Project and Program Management - Program Coordinator 4

Program Coordinator 4

Start Date: 6/29/2026

End Date: 12/29/2027

Duration: 18 months

Candidate Location Requirements: ONSITE - New York City area strongly preferred; onsite presence required

Pay Rate / Range: $34-$37

Openings: 1

Top 3 Must-Have Hard Skills

Project / Program Management (8+ years) managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with clear tracking and governance

Financial Operations / Procurement (5+ years) experience with PO/SOW processes, budget tracking, and vendor management

Typical Day in the Role

A typical day balances financial operations, project management, and coordination across workstreams. This includes managing PO/SOW processes and tracking spend, maintaining project plans and dashboards for AI-focused initiatives, coordinating with HQ and regional stakeholders on deliverables, and running regular check-ins to track progress, risks, and dependencies. The role also involves maintaining CELA HQ's internal information infrastructure, e.g. Sharepoints.

Purpose of the Team

The purpose of this team is to support Microsoft Global Affairs (government relations, cybersecurity partnerships, and global policy operations) and drive operational excellence across the organization.

Key projects

This role will contribute to financial operations, compliance processes, knowledge management, AI/Copilot transformation initiatives, and general operational support for the Global Affairs leadership team.

Candidate Requirements

8+ years of program/project management experience

Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives with governance and tracking

Strong financial operations experience (POs, SOWs, budget tracking)

High professionalism and ability to work in senior leadership environments

Nice-to-have: internal communications or content creation experience (e.g., newsletters, videos).

What is the ideal background of a candidate for this role?

The ideal candidate combines strong PMO/program management experience with hands-on exposure to financial administration and procurement processes. They should be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, managing multiple stakeholders and vendors, and working across global teams. Experience supporting innovation or AI-related initiatives is a strong plus, but not required.

What are unique selling points that would get candidates interested in your role over another?

Exposure to high-impact, executive-level initiatives at the intersection of AI, policy, and operations

Opportunity to shape and run emerging programs (e.g., AI/agent accelerator workstreams) end-to-end

Broad scope across finance, operations, and project management not a narrow PMO role

High visibility and direct engagement with senior stakeholders across HQ and regions

Ability to influence how new ways of working (incl. AI-enabled processes) are built and scaled

Hard Skills Assessments

Expected Dates that Hard Skills Assessments will be scheduled: following candidate shortlisting

Hard Skills Assessment Process: The assessment process will include 12 interview rounds conducted by the hiring manager (with option to include additional interviewers)

Required Candidate Preparation: Candidates should have their experience prepared prior to the assessment.

Summary

Looking for an experienced Project Coordinator to provide end-to-end operational, financial, and project management support across strategic HQ initiatives, with a strong focus on financial administration (PO/SOW processes), coordination of AI-related workstreams (e.g., agent/accelerator programs), and cross-team execution within a fast-paced, global environment. The ideal candidate combines strong PMO/program management experience with hands-on exposure to financial administration and procurement processes. They should be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment, managing multiple stakeholders and vendors, and working across global teams. Experience supporting innovation or AI-related initiatives is a strong plus, but not required.

Key Responsibilities

1. Financial & Procurement Operations

• Manage end-to-end PO and SOW processes, including vendor onboarding, approvals, tracking, and reconciliation
• Coordinate closely with finance and procurement teams to ensure compliance with Microsoft policies
• Track budgets, spend, and forecasts across multiple projects and vendors
• Ensure financial hygiene (timely invoicing, accruals, cost tracking, and reporting)
• Support financial reporting for leadership (budget status, variances, reallocations)

2. Project Management AI Workstream / Strategic Initiatives

• Drive day-to-day project management of AI-focused initiatives (e.g., Copilot / AI Accelerator, agent portfolio)
• Maintain integrated project plans, milestones, risks, and dependencies across multiple workstreams
• Track progress and surface risks/blockers early; ensure follow-through on key actions
• Support intake, prioritization, and tracking of projects within the AI/innovation pipeline
• Develop and maintain reporting dashboards and status updates for leadership

3. HQ Team Coordination & Governance

• Act as central coordination point across HQ, regional teams, and external vendors
• Structure and run key rhythms (status meetings, working groups, check-ins)
• Ensure alignment across initiatives, timelines, and deliverables
• Maintain a "single source of truth" for plans, trackers, and key materials
• Support governance processes, including documentation, approvals, and reporting standards

4. Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate work across multiple external vendors (consulting, comms, event, AI partners)
• Manage delivery quality, timelines, and outputs across suppliers
• Support SOW scoping, onboarding, and performance tracking
• Act as liaison between internal stakeholders and vendor teams

5. Reporting, Insights & Operational Excellence

• Build and maintain dashboards and trackers (project, financial, resource)
• Provide clear, executive-ready updates on progress, risks, and outcomes
• Drive continuous improvement in processes (financial workflows, project tracking, reporting)
• Support implementation of new tools (e.g., AI-enabled tracking, dashboards, or automation)

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong operational and execution mindset able to drive initiatives forward independently
• Experience with Microsoft's financial administration, procurement, and budget tracking
• Excellent project management discipline (planning, tracking, risk management)
• Strong stakeholder management across regions, functions, and seniority levels
• High attention to detail combined with ability to operate at pace and in ambiguity
• Data-driven and analytical; comfortable building dashboards and working with data
• Clear, concise communication (written + verbal)

Experience & Background

• 8+ years experience in project/program management, operations, or PMO roles
• Experience supporting finance/procurement processes (POs, SOWs, vendors)
• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder programs or initiatives
• Familiarity with Microsoft tools (Excel, Power BI, Teams, SharePoint, Planner, etc.)
• Experience in innovation / AI / transformation programs is a strong plus