Microsoft

Principal Program Manager - Cloud Planning

Microsoft • $142K — $274K *
Redmond, WA 98052In-Person
Enterprise Technology
5 - 7 years of experience
Today
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Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree AND 6+ years of experience in engineering, technical program management, data analysis, or product development, or equivalent experience.
  • 3+ years of experience managing cross-functional projects.
  • Proven expertise in scientific modeling and decision science, with experience in quantitative modeling (Python, R).
  • Deep analytics and data fluency with tools such as SQL, Python, R, Power BI.
  • Strong leadership in managing complex, enterprise-scale programs with multiple workstreams.
  • Effective communication with senior leaders, elucidating trade-offs and influencing decisions.
  • Proven ability to navigate and create clarity in ambiguity, driving progress in dynamic environments.

Responsibilities

  • Lead strategic cloud capacity buffer planning, aligning priorities with senior leadership.
  • Drive monthly planning cycles to set optimal cloud capacity buffer targets through data analytics and simulations.
  • Define and execute a roadmap for transforming cloud capacity buffer planning processes.
  • Identify and communicate capacity-related risks, developing strategic mitigation plans.
  • Establish cross-functional partnerships to influence goals and resolve competing priorities.
  • Direct the evolution of models and analytics for cloud capacity buffer planning in collaboration with Data Science and Engineering.
  • Establish metrics for buffer performance and accountability across the organization.

Benefits

  • Eligible for benefits and other compensation opportunities.
  • Exposure to strategic decision-making processes at an executive level.
  • Opportunity to collaborate with various cross-functional teams, enhancing professional relationships and skill sets.
Full Job Description
Responsibilities

Cloud Capacity buffer planning - Strategic leadership & executive alignment
  • Lead cloud capacity buffer planning at a strategic level by framing tradeoffs, scenarios, and implications for senior leadership.
  • Drive executive level alignment on buffer strategy, priorities, and decisions, serving as a trusted advisor to Capacity Planning, Capacity Management, Engineering Group, Finance, and Data Science leadership.

Buffer Target Planning & Optimization
  • Own and lead monthly planning cycles to generate optimal cloud capacity buffer targets by orchestrating scenario simulations and data analytics, building strategic and operational alignment with key stakeholders and leadership.
  • Deploy changes to improve cloud capacity buffer plans with accountability.

Buffer planning transformation & operating model evolution
  • Define and drive the long term roadmap for cloud capacity buffer planning transformation, including planning processes, models, and operating mechanisms.
  • Anticipate future business complexity and scale requirements, and proactively evolve the cloud capacity buffer planning operating model to remain resilient and fit for purpose.

Enterprise risk & opportunity management
  • Identify, assess, and communicate systemic capacity and buffer related risks and opportunities across the business. Lead the development of strategic mitigation plans and investment recommendations to address structural risks, rather than point in time issues.

Cross functional strategy & influence
  • Establish strong partnerships with senior leaders across Capacity Planning, Capacity Management, Engineering Group, Finance, and Data Science to align on shared goals and strategic outcomes. Influence direction with and without direct authority, resolving competing priorities and driving enterprise wide outcomes.

Advanced model & analytics stewardship
  • Provide strategic oversight and direction for cloud capacity buffer planning models and analytics. Partner with Data Science and Engineering to guide model evolution, ensuring robustness, scalability, transparency, and alignment with long term business strategy.

Metrics, insights & business accountability
  • Define the north star metrics and success criteria for buffer effectiveness at an enterprise level. Ensure insights are translated into clear actions and decisions, and hold the organization accountable for outcomes related to buffering performance.

Executive decision support & thought leadership
  • Serve as the primary thought leader for cloud capacity buffer strategy, providing forward looking insights, scenario analyses, and recommendations to executives. Shape decisions through clear narratives that connect data, strategy, and business impact.


Qualifications

Required Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree AND 6+ years of experience in engineering, product/technical program management, data analysis, or product development OR equivalent experience.
  • 3+ years of experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects.
Other Requirements:
  • 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.
Preferred Qualifications:
  • Proven scientific modeling and decision science expertise
    • Experience developing quantitative models (e.g. Python, R) to address complex business challenges.
  • Proven analytics and data fluency
    • Deep experience with data analysis and visualization (e.g. SQL, Python, R, Power BI) and the ability to turn complex analysis into clear insights for leadership decisions.
  • Enterprise-scale program leadership
    • Proven ability to lead complex, cross functional programs with multiple workstreams, setting direction and driving outcomes in ambiguous environments.
  • Financial and investment understanding
    • Experience working with Finance to assess CapEx impacts, tradeoffs, and investment decisions, and clearly explain financial implications of planning choices.
  • Executive-level communication and influence
    • Proven ability to communicate with senior leaders, clearly explaining tradeoffs, recommendations, and risks, and influencing decisions with or without direct authority.
  • Comfort operating in ambiguity
    • Demonstrated ability to create clarity, set direction, and move work forward in fast-changing, highly ambiguous situations.
  • Cross-functional leadership mindset
    • Track record of building trusted partnerships across planning, engineering, finance, and data science to drive enterprise level outcomes.


Technical Program Management IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $142,800 - $274,800 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $188,000 - $304,200 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

About Microsoft

Microsoft is an American multinational corporation that develops, manufactures, licenses, supports, and sells a range of software products and services. Microsoft’s devices and consumer (D&C) licensing segment licenses the Windows operating system and related software, Microsoft Office for consumers, and the Windows Phone operating system. The company’s computing and gaming hardware segment provides Xbox gaming and entertainment consoles and accessories, second-party and third-party video games, and Xbox Live subscriptions; surface devices and accessories; and Microsoft PC accessories. Its phone hardware segment offers Lumia smartphones and other non-Lumia phones. Its D&C segment provides Windows Store, Xbox Live transactions, and Windows phone store; search advertising; display advertising; Office 365 Home and Office 365 Personal; first-party video games; and other consumer products and services as well as operating retail stores. Microsoft’s commercial licensing segments license server products, including Windows Server, Microsoft SQL Server, Visual Studio, System Center, and related Client Access Licenses (CALs); Windows Embedded; Windows operating system; Microsoft Office for business, including Office, Exchange, SharePoint, Lync, and related CALs; Microsoft Dynamics business solutions; and Skype. Its commercial segment offers enterprise services, including premier support services and Microsoft consulting services; commercial cloud comprising Office 365 Commercial, other Microsoft Office online offerings, Dynamics CRM Online, and Microsoft Azure; and other commercial products and online services. The company markets and distributes its products through original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and resellers, as well as online.

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Learn more about Microsoft
Size
181,000 employees
Market Cap
$1,762.4 billion
Industry
Enterprise Technology
Net Income
$51.3 billion
Founded
1975
5 Year Trend
+15.5%
Revenue
$153.2 billion
NASDAQ
MSFT
* Ladders Estimates

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