Director of Fiber Network Operations (1390)

Job DetailsJob Location: South Park Home Office - Charlotte, NC 28210Salary Range: $130,000.00 - $150,000.00Director of Fiber Network Operations | Ripple Fiber 

We are looking for a Director of Fiber Network Operations to join our growing team. 

About Ripple Fiber 

At Ripple Fiber, we deliver more than high-speed internet. We’re creating a ripple effect by producing opportunities and brighter futures for the residents of the communities we serve. Join America’s most innovative, industry-leading fiber internet company, and help shape the future. 

We believe the biggest wave starts as a ripple. 

About our culture 

We are a dynamic, fast-growing, and innovative company driven by ambitious self-starters with entrepreneurial mindsets. Our fast-paced environment fosters creativity, collaboration, and initiative. We are people-centric, placing strong emphasis on employee experience, career growth, and professional development. 

About the role 

The Director of Fiber Network Operations is responsible for the overall performance, reliability, and operational excellence of Ripple Fiber's national fiber network infrastructure. This leadership role oversees outage management, vendor performance, contract administration, operational budgets, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure exceptional customer experience and network uptime.

The ideal candidate is a strategic and results-driven leader with extensive experience managing telecommunications, broadband, or utility operations at scale. They will lead regional teams, drive accountability, optimize vendor relationships, and ensure service-level objectives are achieved across all markets.

Responsibilities: 

Fiber Network Reliability & Outage Management

· Provide national leadership for fiber network infrastructure operations and field service teams.

· Own and drive key performance metrics related to network availability, outage duration, mean time to repair (MTTR), and service restoration.

· Develop and implement strategies to reduce outage frequency and duration across the network.

· Lead incident response efforts for major service interruptions and ensure timely communication with executive leadership and stakeholders.

· Establish and monitor operational KPIs, service-level agreements (SLAs), and performance standards.

Vendor Management & Contract Administration

· Manage strategic relationships with construction, maintenance, engineering, and operational vendors.

· Negotiate, administer, and oversee Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs), and vendor contracts.

· Ensure vendor compliance with contractual obligations, quality standards, safety requirements, and performance metrics.

· Conduct regular vendor performance reviews and implement corrective action plans when necessary.

· Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency and reduce costs through effective vendor partnerships.

Financial Management & Invoice Approval

· Review, approve, and manage vendor invoices, operational expenditures, and budget allocations.

· Ensure invoices align with contract terms, approved scopes of work, and established financial controls.

· Develop and manage annual operating budgets for network infrastructure maintenance and operations.

· Partner with Finance and Procurement teams to improve cost efficiencies and forecasting accuracy.

Cross-Functional Leadership

· Collaborate closely with Engineering, Construction, Network Operations Center (NOC), Customer Experience, Sales, Finance, Procurement, and Executive Leadership teams.

· Support network expansion initiatives, market launches, and infrastructure improvement projects.

· Drive alignment between departments to ensure operational objectives and customer commitments are consistently achieved.

· Lead cross-functional initiatives focused on process improvement, operational excellence, and scalability.

Team Leadership & Employee Development

· Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing national infrastructure organization.

· Foster a culture of accountability, safety, customer focus, and continuous improvement.

· Establish clear performance expectations and provide coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities.

· Motivate employees through effective communication, recognition, and engagement initiatives.

· Support succession planning, workforce development, and talent acquisition strategies.

Infrastructure Governance, Compliance & Safety

· Ensure compliance with company policies, industry regulations, and safety requirements.

· Promote a strong safety culture across all field operations and vendor partners.

· Oversee infrastructure maintenance standards, documentation, reporting, and audit readiness.

· Support risk management initiatives and business continuity planning.

Experience & Qualifications

Required

· 10+ years of leadership experience in fiber network infrastructure, telecommunications, broadband, utility, or related industries.

· Proven success managing large-scale network infrastructure operations and outage restoration efforts.

· Extensive experience with vendor management, contract negotiations, and MSA administration.

· Strong financial management experience, including budget oversight and invoice approval authority.

· Demonstrated ability to lead geographically dispersed teams and multi-market operations.

· Excellent communication, negotiation, and executive presentation skills.

· Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities in fast-paced operational environments.

Preferred

· Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.

· Experience in Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) network deployment and operations.

· Knowledge of outside plant (OSP), inside plant (ISP), and network infrastructure maintenance practices.

· Experience with network operations centers (NOCs) and service restoration programs.

· Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent leadership certification.

Success Metrics (KPIs)

· Network outage duration and MTTR performance.

· Network availability and uptime metrics.

· Vendor SLA and contract compliance performance.

· Infrastructure maintenance quality and operational efficiency.

· Budget adherence and cost optimization.

· Invoice processing accuracy and financial stewardship.

· Employee engagement, retention, and development.

· Customer-impact reduction and service restoration effectiveness

Please note this role requires up to 30% travel. 

We offer competitive pay, comprehensive health benefits, 401(k) with company match, and a supportive work environment where innovation and teamwork thrive. If you’re passionate about making a difference and being part of a community-focused company, Ripple Fiber is the place for you. 

Ripple Fiber is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that no one should be discriminated against because of their differences, such as age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity and expression, religion, or sexual orientation. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law. Ripple Fiber is committed to providing veteran employment opportunities to our service men and women. 
Qualifications