Overview
Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I) is the team behind one of the world’s largest cloud infrastructures, responsible for powering all Microsoft online Products and Services as well as powering Microsoft’s “Cloud First” mission. Our Global Project Controls team supports the delivery of CO+I’s mission and vision as the trusted advisors that deliver a definitive, responsive, and timely project controls program to all business areas via the industry’s best people, work processes, systems, and tools. We are composed of project management professionals who are committed to providing timely delivery of cost and schedule solutions to positively affect project outcomes. 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.
Microsoft's CO+I team is seeking a Datacenter Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) Planning Lead - SWAT Team member with well-rounded experience of planning large capital projects and project delivery. Your focus will be the Planning function within a team of highly experienced specialists with a keen intent on timely capacity delivery.
As part of the regional EPC SWAT team, the key responsibilities are to work cross functional with other SWAT team members to provide oversight on the consistent implementation of the project timelines and functional governance, perform project health analysis against the approved scope/execution plan/cost/schedule, assist with the project setup, evaluate the site resource effectiveness, conduct spot audits, assist with onboarding and training of the site based team. Team will be dedicated to this scope and will not be assigned to specific projects or other functional/regional activities. The project reviews and assessment will be as per the SWAT team roadmap and/or managed by exception should a critical priority be raised within the region. The team will be based in a hub location and will travel together to the sites as per the roadmap and business critical priorities.
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
Business Processes:
- Reports to the CO+I Regional Planning Lead with reporting structure to a SWAT Team Lead
- This position requires a senior level of understanding of Safety, Datacenter Construction, Datacenter Commissioning, Project Management, Telecommunications, and Mission Critical Operations.
- Create and/or maintain best practices to identify and incorporate quality and cost-effective solutions.
- Development of corrective action reports to best understand and communicate project recovery.
- Development of schedule audit reports to best understand and communicate project status.
- Travel required.
Accountability:
- Travel to projects to ensure consistent operations and efficiencies across the region, including project setup, onboarding, training, audit, assessing resource effectiveness, and conducting project health checks.
- Responsible for identifying and reporting on blockers to the effective delivery of scope within schedule commitments for CO+I projects.
- Responsible for being able to effectively evaluate project status and develop, within the team, a timely and cost-effective solution for safe delivery within budget, quality and schedule.
- Collaboratively driving solutions to impact successful delivery of projects under challenging conditions.
- Work within a SWAT team environment and matrixed organization in support of the CO+I Program.
Partner with Site-Based Planning team responsible for the following:
Planning
- Help develop Integrated Master Schedules (IMS) including timelines and dependencies for large-scale datacenter construction projects.
- Work with cross-functional teams, including engineers, procurement, and construction to ensure project milestones are met and deliverables are completed on time.
- Monitor project risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate potential issues.
General Contractor (GC) Procurement & Construction Schedule Baseline Management
- Work closely with the Regional Planning Lead to ensure the GC Baseline Schedule meets the standards and requirements defined within the DIV1 Specification.
- Complete the GC Baseline Evaluation process and provide recommendations.
- Carry out the GC Proposal Schedule Evaluations and provide evaluation narrative and scores.
Schedule Analysis and Reporting
- Facilitate and participate in weekly schedule reviews onsite with GC schedule teams to analyze and validate progress onsite.
- Proactively analyze project schedules by; comparing cost/resource curves to actuals, tracking float consumption, perform schedule integrity (health) checks, carry-out delay impact analysis, monitor monthly performance and carry out variance analysis supporting Baseline Management and Change Control processes throughout the Project Lifecycle
- Carry out and communicate Schedule Time Impact Assessments of schedule delay events and recommend mitigation strategies to recover and/or control the impacts.
- Identify and mitigate threats to the project's schedule and initiate corrective actions through field staff.
- Analyze resource loading and recommend adjustments / corrective action as appropriate.
- Assess impacts of design and/or long lead equipment changes and provide recommendations to mitigate/recover the schedule.
- Provide final review of schedules for estimating as requested.
- Embody our Culture and Values
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor's Degree in Construction Project Management, Architecture, Engineering, or related field AND 12+ years related experience
- OR equivalent experience.
- 12+ years of experience in planning medium sized capital projects in data center, oil and gas or chemicals (or related process industry). This experience should specifically include engineering and procurement, with specific examples of integrated construction planning.
- Excellent understanding of Project Planning, Earned Value Management and Key Commodity Tracking.
- Excellent skills in Oracle P6 project planning software
- Strong background in Risk Schedule Analysis.
- Ability to analyze EPC plans/schedule and provide deep insights into trends, issues, mitigations.
- Good verbal, written communication skills
- Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
- Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks effectively.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to deliver high-quality work.
- Experience in managing teams and working collaboratively with cross-functional groups.
Preferred:
- Strong familiarity with CPM scheduling methodology.
- Ability to present data from a detailed to high-level depending on audience.
- Experience with Data Center construction programs.
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.
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Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.
