Director, Field Operations

Lyte Fiber LLC; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Lyte Fiber, LLC seeks a Director of Field Operations to own the end-to-end field experience and the health of the fiber network. You will lead multi-market field teams, oversee installation and activation cycles, and drive reliable service for residential, SMB, MDU, and enterprise customers in Texas and beyond.

The role requires deep FTTH expertise, strong vendor management, and a data-driven approach to scale operations, improve performance metrics, and deliver on aggressive growth plans while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Engineering, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in field operations or network operations within telecom with 5+ years in management.
• Expertise in FTTH installation and OSP maintenance and outage restoration best practices.
• Experience leading geographically dispersed field teams and managing vendors.
• Strong financial acumen and vendor contract negotiation.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-market field organization including field technician managers, dispatch and scheduling, OSP maintenance technicians, and vendors.
• Design staffing models and span-of-control to scale with subscriber growth and new markets.
• Develop coaching paths and foster a safety-first, customer-focused culture.
• Own the order-to-activation cycle for residential, SMB, MDU, and enterprise segments.
• Drive reductions in trouble tickets, MTTR, and truck rolls through root-cause analysis and improved processes.
• Build and lead OSP maintenance and outage restoration programs, including storm readiness.

Skills

Leadership

FTTH installation

OSP maintenance

Dispatch management

Budget management

Vendor negotiations

Data-driven

Safety culture

Communication

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

OSS/BSS

GIS systems

Workforce management software

Dispatch platforms

OTDR / fiber testing

Job description

Position Description:Lyte Fiber, LLC (“Lyte”) is seeking an accomplished telecommunications field operations leader to fill the role of Director, Field Operations. Lyte is a private-equity backed fiber broadband provider that has moved beyond launch and into a period of rapid growth, expanding its FTTH, SMB and MDU business lines across multiple markets through both new construction and acquisition. The Director will join an experienced team that brings decades of fiber broadband, infrastructure and technology experience with a proven track record of building and growing highly successful businesses.The Director, Field Operations owns the end-to-end field experience for Lyte customers and the ongoing health of Lyte’s fiber network. This includes the full order cycle from order placement through scheduling, installation and activation; customer trouble and repair, as well as outside plant (OSP) maintenance and outage restoration in Lyte markets once construction is complete and the network has been turned over to operations. The ideal candidate brings deep, hands-on knowledge of both FTTH installation and OSP maintenance and outage repair best practices, is data-driven, and is energized by building scalable operations in a fast-paced environment.Duties and Responsibilities:Leadership and Organizational Scale• Lead a multi-market field organization including field technician managers and their teams, dispatch and scheduling, OSP maintenance technicians, and contracted installation and maintenance vendors.• Design the organizational structure, staffing models and span-of-control standards needed to scale with subscriber growth and new market launches; forecast headcount and vendor capacity against build and sales plans.• Develop and coach managers and supervisors, build succession depth, and foster a high-performance, safety-first and customer-focused culture.• Establish consistent hiring, onboarding, technical training, certification and career-progression paths for field and dispatch roles.• Balance the mix of in-house and contracted labor to optimize cost, quality, flexibility and customer experience.Order-to-Activation (Installation)• Own the order cycle from order placement through scheduling, installation, activation and close-out for all customer verticals: residential, SMB, MDU, and enterprise.• Drive improvements in install interval, appointment availability, on-time arrival, first-time-right installation and order fallout; reduce cancellations, reschedules and repeat visits.• Partner with Construction, Engineering and Sales on network readiness, homes-passed release and drop placement to ensure a smooth transition from build to serviceable.• Standardize installation methods and workmanship standards (drop placement, ONT/equipment placement, in-home wiring and Wi-Fi setup, documentation and photo verification).• Support field-generated revenue initiatives, including technician upsell and referral programs.Repair and Service Assurance• Own customer trouble and repair, from ticket creation and dispatch through resolution, with a high sense of urgency and clear customer communication.• Reduce trouble-ticket rates, mean time to repair, repeat repairs and truck rolls through root-cause analysis, better first-call troubleshooting and remote resolution.• Work closely with Customer Care, Enterprise Support and the NOC to define clear hand-offs, escalation paths and SLA commitments, particularly for business and enterprise customers.OSP Maintenance and Outage Restoration• Build and lead Lyte’s OSP maintenance function, assuming responsibility for the network in each market once construction is completed and accepted.• Develop a preventive maintenance program covering plant inspections, cabinet and pedestal condition, aerial and underground plant, hazard and damage identification, and spare inventory management.• Lead outage response and restoration: on-call rotations, crew and contractor mobilization, emergency splicing, restoration prioritization, and coordinated communication with the NOC, Customer Care and leadership.• Create storm and disaster readiness plans (pre-staged materials, contractor agreements, mutual-aid and escalation procedures), recognizing severe weather risk in Lyte’s markets.• Maintain accurate network records, ensuring field changes and repairs are reflected in GIS and inventory systems.Process Standardization and Systems• Refine and document standard operating procedures across installation, repair, dispatch and maintenance, grounded in industry best practices and applied consistently across all markets.• Build a repeatable market launch and integration playbook, including bringing acquired networks, teams and processes onto Lyte standards and systems.• Define requirements for and drive adoption of OSS/BSS, workforce management, dispatch and mobile field tools; partner with IT and Business Systems on automation and data quality.• Evolve processes for new products, technologies and plant delivery methods as the business grows.Safety, Quality and Compliance• Own field safety programs and compliance with OSHA, DOT and company standards, including PPE, aerial and confined-space work, traffic control, and fleet safety.• Run quality assurance programs and regular field audits of workmanship, process adherence and documentation for both employees and contractors.Financial and Vendor Management• Manage the field operations operating and capital budgets, including labor, tools, materials and contractor spend.• Negotiate and manage installation, drop, and maintenance contractor agreements, rate cards, scorecards and SLAs.• Drive down cost per installation, cost per repair and maintenance cost per mile through productivity, routing and method improvements.Other Duties:Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.About Lyte FiberEstablished in 2023 and headquartered in Houston, TX, Lyte Fiber, LLC (“Lyte”) is dedicated to bringing the fastest, most reliable home and business fiber optic internet to Texas and beyond. Formed in partnership with SDC Capital Partners, a leading digital infrastructure investment firm, Lyte was started by internet industry veterans who are passionate about providing a best-in-class customer experience, building a company where great employees want to work and connecting Texas communities. As part of our commitment to each community we serve, Lyte pledges a 1% giveback to local charities and causes annually.Lyte Fiber, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and sexual orientation), gender identity, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, ethnicity, genetic information, age, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of physical or mental disability or any other characteristic protected by federal or Texas law.Applicants who believe they need an accommodation on account of a disability or sincerely held religious belief to perform the essential functions of the job they are applying for, should submit those requests to HR. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and cannot be guaranteed.Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience.Minimum of 10 years of experience in field operations, service delivery or network operations within the telecommunications, broadband or utility industry, with 5+ years of management and leadership experience.Demonstrated expertise in FTTH installation and repair as well as OSP maintenance and outage restoration best practices, including aerial and underground plant, splicing and fiber testing (OTDR, power meter).Proven success leading geographically dispersed field teams, dispatch functions and contractors through a period of growth.Track record of standardizing processes and driving measurable improvements in KPIs, customer experience and cost.Strong financial acumen, including budget management and vendor contract negotiation.Proficiency with OSS/BSS, workforce management and dispatch platforms, and GIS/network records systems.Excellent communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills, with a strong sense of ownership and urgency.Valid driver’s license and acceptable driving record.Preferred QualificationsExperience integrating acquired networks or launching new fiber markets.Experience with PON/XGS-PON technologies, MDU deployments and enterprise service delivery.Experience building storm-response and disaster-recovery programs in severe-weather regions.Industry certifications such as FOA/ETA fiber optic certification, OSHA 30, or Lean / Six Sigma.Physical Demands and Work EnvironmentOffice-based work, including prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.Must be able to perform physical activities such as bending, standing, climbing and walking in construction and field environments, in varying weather conditions.Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds at times.Regular travel to Lyte markets to meet with field teams, contractors and customers.Participation in an escalation and on-call structure, including working outside regular business hours during outages, storms and other urgent service events.