Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help us achieve our mission.

Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I) is the engine that powers Microsoft’s core cloud platforms and services that millions of people use every day. With more than 95% of Fortune 500 business on Azure, 180 million using Office 365, and millions using other services – all running on Microsoft's cloud infrastructure – CO+I builds and operates the foundation upon which Microsoft’s mission to empower every person and organization comes to life.

Are you passionate about cloud computing? Do you get excited about taking a hands-on approach to transforming Microsoft’s most critical business through investigation, data analysis, and automation? If so, come and help us build the most reliable & efficient datacenter infrastructure on the planet.

The CO+I Critical Environment Systems Intelligence (CESI) team is responsible for designing and delivering solutions to support global datacenter operations and to improve availability. CESI is helping to drive CO+I’s transition to a Customer centric, data driven, live service culture.

As the Director of Solution Optimization and Process Excellence, you will lead a team to inform, equip, and empower key parties across the business to sponsor, drive, and/or participate in continuous improvement initiatives, developing a Lean, improvement driving culture with measurable results. You will be responsible for developing and executing the strategic plan to scale continuous improvement capabilities into operations while also developing key leaders (Champions and Sponsors) to build operational excellence into their functions. The team you will lead will also focus on driving initiatives aimed at the highest priorities (OKRs) for the business. In this role you will interact with stakeholders in multiple teams located all over the world. Listen & learn how they work, what their problems are, and work with the field and global functions to develop better processes and method.

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.

This role is located either in one or all hub locations - Atlanta, GA, Washington, D.C., Redmond, WA, San Antonio, TX or Phoenix, AZ.

Relocation support will be provided, and successful candidates will need to relocate or reside within 50 miles of the hub office location.

This role is eligible for hybrid or remote work, up to 100%.

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.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the portfolio of continuous improvement projects and/or programs working across multiple internal and external teams to ensure they are successfully delivered in accordance with established requirements, timelines and budget.

• Manage a team of lean process program managers to identify and deliver improvement activities across the business applying industry methodologies and tools to deliver impact.

• Partner with key business stakeholders, and cross-functional champions, to embed continuous improvement training into the environment, equipping them with the tools to self-manage, and achieve certification.

• Enable your team to lead and facilitate Lean/process improvement-based workshops to drive ideas, recommendations, and solutions.

• Through centralized intake you will triage new improvement opportunities, assess their ROI, and determine, which projects are critical fund against the portfolio and available resources.

• Ensure improvement activities can sustain impact after delivery by establishing internal governance and controls that continue the lifecycle independently.

• Support the delivery of better value and greater efficiency through the identification and elimination of unnecessary complexity within business processes and identification of better ways of working.

• and drive process change using stakeholders’ interviews, document analysis, requirements workshops, surveys, site visits, business process descriptions, business analysis and workflow analysis.

• Actively monitor project risks across the portfolio to foresee/identify potential problems and proactively identify solutions to address in advance.

• Ensure the business impact and project objectives/dependencies are identified, reported, and managed at all times.

• Establish robust collaborative relationships with project sponsors, partners and stakeholders.

• Develop and deliver ongoing presentations on the plan of record to business leaders and stakeholders to ensure there is clarity on progress, a steering mechanism for change management, and that the overall objectives are met.

• Develop and present relevant program metrics and key results.

• Support cross functional team building by building mutual trust and encourages respect and cooperation among team members.

• Learn, live, and coach the One Microsoft culture and values. Lead through change by bringing clarity, generating energy, and delivering success.

• Embody our Culture (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/culture) & Values (https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/about/corporate-values)

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance or related field AND 8+ years work experience in program management, process management, process improvement

• OR equivalent experience.

• 3+ years experience managing cross-functional and/or cross-team projects.

• 3+ years' experience in process improvement (Lean Six sigma - including DMAIC) and transformational projects.

• 6+ years management (e.g., people, project, process, vendor, change) experience.

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:

• 8+ years people management experience.

• Master's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance or related field AND 10+ years program management experience, process management, process improvement OR Bachelor's Degree in Business, Operations, Finance or related field AND 12+ years experience in program management , process management, process improvement

• OR equivalent experience.

• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification and demonstrated experience in implementing Continuous Improvement (Lean Six Sigma and/or similar) methodologies.

• Project or program management certification(s) (PMP, PMI, CAPM, etc.).

• Experience working in datacenter or other critical infrastructure environments.

• Ability to deliver and maintain mature processes, procedures, programs, training, and improvement plans.

• Ability to document and improve work processes to make workflow more efficient and productive.

• Experience with multi-tasking in a fast-paced work environment.

• Ability to deliver clear, concise, and compelling presentations and content to executive-level management.

• Experience communicating effectively across diverse cultures.

• A start up mentality to move and iterate quickly with a focus on driving growth.

Business Program Management M6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $129,200 - $273,400 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 $162,000 - $299,400 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

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until August 1, 2024.

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Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations (https://careers.microsoft.com/v2/global/en/accessibility.html) .