In short
Microsoft is seeking a Regional Managing Director for Data Center Community to serve as its local community leader and chief spokesperson, responsible for building trust and managing stakeholder relationships in a major data center region. This leadership role involves developing and executing community engagement strategies, leading a regional team, and acting as the primary local contact for civic leaders, officials, and community organizations.
Responsibilities
- Lead Microsoft’s regional data center community strategy, including local stakeholder engagement, public narrative, community investment, and trust-building priorities.
- Serve as the chief local spokesperson for the region, shaping Microsoft’s voice in community forums, public events, local media engagements, and high-stakes community conversations.
- Manage and guide a regional team and budget consisting of a Community Manager and a Communications Manager, setting priorities and ensuring integrated local function.
- Partner closely with the local data center operations leader to align community engagement, communications, and operational priorities.
- Coordinate with regional and national surge teams for new market entry, permitting, zoning, controversy, media attention, or urgent community concerns.
- Manage a locally focused budget to enable local partnerships and support community priorities.
- Own and be accountable for the integrated community engagement strategy, translating commitments into locally relevant plans and outcomes.
- Build and sustain trusted relationships with local elected officials, civic leaders, business organizations, education institutions, nonprofits, and labor partners.
- Represent Microsoft as a trusted local leader in public forums, community meetings, chambers of commerce, and other high-impact venues.
- Anticipate community risks and opportunities, maintain a stakeholder map, identify emerging sentiment, and escalate issues quickly.
- Ensure community engagement begins early, remains transparent, and continues through the full data center lifecycle.
- Guide the local narrative across community engagement, media, social sentiment, and stakeholder communications.
- Prepare for and lead public-facing engagements such as town halls, hearings, and listening sessions.
- Work with the Communications Manager to develop talking points, FAQs, and media materials.
- Act as the trusted local voice during sensitive moments, helping Microsoft respond with transparency, empathy, speed, and operational accuracy.
- Oversee local communications strategy, including proactive storytelling, local media engagement, and crisis-response readiness.
- Guide community programming and philanthropic investments, ensuring alignment with community priorities and Microsoft commitments.
- Connect communications, media, and community efforts to strengthen trust and demonstrate tangible benefit.
- Ensure the regional team maintains accurate data, metrics, and qualitative feedback for reporting and continuous improvement.
- Serve as the central coordinator for community-facing work across various internal Microsoft teams.
- Leverage clear escalation paths for operational, reputational, policy, and community issues.
- Support local government relations by aligning stakeholder engagement and messaging.
- Bring local insight into regional and national planning.
- Help Microsoft operate within company guardrails for accuracy, legal review, brand alignment, and responsible engagement.
Requirements
- Master's Degree AND 6+ years work experience in corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropies, corporate affairs, government affairs, business and international development, or related area; OR Bachelor's Degree AND 8+ years work experience; OR equivalent experience.
- 4+ years of experience serving as a public spokesperson or external representative.
- 4+ years of experience leading high-visibility community engagement in complex environments involving elected officials, media, business leaders, nonprofits, education and workforce partners, and community advocates.
- Ability to travel frequently within the assigned region and participate in evening or weekend community events as needed.
- Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements.
- Ability to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
- Verification of citizenship required due to citizenship-based legal restrictions for supporting United States government agency customers.
Desired Qualifications
- Master's Degree AND 8+ years work experience in corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropies, corporate affairs, government affairs, business and international development, or related area; OR Bachelor's Degree AND 12+ years work experience; OR equivalent experience.
- 4+ years experience managing a corporate social responsibility (CSR) or related program.
- 3+ years people or team management experience.
- Experience working in or with data center, infrastructure, energy, construction, technology, or other highly visible capital investment environments.
- Experience navigating local permitting, zoning, public meetings, community benefits discussions, coalition-building, or issue advocacy.
- Knowledge of AI infrastructure, cloud technology, workforce development, digital skilling, sustainability, electricity, water, construction, or local economic development issues relevant to data center communities.
- Experience designing community investment strategies, advisory boards, nonprofit partnerships, workforce pathways, AI skilling programs, grants, sponsorships, employee volunteer engagement, or local impact campaigns.
- Experience working effectively across large, matrixed organizations with legal, policy, communications, operations, engineering, and executive stakeholders.
- Proven ability to manage or guide cross-functional teams, consultants, or pods that include communications, community engagement, public affairs, program delivery, and issue-management responsibilities.
- Experience managing budgets and resource allocation for community engagement programs.
Benefits
- Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation.
- Information on additional benefits and pay can be found at https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay.
#corporate affairs#community engagement#stakeholder relations#public relations#data centers#leadership#strategic planning#budget management#communications
Company
Microsoft
Job Posted
1 month ago
Employment Type
Full Time
WorkMode
Remote
Experience Level
Executive
Qualification
Master, Bachelor
Applicants
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