Senior Energy Program Manager

Overview
Microsoft's Cloud Operations & Innovation (CO+I)
team is responsible for the full lifecycle of Microsoft's cloud infrastructure, spanning site selection, development, and operations. Our global footprint includes more than 400 datacenters in 34 countries, supported by over 165,000 miles of fiber optic cable. These facilities form the backbone of Microsoft Azure and are central to our commitment to reliable, secure, and sustainable digital infrastructure.

As part of the
CO+I Energy Team
, you will join a team of professionals responsible for sourcing, negotiating, and delivering strategic energy projects. The candidate will manage a portfolio of activities to identify and execute energy opportunities to advance Microsoft's datacenter growth, in line with strategies to leverage sustainability, time to market and economic value in order to solidify Microsoft's leadership in providing infrastructure for the global AI economy.

Microsoft Cloud Operations & Innovation seeks a new
Senior Energy Program Manager
, focused on the energy markets in EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, and Africa). The candidate will manage a portfolio of activities to optimize and execute opportunities in datacenter energy supply and technology, including: support site selection efforts and datacenter interconnection strategy and execution in partnership with utilities, develop business cases for new technology applications at the datacenters, communicate project needs and manage relationships across internal and external stakeholders, negotiate energy supply agreements, identify regulatory and policy opportunities for Microsoft, and identify market conditions material to our business.

The candidate will have the ability to develop creative solutions that combine knowledge of regulated and deregulated power markets to deliver power to Microsoft datacenters. In addition, the candidate should be capable of developing commercial applications for advanced energy technologies which support energy transition principles and Microsoft's sustainability goals. The candidate will need to understand the dynamics of energy markets and Microsoft's own unique position in the energy sector. This necessitates that the candidate brings an innovative, collaborative presence to the role towards driving commercial & technology execution to realize business goals, lower costs, and meet sustainability targets.

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 beyo

Responsibilities

• Lead datacenter interconnection and energy solutions contract development with utilities and energy technology providers to support of Microsoft's datacenter businesses in EMEA
• Lead the end-to-end development and delivery to operations of energy infrastructure projects, including identification of growth opportunities and development of regional power strategy for site selection, management of utility engagement and contracting through the full data center lifecycle and identification, monitoring, and mitigation of key risks relating to power delivery for the EMEA cloud portfolio.
• Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with both external partners (utilities, government officials, regulatory agencies, energy suppliers, and technology providers) and internal teams to support site selection, energy project development, business growth, operational excellence, and sustainability initiatives for Microsoft datacenters.
• Monitor and analyze energy market trends and policy developments, represent Microsoft in regulatory and government engagements, and proactively identify opportunities to advance cost reduction, risk mitigation, and sustainability for Microsoft's cloud infrastructure.
• Oversee and optimize capital and operational expenditures for energy infrastructure projects, from funding requests to cost-saving initiatives across the datacenter energy value chain.
• Business travel required (10%-25%, subject to fluctuation with business tempo).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in economics, finance, engineering disciplines, business, or sustainability.
• Experience in project management.
• Broad understanding of the European power industry, with specific focus on the mechanics of deregulated power markets.
• Understanding of and experience from working within the energy and/or utility industry in Europe.
• Strong commercial and technical analysis capabilities to support review of utility tariffs, power contracts, and power market fundamentals.
• Possess an entrepreneurial, self-directed spirit and proven track record of project execution.
• Team player capable of adapting to ambiguous environments with cross-group collaboration and problem-solving abilities.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communications (verbal and written) skills.
• Growth mindset with high attention to detail.
• Fluent in Italian and English

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with TSO and DSO utility network infrastructure and strong relationships with utility partners
• General understanding of data centers and cloud services.
• Post-graduate degree in relevant fields a plus, though experience in consulting and power/energy industries may substitute for relevant graduate education in this regard.

Background Check 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.

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

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 with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about
requesting accommodations.