Program Manager (CRADA) - CTJ - TS/SCI

Microsoft•Raleigh, NC

4d•$142,800 - $274,800•Onsite

About The Position

Microsoft is seeking a Program Manager to serve as the on-site representative of Microsoft engineering to a strategic government partner. The role exists because what matters most in this partnership cannot be learned at a distance: what the partner needs and what it will need next surface in hallways, in after-action reviews, and in the ordinary course of a workday spent alongside its people. You will therefore work from the partner's site five days a week, and you will own the rhythm of business that keeps our Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) healthy — coordinating across internal and external stakeholders to schedule, plan, and execute the meetings and decision forums the partnership depends on. While approximately 95% of the role follows a predictable schedule, there are occasional periods when the organization shifts into crisis-response mode and requires extended support. During these infrequent events, flexibility and a willingness to support mission-critical activities outside of standard working hours are important. The work follows a straightforward mission: identify partner needs, translate those needs into actionable requirements, and help deliver capabilities that make a real impact. At any given time, you will guide multiple efforts through that lifecycle, helping each move forward while building trusted relationships across Microsoft and our partner organization. A significant part of the role focuses on customer requirements discovery. Using a user-centered and human-centered design framework, you will work closely with users to understand their environment, challenges, and goals. Through interviews, structured observation, and day-to-day engagement, you will identify who the users are, how they operate, what capabilities they need, and why those needs matter. You will then translate those insights into clear technical requirements that engineering teams can build against. As you develop a deep understanding of partner priorities, you will maintain a living body of knowledge that helps shape future innovation and informs strategic decision-making. Where a documented requirement meets a partner need, addresses a gap in the market, and draws on a Microsoft core competency, it becomes a candidate for an Individual Work Plan (IWP) — the vehicle through which this partnership turns a requirement into committed, funded work. Beyond requirements discovery, you will help drive a portfolio of IWPs from concept through delivery. The CRADA governs the broader relationship between Microsoft and the partner; IWPs nest beneath it and define the specific work and its scope. You will run a portfolio of IWPs at once — translating qualified requirements into IWP form, shepherding each through Microsoft's internal approval process, and, once approved, project managing it from creation through completion: standing up execution, sequencing dependencies, tracking progress and risk, and seeing the resulting capability through to delivery and adoption. Success in this role comes from collaboration. You will work across Microsoft business units, including engineering, legal, trade compliance, finance, and security, to align priorities, remove obstacles, and ensure successful outcomes. You will also play a key role in sustaining the long-term health of the partnership, including leading the CRADA renewal process during its five-year lifecycle. Communication is woven throughout every aspect of the role. You will synthesize partner feedback, emerging requirements, market opportunities, sources of friction, and urgent needs into clear, actionable insights for executive leaders. Whether communicating through written reports, presentations, or in-person discussions, you will help ensure leaders have the context they need to make informed decisions and respond quickly when priorities evolve. Done well, this role places you at the center of a unique strategic partnership, where your ability to connect customer needs with Microsoft's expertise directly influences the capabilities we build, the value we deliver, and the strength of a relationship that drives innovation forward.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Data Science, Math, Business, or related field AND 6+ years experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience.
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required pre-offer and post-hire for this role.
Must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).
Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.
Must pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
Verification of U.S. citizenship is required due to citizenship-based legal restrictions.
Must provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment.
Must be able to provide citizenship verification via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting or operating within a national security, defense, or special operations environment.
Familiarity with defense acquisition pathways and an understanding of how they compare to processes used across the broader defense enterprise and commercial industry.
Understanding of the distinct roles and considerations associated with enterprise technology and operational technology environments.
Knowledge of the regulations, security practices, and operational norms common within national security and defense organizations.
Experience applying user-centered design frameworks in a product engineering environment.
Experience designing products, services, or capabilities for extreme users operating at the edge of a product's intended envelope.
Ability to apply user insights and operational context to inform product, capability, or solution development.

Responsibilities

Serve as the on-site representative of Microsoft engineering to a strategic government partner.
Own the rhythm of business that keeps the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) healthy.
Coordinate across internal and external stakeholders to schedule, plan, and execute meetings and decision forums.
Identify partner needs and translate them into actionable requirements.
Help deliver capabilities that make a real impact.
Guide multiple efforts through the lifecycle from identification to delivery.
Build trusted relationships across Microsoft and the partner organization.
Conduct customer requirements discovery using a user-centered and human-centered design framework.
Identify users, their operations, capabilities needed, and the importance of those needs through interviews, structured observation, and day-to-day engagement.
Translate insights into clear technical requirements for engineering teams.
Maintain a living body of knowledge to shape future innovation and inform strategic decision-making.
Translate qualified requirements into Individual Work Plan (IWP) form.
Shepherd IWPs through Microsoft's internal approval process.
Project manage IWPs from creation through completion, including standing up execution, sequencing dependencies, tracking progress and risk, and seeing the resulting capability through to delivery and adoption.
Collaborate across Microsoft business units (engineering, legal, trade compliance, finance, security) to align priorities, remove obstacles, and ensure successful outcomes.
Sustain the long-term health of the partnership, including leading the CRADA renewal process.
Synthesize partner feedback, emerging requirements, market opportunities, sources of friction, and urgent needs into clear, actionable insights for executive leaders.
Communicate through written reports, presentations, or in-person discussions to ensure leaders have context for informed decision-making.