About the role

Aplyr's Quick Take

This role is about managing the development of new long haul network routes, including planning and feasibility assessments. You'll work with various teams to define project requirements and ensure successful execution of network projects. It's primarily an individual contributor role with a focus on project management.

Good fit

Ideal candidates have experience in project management within telecommunications or infrastructure development, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. A collaborative working style and the ability to engage with multiple stakeholders will help you thrive here.

Worth noting

The position offers remote work flexibility within the U.S., which is a plus. However, the job may involve complex negotiations with third-party partners, which could be a red flag for those not comfortable with high-stakes discussions.

Company Description

Zayo provides mission-critical bandwidth to the world’s most impactful companies, fueling the innovations that are transforming our society. Zayo’s 141,000-mile network in North America and Europe includes extensive metro connectivity to thousands of buildings and data centers. Zayo’s communications infrastructure solutions include dark fiber, private data networks, wavelengths, Ethernet, and dedicated Internet access. Zayo serves wireless and wireline carriers, media, tech, content, finance, healthcare and other large enterprises.

Position Description

Zayo is seeking a Long Haul Network Development Project Manager to be responsible for the development and planning of new long haul routes in the Zayo network. Projects include new greenfield routes, route overbuilds and large network extensions to new markets, data centers or points of interest.

Our Network Development Project Manager works with business partners to define project requirements, develop solutions (designs, costs and schedules) and to identify and mitigate project risks. The goal of the Network Development team is to fully solution and de-risk projects prior to project initiation to ensure their successful execution.

Our Network Development Project Manager reports directly to the Long Haul Network Development Director.

NOTE: The team is open to this position working remotely within the United States.

Responsibilities

Work as part of a cross-functional team to identify, qualify, develop and creatively solve new long haul route opportunities.

Critically assess and qualify route requirements (routing, fiber counts, ILA spacing, etc.) to ensure route objectives are clearly defined and meet stakeholder requirements.

Maintain a Plan of Record solution for each project.

Develop multiple solution scenarios, weight against decision criteria and develop recommendations for approval. Support recommendations through the project approval process.

Complete route feasibility planning to appropriately define and de-risk project scope, schedule and budget. May include working with an outside vendor to complete a formal feasibility plan for a new route.

Engage with local teams to research existing network infrastructure and assess options for leveraging those assets in new route builds.

Develop, release and evaluate RFIs in order to cost projects, understand and mitigate execution risks and fine-tune the design/approach.

Identify and negotiate third party partner build and asset acquisition opportunities to complement our construction plans.

Develop and refine project cost estimates to develop the project budget.

Build project milestone-level project schedule.

Proactively identify project risks and develop mitigation strategies and contingency plans.

Engage in project startup activities such as engineering/construction RFP development and bidding, ROW agreement acquisition, long-lead permitting, joint-build agreements and long-lead materials procurement as required in order to position the project for success.

Perform jurisdictional outreach as needed to determine permit requirements and anticipated timeframes.

Support business partners in RFP responses to customer opportunities.

Maintain clear document (versioning) control for route development documentation.

Provide transparent reporting and communications for the projects in the development process.

Develop the vendor partner strategy for the execution of new projects. Develop innovative contract approaches and business terms to structure projects for success. Cultivate a strong pool of vendor partners to successfully execute the plan.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree, preferably in Engineering or other related technical field, or equivalent work experience. Business degree/acumen a plus.

Minimum of 5 (five) years' relevant experience in wireline carrier network planning, engineering and construction.

Minimum of 5 (five) years' experience of successful project management responsibility of large-scale network deployments, ideally related to OSP, Ethernet and/or wireless networks.

Minimum of 5 (five) years' experience with OSP construction contract bidding, negotiation and administration.

Minimum of 5 (five) years OSP construction management experience, preferably with specific long haul construction experience.

Experience negotiating joint build or other build partnership agreements.

Experience administering NTIA (or similar) program requirements such as Davis-Bacon, BABA and EA, a plus.

Specific experience in complex permitting situations including NEPA, Section 106, Tribal, etc.

Experience managing large, complex technical projects and associated budgets.

Working knowledge of OSP construction standards, fiber specifications and optical network design principles.

Working knowledge of fiber test and acceptance criteria and practices.

Strong understanding of the current carrier network landscape in the US, a plus.

Demonstrated exceptional problem solving skills.

Ability to communicate technical topics clearly and effectively with both internal and external customers.

Ability to manage and effectively prioritize multiple projects simultaneously in a demanding, fast-paced environment.

Working knowledge (expert level) of GIS-based tools such as MapInfo, ArcView or Google Earth is required.

Strong knowledge of MS Office (Excel, Word, etc.) and Google Suite products.

Experience with project management software such as Sitetracker, a plus.

Familiarity with Salesforce, a plus.

Travel as required (10% estimated) for critical meetings (permitting agency, vendor meets, etc.).

Physical Requirements

Continuous talking, listening, and computer usage.

Occasional carrying of objects

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time

Estimated base salary range: $77,100 - $110,000 USD/annually

#LI-AF1

The base pay range shown is a guideline and reasonable estimate for this role. It takes into account the wide variety of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions. Actual compensation offered may vary from the posted range based upon geographic location, work experience, skill level, certifications, and other business and organizational needs. Non- sales roles may be eligible to participate in a discretionary annual incentive plan. Sales roles may be eligible to participate in a sales incentive plan.

Additionally, this position may be eligible for certain benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, disability retirement plans, paid time off.

The posting will be active for a minimum of 3 days. The active posting will continue to extend by 3 days until the position is filled.

Benefits, Rewards & Wellness

Excellent Health, Dental & Vision Insurance
Retirement 401(k) Savings Plan
Generous paid time off policy including paid parental leave

Zayo provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, provincial or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Aplyr's read

Zayo Group is a key player in fiber-optic networks, attracting professionals in engineering, cybersecurity, and project management who thrive in a tech-driven environment.
Synthesized from recent postings & public sources

What's promising

•Zayo provides extensive opportunities in fiber-optic technology, a rapidly growing industry.
•The company offers roles in diverse fields, from engineering to finance, appealing to a wide range of professionals.
•Zayo's global reach allows employees to work on international projects, enhancing career development.

What to watch

•The telecommunications industry is highly competitive, which can impact job stability.
•Zayo's focus on infrastructure may limit opportunities for those seeking roles in consumer-facing technology.
•Limited public information about company culture and work-life balance at Zayo.

Why Zayo

•Zayo specializes in bandwidth infrastructure, setting it apart from general telecom providers.
•The company is heavily invested in fiber-optic networks, a niche yet critical area of telecommunications.
•Zayo's emphasis on data center services differentiates it from competitors focused solely on connectivity.

Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?

About Zayo

Zayo

zayo.com

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Zayo Group is a global provider of bandwidth infrastructure and connectivity solutions, specializing in fiber-optic networks and data center services.