Director, Long Haul Technician Operations

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.

The Director, Long Haul Technician Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for Zayo’s long-haul field organization, overseeing eight managers and a geographically dispersed workforce of 100+ technicians responsible for network protection, damage prevention, route patrol, network intelligence, and emergency restoration support.

This role establishes the operating strategy, organizational structure, performance standards, and resource model necessary to protect Zayo’s long-haul fiber infrastructure, improve network reliability, and scale operational capabilities. The Director drives organizational effectiveness, financial stewardship, leadership development, and cross-functional alignment while ensuring route protection remains the team’s primary responsibility.

Role Mission

Protect the network. Anticipate risk. Develop leaders. Deliver reliability.

Build and lead a scalable, high-performing organization that serves as the frontline defense for Zayo’s long-haul fiber network. Drive proactive risk mitigation, operational excellence, leadership development, and restoration readiness while optimizing resources and protecting network reliability.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Operational Leadership

• Develop and execute the long-haul technician operating strategy, aligning route protection, damage prevention, technical support, and restoration readiness with business objectives.

• Lead eight managers and 100+ technicians, establishing consistent operating standards, territory coverage strategies, and accountability across geographically dispersed teams.

• Drive scalable operating models, standardized processes, and technology adoption to improve network protection, field responsiveness, and operational efficiency.

• Evaluate network growth, construction activity, and infrastructure risk to proactively align field resources with business priorities.

Network Protection & Emergency Restoration

• Establish strategies for route patrol, construction monitoring, damage prevention, locate validation, and infrastructure threat identification across the long-haul network.

• Direct organizational readiness and field mobilization during significant fiber damage events and customer-impacting network incidents.

• Partner with NOC, Service Assurance, OSP, Engineering, Construction, and Emergency Restoration teams to coordinate field intelligence, incident response, and restoration activities.

• Lead post-incident reviews and corrective actions to reduce preventable damage, strengthen risk mitigation, and improve network reliability.

Organizational Leadership & Talent Development

• Develop and hold managers accountable for operational performance, employee development, safety, and consistent execution across the technician organization.

• Establish leadership development, succession planning, and talent management practices that strengthen organizational depth and long-term capability.

• Oversee scalable onboarding, training, certification, and technical competency programs to ensure employees are qualified for assigned responsibilities.

• Foster a culture of safety, accountability, field ownership, technical excellence, and continuous improvement.

Financial, Workforce & Performance Management

• Own organizational budgeting, workforce planning, territory alignment, and resource optimization, including headcount, overtime, travel, fleet, equipment, and vendor utilization.

• Establish and govern performance metrics related to preventable fiber damage, patrol completion, construction engagement, locate accuracy, safety, restoration readiness, productivity, and employee development.

• Use operational and financial data to identify trends, address performance gaps, improve resource utilization, and drive measurable business outcomes.

• Develop business cases for additional resources, technology, and process improvements while ensuring investments align with financial forecasts and operational priorities.

Executive & Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as a senior operational partner to Network and Field Operations leadership, communicating organizational performance, emerging risks, workforce needs, and strategic priorities.

• Build cross-functional partnerships across Damage Prevention, Field Operations, NOC, Service Assurance, OSP, Engineering, Construction, GIS/Network Records, Locate Operations, Procurement, and external service providers.

• Establish clear governance, escalation protocols, and operational handoffs to support network reliability, restoration readiness, and compliance with safety and technical authorization requirements.

• Represent the technician organization in strategic planning, network expansion, and operational improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of telecommunications infrastructure, long-haul fiber networks, OSP operations, damage prevention, utility locating, and network restoration.

• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-layered organizations and geographically dispersed field teams.

• Strong strategic, financial, and operational acumen, including workforce planning, budget management, resource optimization, and performance governance.

• Proven track record of developing leaders, improving operational performance, mitigating risk, and implementing scalable processes.

• Excellent executive communication, cross-functional collaboration, analytical, and change leadership capabilities.

• Familiarity with fiber testing equipment, GIS, network documentation, and workforce-management systems preferred.

Education & Experience

• Minimum of ten (10) years of relevant telecommunications, fiber network, OSP, Field Operations, or Damage Prevention experience.

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive leadership experience, including management of managers and/or large, geographically dispersed teams.
• Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Engineering, Business, Management, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience may be considered.

• Experience overseeing operational budgets, workforce planning, and network protection or restoration programs strongly preferred.

Estimated base salary range: $117,000 - $180,000 USD/annually.

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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 is an equal opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation as part of the employment selection process, please contact us.

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.

As part of the application, hiring, onboarding, and/or employment process, Zayo or its affiliates, partners, and vendors may collect, store, and use biometric identifiers and biometric information (collectively, “Biometric Data”), such as fingerprints, facial geometry scans or other unique biological characteristics. Zayo uses CLEAR1, a third-party identity verification service, to verify applicant identity during the hiring process. CLEAR1 may collect Biometric Data, including facial geometry scans and/or other biometric identifiers, to authenticate your identity. Biometric Data will be retained pursuant to CLEAR1’s policies, which can be found here: https://www.clearme.com/clear1-credential-policy-crp. Zayo will not sell, lease, trade, or otherwise profit from any applicant's or employee's Biometric Data. By proceeding with your application, you acknowledge this disclosure. Prior to any collection of Biometric Data — including through CLEAR — you may be presented with a separate consent form and asked to provide your written authorization in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA), the Texas Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier Act (CUBI), and other applicable biometric privacy statutes.