Senior Vice President, Engineering Operations

Commnet is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Vice President of Network Engineering & Operations to oversee and drive the planning, development, implementation, and maintenance of our network infrastructure. As the SVP of Network Engineering & Operations, you will play a critical role in ensuring the smooth operation, expansion, and optimization of our network to meet the growing demands of our customers. Additionally, this role will be responsible for setting a clear vision and strategy for the engineering and operations teams aligned with the overall organizational goals and company mission/vision. The successful candidate will have a proven track record as an effective leader with high EQ and possess exceptional communication skills. This position reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer. Overnight travel required up to 10%
Duties and Responsibilities (include but not limited to)

1. Network Strategy & Planning: Develop and execute the long-term network strategy, aligning it with business objectives and market demands. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for network expansion, upgrades, and enhancement.
2. Fiber Design & Construction: Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of fiber optic network infrastructure, including route planning, installation, and quality control measures. Ensure compliance with industry standards and best practices.
3. Transport & Wireless RF Engineering: Lead and manage a team responsible for designing and optimizing the transport and radio frequency (RF) aspects of our network infrastructure, ensuring efficient data transmission, capacity planning, and optimal network performance.
4. Tower Site Program Execution: Direct tower site selection, acquisition, and deployment processes, working closely with the real estate team, contractors, and regulatory bodies to facilitate the construction and operation of wireless communication towers.
5. Access Engineering: Lead the access engineering team in developing and maintaining access technologies, such as EPON, FTTH, Fixed Wireless, ensuring reliable and high-speed connectivity for our customers.
6. Critical Infrastructure: Develop and implement strategies to safeguard critical network infrastructure, including redundancy, disaster recovery, and security measures. Stay updated on industry trends and emerging technologies to mitigate risks and enhance network resilience.
7. CO/Distribution Network: Oversee the design, optimization, and maintenance of central office (CO) and distribution networks. Ensure efficient connectivity, capacity planning, and scalability to support the growing customer base.
8. NOC Management: Provide leadership and guidance to the Network Operations Center (NOC) team responsible for monitoring network performance, troubleshooting issues, and ensuring timely incident response and resolution. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and customer-centricity within the NOC.
9. Collaboration and Relationship Building: Collaborate with other senior executives and department heads to ensure effective coordination and alignment of goals and initiatives across the organization. Foster a collaborative and inclusive culture cross-functionally to promote effective communication and knowledge sharing. Serve as a spokesperson for the organization and effectively communicate its vision, mission, and strategic objectives to internal and external stakeholders. Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, customers, investors, and board members.
10. Leadership and Talent Management: Provide strong leadership and direction to teams and departments within the organization. Build and develop a high-performing engineering and operations team through effective hiring practices, mentoring, coaching, and professional development initiatives. Establish performance goals and metrics for the engineering and operations team and direct reports. Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide ongoing constructive feedback to drive continuous improvement, while fostering a culture of psychological safety.
11. Financial Management: Collaborate with finance and executive leadership to develop and manage the department's budget. This includes forecasting expenses, identifying resource needs, and aligning the budget with the organization's overall financial goals and objectives. Monitoring and controlling department expenses to ensure operation within budgetary limits. Identifying areas for cost reduction or optimization without compromising quality or productivity. Implementing efficient processes and resource allocation strategies to improve cost-effectiveness. Assess and prioritize engineering and operations-related capital expenditures, such as equipment purchases or infrastructure investments. Evaluate the financial feasibility and return on investment of such expenditures and make recommendations to top leadership.
12. Compliance and Ethical Standards: Promote a culture of ethical conduct and professional standards within the department. Encourage adherence to a code of ethics and ensure that engineering and operations professionals uphold principles such as honesty, integrity, fairness, and respect internally and externally as representatives of the company.
    
    

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related field. Master's degree is preferred.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire, motivate, and create accountable teams to achieve high-performance goals.
• Proven track record of at least 15 years in network engineering leadership roles, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership. Preferred, but not required, experience in the wireless industry including mobile and fixed wireless broadband technology and deployments.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Strong knowledge of network planning, architecture, and optimization.
• Extensive experience in transport networks, RF engineering, fiber design, and construction in the telecommunications industry.
• Proficiency in access technologies such as EPON, FTTH, and Wireless RF Spectrum.
• Solid understanding of critical infrastructure and network security principles.
• Effective communication skills with the ability to collaborate and influence stakeholders at all levels.

• Experience leading teams in rural and geographically dispersed areas.
• Proven track record of turn-around leadership that requires building operational processes and procedures from the ground up.

About the Company:
Commnet has been the backbone of rural networks in the United States for decades. We enable or directly deliver high-quality broadband communications services to Tribal Communities and Rural America, driving digital inclusion and providing access to education, work, healthcare, safety, entertainment, and community connectivity. If you have visited the rural west, it is most likely that you have roamed on a wireless segment of our network. If you have needed healthcare or emergency services in these areas, your data likely moved across our fiber. If you know any children or college students studying for a brighter future, we are the network team running connections behind the scenes to support their education. Through the power of partnerships, we enhance the effectiveness of our efforts. Working with local stakeholders means better service to tribal communities, rural telecommunication companies, organizations, and government agencies. Commnet works to enhance the lives of real people through any available avenue we can find. With an eye on the future, Commnet is bringing coverage and faster fiber connections to more communities and partners, facilitating a better and more connected future for everyone.
Compensation & Benefits:

• Benefits: Commnet is proud to offer a comprehensive suite of benefits to all regular full-time positions (hourly & salaried) in order to promote health and financial security for you and your family. Benefits include health, vision, dental, HSA/FSA, life and AD&D, short/long term disability coverage, parental leave, emergency travel assistance, and 401k. All employees get access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which includes services such as 100% confidential counseling, financial information/resources, legal support, and general wellness issues.
• Other Compensation: This role will be eligible to participate in the annual incentive compensation plan.
• Hiring Compensation Range: $230k - $315k (compensation determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.)

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.
**A Note to Agencies** All resumes submitted by search firms/employment agencies to any employee at Commnet Broadband (the Company) via email, the internet or in any form and/or method will be deemed the sole property of the Company, unless such search firms/employment agencies were engaged by the Company for this position and a valid agreement with the Company is in place. In the event a candidate who was submitted outside of the Company agency engagement process is hired, no fee or payment of any kind will be paid.

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