Sr. HR Manager- Data Center Operations (Onsite - Greater Milwaukee / Mt Pleasant, WI)

Overview

Support the people and teams powering the future of Microsoft's cloud.

At Microsoft, Cloud Operations + Innovation (CO+I) is the team that helps keep the world's digital economy running. We power the cloud services that millions of people and organizations rely on every day, operating a global infrastructure of more than 100 datacenters and over one million servers across 90+ countries. From AI innovation to business-critical applications, our technology enables more than one billion customers and 20 million businesses worldwide to achieve more.

As demand for Microsoft's cloud continues to grow, we're investing in the next generation of datacenter infrastructure and creating exciting opportunities for professionals who want to make a meaningful impact. We're seeking an experienced Sr. HR Manager- Data Center Operations (Onsite - Mt Pleasant ) with labor relations expertise to support one of our fastest-growing datacenter campuses in the Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin area.

This role is at the heart of a dynamic, 24/7 operation supporting more than 250 employees and growing. As the dedicated HR Manager for the Milwaukee datacenter campus, you'll partner closely with leaders, managers, and employees to help shape culture, strengthen employee engagement, support organizational success, and contribute to an exceptional workplace experience for the teams that power Microsoft's cloud around the clock.

This is more than a traditional HR role. You'll have the opportunity to influence business outcomes, advise leaders through growth and transformation, navigate complex labor relations matters, and help create an inclusive and positive employee experience within a highly technical and mission-critical environment. You'll collaborate across Microsoft's HR ecosystem while serving as a trusted advisor to employees, managers, and senior leaders.

We're looking for someone who enjoys building strong relationships, navigating complexity, and partnering with others to solve meaningful challenges. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, collaborative partner, skilled problem solver, and experienced labor relations professional who brings credibility, sound judgment, and the ability to influence positive outcomes within represented workforce environments. You'll be successful in this role if you are comfortable working independently, collaborating across teams, and adapting to the evolving needs of a growing business.

If you're passionate about helping people and organizations thrive while contributing to the growth of Microsoft's cloud business, we'd love to hear from you.

Responsibilities

Employee Experience / Engagement

• Through in-person engagement and observation across the workplace and in-person relationship-building, develop clear perspective on local employee and manager experiences, areas of risk, and culture of the local area to provide necessary context and guidance to datacenter (DC) leadership and broader HR team

• Create and execute people strategies and programs that create a positive work environment, improve employee engagement, etc., in partnership with metro leadership

• Be a trusted, neutral resource to employees and managers in helping them seek out support on HR questions and concerns leveraging Microsoft’s HR operating model

• Act as employee advocate by looking beyond process implementation into the lived experiences of employees, managers, and leaders

• Provide support to employees and managers on time-sensitive, urgent questions on the spot in accordance with Microsoft policy and process

• Be present onsite during some evenings and weekends to connect with employees and managers on evening/night shifts.

• Partner across the HR model to foster seamless, high-quality delivery of HR services (e.g., onboarding, offboarding, statutory reporting, tracking and reporting).

HR Community Leadership

• Champions change management efforts across the metro and fleet, helping employees and leaders navigate change effectively through clear communication, partnership, and workforce-focused execution
• Have a regular seat at datacenter leadership and team meetings to partner and provide HR perspective on site strategy, goals, and challenges.

• Partner with the Boydton metro leadership and HR Business Partner team to develop the broader team’s skills and capabilities, by providing training, coaching, feedback, etc.

• Compile, share and leverage insights (anecdotal, case insights, other listening systems) with leadership and partners to propose and develop needed solutions and risk assessment plans.

• Supports the implementation of interventions to improve leadership and team performance.

Projects, Programs, & Initiatives

• Design and implement specific manager capability building efforts at the site attune with the different professions, shifts, and needs. Leverage and build upon existing broader manager capability resources and efforts.

• Identifies and implements people-focused interventions within the metro to strengthen employee engagement, manager effectiveness, and team culture, and scales best practices across the fleet

• Partner with CO+I HR Business Partners with various HR projects and initiatives.
• Collaborate with GTA to support the recruitment and onboarding of the right workforce for the site, and collaborate with the recruiters and broader HR team.
• Identify opportunities and engages local communities while promoting culture with stakeholders such as professional networks, schools, community-based organizations, etc.

Crisis Management Team (CMT) and Disaster Recovery

• Partners with the leadership team to design and orchestrate crisis management strategy, including emergency responses, disaster recovery, risk management, communications, and business continuity

• Ensures assistance for employees by activating the company’s Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and employee well-being programs, during and after a crisis

Operational Compliance & Labor Relations

• Maintain contemporary knowledge of laws, regulations, standards, emerging trends that may affect Human Resources (HR) policies and execution of these (e.g., legal signatories, court representation, health and safety, benefits, local documentation requirements).
• Ensure compliance with applicable labor laws and regulatory environment. Provides information on questions from leadership.
• Own and manage labor relations activities for the business, partnering with leaders and employee representation stakeholders to support compliance with formal labor agreements, resolve workforce issues, and maintain effective labor‑management relationships.
• Facilitates the localization/update of policies and procedures related to managed projects and programs by analyzing trends and making recommendations to HR Business Partners; may manage and initiate the updates to policies (e.g., benefits-related) in collaboration with peer HR disciplines.

Other

• Embody our culture and values

Qualifications

Required/Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Human Resources (HR), Legal, Business, Psychology, or related field AND 7+ years experience with HR or related experience (e.g., hiring, training, performance management) involving applicable employment laws and policies
• 3+ years' experience in large-scale (500+ employees), frontline or operational environments OR equivalent experience OR equivalent experience
• 3+ years' experience partnering with senior stakeholders

Additional or Preferred Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Human Resources (HR), Legal, Business, Psychology, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience in labor relations, including direct involvement with collective bargaining and/or managing relationships with employee representative bodies (e.g., unions, works councils).

• Human Resources Professional Certification (e.g., PHR, SPHR, SHRM).

• 5+ years of experience partnering with a wide network of clients and across Human Resources to deliver effective business solutions

• Experience working in a production, mission-critical 24/7 environment (such as manufacturing, warehouse, retail, military, physical operations in an IT and/or critical environment infrastructure)

• General knowledge of employment and labor laws in the US

• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with employees at all levels of the organization

• Experience with facilitating and supporting change management initiatives

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

• Ability to handle sensitive information confidentially
• Organizational and time-management skills

HR Generalist IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $106,400 - $203,600 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 $137,600 - $222,600 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.