Regional Managing Director, Data Center Community, NW Indiana

Overview

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.

Responsibilities

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.

Qualifications

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, g