Regional Managing Director, Data Center Community, Columbus, OH

Microsoft · Columbus · $132,200–$258,000 (stated in the posting)

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The Regional Managing Director, Data Center Community is an externally facing leadership role responsible for earning and sustaining trust in a major Microsoft data center community or regional cluster of communities. The role serves as Microsoft’s local community leader, local stakeholder point of contact, and chief spokesperson for the assigned region, representing the company with civic leaders, elected officials, business organizations, education and workforce partners, nonprofits, media, and community stakeholders.  

This position is designed for a high-visibility data center environment where local trust, transparent communications, public engagement, and community benefit are central to Microsoft’s long-term license to operate. The Managing Director leads a regional team that includes a Community Manager and a Communications Manager and works in close partnership with the local data center operations, as well as Microsoft legal, government affairs, philanthropic and communications teams to deliver a coordinated, locally empowered, and campaign-ready approach.  

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. 

Role Scope and Leadership Model  

• 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, business and civic convenings, and high-stakes community conversations.  

• Manage and guide a regional team and budget consisting of a Community Manager and a Communications Manager, setting priorities, aligning execution, and ensuring the team operates as one integrated local function.  

• Partner closely with the local data center operations leader to align community engagement, communications, and operational priorities, ensuring Microsoft shows up as a coordinated and accountable neighbor.  

• Coordinate with regional and national surge teams when new market entry, permitting, zoning, local controversy, media attention, or urgent community concerns require additional support.  

• Manage a locally focused budget to enable local partnerships and support community priorities in relation to the data center and its operations.  

Regional Leadership and Community Strategy  

• Own and accountable for the integrated community engagement strategy for the assigned data center region, translating Microsoft’s public  Community-First AI Infrastructure commitments into locally relevant plans, partnerships, communications, and measurable outcomes. 
• Build and sustain trusted relationships with local elected officials, civic leaders, business organizations, education and workforce institutions, nonprofits, labor partners, community advocates, and other priority stakeholders. 
• Represent Microsoft as a trusted local leader in public forums, community meetings, advisory boards, chambers of commerce, business councils, nonprofit coalitions, and other high-impact venues. 
• Anticipate community risks and opportunities, maintain a clear stakeholder map, identify emerging sentiment, and escalate issues quickly with recommendations for action. 
• Ensure community engagement begins early, remains transparent, and continues through the full data center lifecycle, including planning, construction, operations, expansion, and moments of heightened scrutiny.  

Chief Spokesperson and Public Narrative  

• Serve as Microsoft’s chief local spokesperson for the assigned data center community, delivering clear, credible, plain-language messages about Microsoft’s investments, operations, community commitments and impact, and long-term presence. 
• Guide the local narrative across community engagement, media, social sentiment, public meetings, and stakeholder communications, ensuring consistency with Microsoft’s regional and national messaging while remaining responsive to local needs. 
• Prepare for and lead public-facing engagements such as town halls, hearings, office hours, tours, groundbreaking events, listening sessions, briefings, and community benefit discussions. 
• Work with the Communications Manager to develop talking points, FAQs, briefings, local proof points, media materials, rapid-response guidance, and storytelling that demonstrates Microsoft’s accountability and community impact. 
• Act as the trusted local voice during sensitive moments, helping Microsoft respond with transparency, empathy, speed, and operational accuracy.  

Communications and Community Engagement Oversight  

• Lead the regional team’s budget communications and community engagement operating rhythm, ensuring the Community Manager and Communications Manager have clear priorities, coordinated plans, and defined accountability. 
• Oversee local communications strategy, including proactive storytelling, local media engagement, social sentiment monitoring, stakeholder updates, community event messaging, and crisis-response readiness. 
• Guide community programming and philanthropic investments, ensuring local grants, sponsorships, employee engagement, AI skilling, workforce initiatives, nonprofit partnerships, and education programs align with community priorities and Microsoft commitments. 
• Connect communications, media, and community efforts so local programs generate credible proof points and community voices that strengthen trust and demonstrate tangible benefit. 
• Ensure the regional team maintains accurate data, metrics, outcomes, and qualitative feedback to support internal reporting, public transparency, and continuous improvement.  

Cross-Functional Coordination and Escalation  

• Serve as the central coordinator for community-facing work across various cross-functional internal Microsoft teams 
• Leverage clear escalation paths for operational, reputational, policy, permitting, media, and community issues, ensuring news travels fast and decision-makers receive concise, action-oriented guidance. 
• Support local government relations by aligning stakeholder engagement, meeting preparation, follow-up, and messaging with appropriate internal teams. 
• Bring local insight into regional and national planning, including feedback on community sentiment, stakeholder expectations, program gaps, policy concerns, and communications needs. 
• Help Microsoft move with local empowerment while operating within company guardrails for accuracy, legal review, brand alignment, and responsible engagement.  

Required/minimum qualifications

• 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 in corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropies, corporate affairs, government affairs, business and international development, or related area
  • OR equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of experience serving as a public spokesperson or external representative, including comfort with public speaking, media-adjacent environments, stakeholder briefings, and sensitive community conversations.  
• 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.  

Additional or preferred 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 in corporate social responsibility (CSR), philanthropies, corporate affairs, government affairs, business and international development, or related area
  • 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.  

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.
• Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customers and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, and as a condition of employment, the successful candidate’s citizenship will be verified with a valid passport.

#CELA

Corporate Social Responsibility M5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $132,200 - $258,000 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $165,800 - $278,900 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay

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.

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