Estimating Lead and TCO Integration

** Overview*
* Microsoft Cloud Operations and Innovation (CO&I) is the team behind the cloud.  Within CO&I, the Engineering Procurement & Construction (EPC) organization is responsible for delivering core datacenter infrastructure for Microsoft's cloud business. The MS portfolio consists of complex, multi-disciplinary, large scale, multi-year datacenter construction and lease projects. We are looking for a passionate, high-energy individual to help build the cloud datacenters that power the world's largest online services.

"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."

Lead the integration of Estimating, Cost Management, Finance, and Planning to deliver decision-ready Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) models, affordability assessments, and strategic investment analyses across Microsoft's global datacenter portfolio. Act as the estimating program lead for enterprise-wide strategic initiatives, translating technical, commercial, and market inputs into actionable financial insights that support portfolio planning, technology adoption, capital allocation, and go/no-go investment decisions.

Partner with Finance to establish TCO methodologies, maintain alignment on cost drivers, depreciation assumptions, residual value treatments, and affordability frameworks, ensuring consistency between estimating outputs and long-range financial forecasts. Lead cross-functional initiatives involving CTO, EPC, Planning, Finance, Cost Management, and regional delivery teams, driving governance, benchmarking, process improvement, and scalable estimating capabilities that improve decision quality, capital efficiency, and portfolio transparency.

Develop executive-level reporting that clearly communicates cost, schedule, risk, and investment tradeoffs while ensuring assumptions, methodologies, and financial impacts remain transparent, auditable, and aligned across stakeholder organizations.

The position reports directly to the Global Director of Estimating, with dotted-line interactions with Regional Project Estimators and Cost Managers to exchange lessons learned, validate assumptions and maintain consistency. It serves as the internal and external estimating point of contact for its assigned portfolio, partnering with engineering, construction, security, networking and operations.

+ This role is located either in one or all hub locations - Atlanta, GA, Redmond, WA, San Antonio, TX or Phoenix, AZ. Relocation support will be provided, and successful candidates must relocate or reside within 50 miles of the hub office location. This role is eligible for hybrid work, up to 25%

** Responsibilities*
* 10 years' experience managing the estimating or commercials on a major construction portfolio.

+ Deep commercial knowledge of construction internationally.

+ Good communication skills, ability to collaborate with all other areas of the data center program, being able to think strategically, ability to build the trust of our construction partners needed to agree very large construction contracts.

+ Must possess a clear understanding of the full Construction Life Cycle

+ Capability to perform all forms and types of estimates from parametric to bottoms up and high level what-if scenarios.  

+ Strong analytical, creative thinking, written, and verbal communications skills.

+ Cross-group collaborator and influencer across teams and organizations with proven success in participating in cross-functional teams to deliver on key projects.

+ Should be able to work within a dynamic team of full-time employees and consultants.  

+ Own enterprise TCO frameworks and integration with Finance, Planning, and Cost Management.

+ Lead strategic estimating initiatives that influence technology roadmaps, POR development, leasing strategies, portfolio optimization, and capital allocation decisions.

+ Develop affordability models that translate unconstrained demand into prioritized, fundable investment plans.

+ Drive executive-level scenario modeling, sensitivity analysis, and investment option studies.

+ Establish estimating governance, benchmarking methodologies, and data standards across regions.

+ Lead cross-functional programs focused on cost optimization,…