M

Microsoft

Builds workplace software, PCs and cloud services

Senior Contracts Manager

Full-Time
$97.6k - $206.4k/yr
Mid
Bachelor's, Master's
Annapolis Junction, MD, USA
In PersonTravel up to 25% globally and domestically, including to secure government facilities.
Contract Management
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field and at least 3 years of experience in end-to-end supply chain processes and working across functions to deliver program outcomes, or a Bachelor's degree in one of those fields and at least 4 years of such experience, or equivalent experience.
  • Pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire or transfer and every two years thereafter.
  • U.S. citizenship is required and will be verified via a valid passport due to citizenship-based legal restrictions.
  • Be able to travel up to 25% globally and domestically, including to secure government facilities.
Responsibilities
  • Integrate business specifications for complex purchasing areas into Request for Information and Request for Proposal processes.
  • Independently lead Request for Proposal readiness by reviewing contract documents for completeness, commercial alignment, and compliance with AGC-specific government supply chain requirements.
  • Coordinate timely issuance of Request for Proposals in line with program schedules across multiple concurrent workstreams.
  • Drive closure of technical and commercial deviations before contract award, escalating to senior leadership where appropriate.
  • Lead bid evaluations, contract strategy development, and negotiation preparation for complex, high-value engagements.
  • Partner with cost, procurement, legal, engineering, and project teams to shape and support award decisions.
  • Manage contracts through execution, ensuring compliance with contractual terms, governance requirements, and U.S. government supply chain integrity standards.
  • Lead administration of change orders and variations, maintaining clear entitlement positions and protecting Microsoft's commercial interests.
  • Review, approve, and, where required, draft contractual correspondence, including notices, cure letters, non-compliance letters, and formal communications.
  • Monitor contractor performance against contractual obligations, milestones, key performance indicators, and commercial commitments; drive corrective action when performance gaps emerge.
  • Support resolution of billing, valuation, payment, and invoicing issues with cost and finance teams.
  • Maintain rigorous contract records and ensure data integrity in contract management systems.
  • Identify risks and roadblocks to contract execution and drive internal or external action to resolve or escalate them as appropriate.
  • Coordinate review of Time Impact Analyses, extension-of-time requests, and schedule recovery measures; develop Microsoft's commercial position on each.
  • Lead dispute avoidance strategies and drive resolution of complex commercial issues, escalating to legal and senior leadership where required.
  • Identify and proactively mitigate contractual, commercial, and supply chain risks throughout program delivery.
  • Ensure compliance with insurance, bonding, parent company guarantees, and other contractual risk controls.
  • Apply structured risk-based decision-making to balance schedule, cost, quality, and contractual exposure.
  • Ensure adherence to Microsoft procurement and contracting policy; educate stakeholders and suppliers on policy compliance; manage remediation and resolution of sourcing issues.
  • Analyze root causes of compliance and execution issues, and influence internal and external changes to address them.
  • Identify opportunities to adapt policy to mitigate risk and better enable suppliers to meet business requirements.
  • Ensure consistency, timeliness, quality, and accuracy of deliverables, and ensure Procurement stakeholders are aware of service-level agreements and defined milestone and deliverable terms.
  • Communicate delays to Procurement stakeholders, and independently propose and execute contingency measures.
  • Lead regular commercial and contract review meetings with contractors and internal stakeholders at the program level.
  • Act as the principal commercial interface between site delivery teams, the Contracts function, legal, procurement, suppliers, and cross-functional partners.
  • Provide structured commercial updates to the Contracts leadership team, program leadership, and AGC business stakeholders.
  • Influence senior managers and engineering leads to adopt contract management best practices and consistent commercial discipline across the program portfolio.
  • Manage contract closeout activities, ensuring all contractual deliverables, warranties, and obligations are satisfied.
  • Lead final account settlement, release of retentions, lien resolution, and documentation handover.
  • Drive continuous improvement in contract management processes, tools, templates, and execution practices across the AGC program portfolio.
  • Share lessons learned and contribute to playbooks, training, and the broader CO+I contracts community of practice.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Master's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business, Engineering, or a related field and at least 6 years of experience in end-to-end supply chain processes and working across functions to deliver program outcomes, or a Bachelor's degree in one of those fields and at least 8 years of such experience, or equivalent experience.
  • Certification in Six Sigma.
  • Category Management experience in one or more key categories, including General Contractors, Mechanical and Electrical Equipment, Construction Services, Operations Services, and/or Systems.
  • Demonstrated experience leading complex commercial negotiations and contract execution at the enterprise level.
  • Project management experience and the ability to communicate and influence effectively.
  • Experience with global and regional planning and development.
  • Commercial understanding and experience driving and developing contracts in key categories, including Mechanical and Electrical Equipment, Power Generation, Construction Services, and Operations Services.
  • Experience collaborating with key stakeholders to jointly develop and implement category strategies that drive efficiencies, improve performance delivery, and reduce costs.
  • Experience developing and enhancing supplier relationships, including strategic supplier development programs.
  • A data-driven approach to continuous improvement and accurate reporting, with proficiency in spend analytics and category management tools.
  • Interest in exploring new technologies, ways of working, and contracting methods.
  • Knowledge of the data center industry and experience managing varied project delivery methods, including the ability to lead a project team in defining risk and developing an appropriate contracting and compensation approach.
  • Technical ability to write contracts, set up sourcing plans and negotiation strategies, and execute them.
  • Ability to communicate with diverse groups across organizational levels, including executive leadership.
  • Familiarity with process improvement methodologies such as Lean and Six Sigma, and ability to facilitate change management.
  • Ability to implement new processes and gain buy-in from cross-functional teams.

About the company

Microsoft builds workplace software, operating systems and cloud infrastructure for consumers, businesses and government agencies, from small organizations to global enterprises. Microsoft 365 combines Word and Excel with Teams communication and Copilot AI features, while Windows runs PCs and Surface supplies the company's own computers. Azure rents computing capacity, storage and databases to build and run web applications. Microsoft also sells Xbox consoles and games, collecting revenue through software licenses, subscriptions, usage charges and product sales. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, Microsoft is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Redmond, Washington

Founded

1975

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • US corporate staff receive education support: eligible, approved graduate coursework qualifies for up to $10,000 annually.
  • Cloud demand expands: July 2026 results showed Azure and other cloud services revenue grew 43% year-over-year in fiscal Q4.
  • Investment has an earnings cushion: July 2026 results reported $155.2 billion consolidated operating profit for fiscal 2026.

What critics are saying

  • Performance reviews include security: every Microsoft employee must discuss their security contribution with their manager.
  • Office flexibility depends on the role: Microsoft's postings specify requirements ranging from fully remote to fully on-site.
  • Cloud capacity faces local limits: Microsoft describes power-grid delays and water constraints affecting US datacenter expansion.

What makes Microsoft unique

  • Hybrid customers stay within reach: Azure Arc manages servers across customer datacenters and competing clouds.
  • Developer reach extends beyond Azure: Microsoft's GitHub hosts code collaboration alongside AI coding tools.
  • Professional data widens its business: Microsoft owns LinkedIn's recruiting, advertising and workplace-learning network.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Professional Development Budget
  • Conference Attendance Budget
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Remote Work Options

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
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