Group Accounting Program Manager
About The Position
Microsoft’s Cloud infrastructure organization powers one of the world’s largest and most advanced cloud platforms, supporting Azure and global digital services across regions. The team operates at the forefront of data center expansion, lease and asset investments, and complex supply chain arrangements, enabling the foundation for Microsoft’s cloud growth and innovation. The Cloud Infrastructure Accounting team supports this organization. Within this environment, the Contract Review function plays a critical role in bridging business decision-making and financial integrity, ensuring that complex commercial arrangements are reviewed, assessed, and executed with clear accounting outcomes under US GAAP. The Group Accounting Program Manager will lead and scale the enterprise contract review capability across Microsoft’s infrastructure accounting landscape, ensuring accounting conclusions are identified, evaluated, and governed proactively before contract execution. This role combines strategic leadership and deep technical accounting expertise, acting as the bridge between Corporate Accounting, Finance partners, and business stakeholders. The role will define the operating model, drive consistency in accounting outcomes, and enable scalable, efficient review processes across diverse contract portfolios (leases, services, assets, and hybrid arrangements). This is a high-impact individual contributor lead role responsible for shaping how accounting risks are identified, assessed, and operationalized across Microsoft’s infrastructure investments.
Requirements
- Master's Degree in Business, Accounting /Finance, or related field AND 6+ years accounting or finance experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Accounting /Finance, or related field AND 7+ years accounting or finance experience OR equivalent experience.
- Extensive experience in technical accounting including, ASC 842 – lease identification and classification, ASC 360 / 410 – capitalization, impairment, asset retirement obligations, ASC 350 – intangible asset recognition and impairment, and ASC 330 – inventory accounting in manufacturing scenarios.
- Proven track record in contract review / deal enablement.
- Proficient program management capability (designing and scaling new functions) and leveraging technology and AI to do so.
Nice To Haves
- Master's Degree in Business, Accounting /Finance, or related field AND 8+ years accounting or finance experience OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Accounting /Finance, or related field AND 12+ years accounting or finance experience OR equivalent experience.
- Professional accounting certification such as CPA or equivalent.
Responsibilities
- Act as the lead reviewer for the most complex, high-value contracts including: Datacenter builds (DC construction and capacity agreements), Real estate leases and land agreements, Energy procurement, Network and connectivity services, Hardware / server procurement and financing structures
- Establish governance forums and escalation mechanisms for reviewing contract and business models.
- Ensure accounting conclusions are well-documented, auditable, and compliant with US GAAP.
- Identify inefficiencies in current workflows and implement scalable processes to support volume growth and complexity partnering with engineering and system teams.
- Lead collaboration across Corporate Accounting, Cloud Infrastructure business, Finance, Legal, and Procurement teams.
- Embody our culture and values.
Benefits
- Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
