metrics, KPIs, and scorecards to measure quality performance across contractors, regions, and project types.
Conduct global quality audits, maturity assessments, and compliance reviews to verify adherence to standards and identify systemic gaps.
Develop and maintain global contractor QA requirements, qualification criteria, and performance expectations.
Partner with Supply Chain and regional teams to evaluate contractor quality capability and drive corrective action plans when needed.
Create frameworks for defect tracking, root-cause analysis, and lessons-learned integration.
Provide training, coaching, and guidance to regional QA managers and construction teams on global standards and best practices.
Facilitate global knowledge-sharing through playbooks, case studies, and technical guidance.
Support regional execution teams in implementing QA systems, resolving complex quality issues, and improving contractor performance.
Lead global initiatives to reduce rework, improve first-time quality, and strengthen construction readiness.
Identify systemic risks and drive cross-functional solutions to improve quality outcomes across the portfolio.
Integrate lessons learned into standards, processes, and contractor requirements.