Microsoft—Metro Contracts Manager

Job description

Description: Overview Overview Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. As employees we come together with a growth mindset, innovate to empower others and collaborate to realize our shared goals. Each day we build on our values of respect, integrity, and accountability to create a culture of inclusion where everyone can thrive at work and beyond. Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation (CO&I) is the team behind the cloud. Within CO&I, the Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) 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 collaborative and results-oriented professional to help build the cloud datacenters that power the world’s largest online services. In alignment with our Microsoft values, we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment for all employees to positively impact our culture every day. Role Summary The Hyderabad Metro Contract Manager will lead pre- and post-award contract activities for complex construction projects, adhering to Microsoft contracting policies and processes. This role involves developing and implementing multi-year sourcing strategies, leading supplier selection in collaboration with cross-functional project teams, driving contract negotiations, and establishing supplier performance standards to achieve project excellence. The individual will collaborate with the Sub-Regional Contracts Lead and other contract stakeholders to ensure awareness of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), and/or defined milestones and deliverables, and drive timeliness and consistency across supply chain requests. The individual will identify issues related to procurement requests and collaborate with business partners, create contract execution plans with control processes and approaches, develop and lead pricing and negotiation strategies, and secure management support both internally and externally. The successful candidate will drive early business engagements for highly complex business areas or purchasing categories, manage supplier activity and progress, and develop and execute supplier account plans detailing mutual priorities and focus for the supplier relationship for the upcoming period. The primary location for this role will be in Hyderabad, but it may require covering additional locations or projects as assigned. Responsibilities Contracting Strategy & Delivery - Lead project-specific contracting strategies across Hyderabad. - Define procurement approaches including competitive tender, framework drawdown, or single-source contracting where appropriate. - Partner with execution and delivery management and cost management teams to optimise cost, schedule, delivery, and risk outcomes. Procurement & Supply Chain Management - Own end-to-end RFP and contracting processes, including prequalification, sourcing, bid lists, commercial evaluation, and award recommendations. - Maintain a diversified and resilient supply chain, managing market capacity and programme risks. - Provide oversight of General Contractor procurement plans, subcontracting strategies, and key supplier performance matters. Contract Execution & Governance - Draft, review, and issue contracts in accordance with Microsoft-approved templates, approval pathways, and legal guidance. - Manage contractual exceptions, approvals, and compliance requirements in consultation with Legal, Procurement, Finance, and business stakeholders. - Review and support approval of change orders, contract amendments, and commercial modifications. Contract Administration & Commercial Delivery - Administer contracts across the full lifecycle, including contractual notices, formal correspondence, change management, and commercial close-out. - Provide project teams with timely commercial and contractual advice to support decision-making and reduce claims exposure. - Support Lump Sum, GMP, ECI, framework, and other commercial models as required by the project portfolio. Claims, Risk & Dispute Resolution - Lead commercial assessment of EOT, delay, disruption, variation, compensation, and escalation claims. - Prepare Microsoft’s commercial position papers, negotiation strategies, and recommended responses. - Drive early dispute avoidance and structured resolution pathways where commercial issues arise. Cross-Team Leadership - Operate as the senior contracts point of contact across project teams, cost management, legal, procurement, finance, contractors, consultants, and suppliers. - Demonstrates the ability to independently resolve complex cross-functional issues while partnering effectively with stakeholders. - Influence project outcomes without formal people management responsibility. Governance, Compliance & Reporting - Ensure contract records, approvals, execution evidence, and correspondence are maintained to audit-ready standards. - Support use of Microsoft contracting and procurement systems such as LCE, Ariba, Icertis, Compass, and other approved tools as applicable. - Provide regular reporting on procurement plans, contract status, commercial risks, claims, and supplier performance. Scope & Impact - Scope covers Hyderabad metro data centre construction projects, with flexibility to support broader projects as business priorities require. - Accountable for commercially sound contracting outcomes across complex workstreams, not limited to tactical contract administration. - Expected to identify and resolve issues that affect cost, schedule, supplier performance, claims exposure, and contractual compliance. - Role requires senior IC judgement, cross-team influence, and independent ownership of the “how” for contracts execution and governance. Stakeholder Collaboration - Drives early business engagements for highly complex and/or undefined business areas or purchasing categories with cross functional leadership including product design, quality, and business teams, to share best practices, influence decision-makers, drive action, and optimize sourcing strategies, business requirements, spend, and short- and long-term priorities. Facilitates industry and ecosystem engagements and provides expert consultation with leadership teams on sourcing decisions and optimizations that can be deployed at scale. - Develops and leads pricing and negotiation strategies for several complex purchasing categories, ensures that strategies clearly articulate tradeoffs, roles, and responsibilities across parties, and gains leadership support for strategies both internally and externally. Anticipates negotiation setbacks, proactively drives action to mitigate contract disagreements, and coaches others on negotiation best practices across internal sourcing teams. - Manages supplier activity and progress across multiple accounts and complex purchasing categories, developing and executing supplier account plans detailing mutual priorities and focus for the supplier relationship for the upcoming period. Trains external stakeholders during onboarding and identifies engagement programs to improve supplier performance to achieve business goals. Behavioural Attributes    - Can create clarity, generate energy, and deliver success; always be planning for the future.   - Have high integrity – must be ethical and strong value-based individual focused on fairness and maintaining confidentiality.   - Demonstrates strong execution, accountability, and prioritization skills – a drive to achieve results in midst of ambiguity and a matrix organization.   - Be a high performer – be able to fit the Microsoft “culture” by effectively multi-tasking and managing priorities; have a “sense of urgency” regarding issue resolution.  - Team player & collaborative – Demonstrates an ability to foster collaborations across teams and stakeholders, leveraging diverse perspectives to achieve common goals. Actively participates in and drives cross-functional initiatives, balancing individual contributions with group success Qualifications - Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management, Operations, or related field, or equivalent practical experience. - Typically 12+ years of relevant experience managing construction projects, demonstrating the ability to lead and deliver complex, large-scale projects from initiation through to completion. - Extensive experience in supply chain management, commercial negotiations, and contracting, as well as external supplier/contractor management across multiple projects in diverse locations. - Deep understanding of Commercial Contracting language and terms with proven negotiation skills with external suppliers / service providers. - Significant experience in contract management, procurement, commercial management, quantity surveying, cost management, engineering, construction management, or a related discipline. - Experience managing complex construction contracts, change orders, claims, commercial negotiations, and contractor correspondence. - Demonstrated ability to work across multiple concurrent projects and stakeholders in a fast-paced capital delivery environment. - Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing contractual notices, commercial recommendations, and senior stakeholder briefings Preferred Qualifications - Experience in the Data Center, Infrastructure, Semi-conductor, Power, or Oil & Gas managing capital projects with contractor and supplier management responsibilities. - Experience working in a large, multinational organization, preferably on the owner’s side, with a strong understanding of corporate processes, stakeholder management, and global operations. - Professional accreditation such as RICS, CIArb, AIQS, AACE, or equivalent is desirable. - Experience with Microsoft or comparable enterprise contracting, procurement, and governance systems is desirable. - Experience in understanding and application of FIDIC based contracts. This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. 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.