Director, Network Operations

AST SpaceMobile; Lanham (MD); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

AST SpaceMobile seeks a Director of Network Operations to lead 24/7 monitoring, incident response, and performance across critical infrastructure. You will drive strategic initiatives, oversee a team of engineers and technicians, and partner with cross-functional groups to ensure service availability and readiness for new deployments.

The role requires extensive leadership, hands-on network ops experience, and a focus on operational excellence in a mission-critical environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, IT, telecommunications, CS or related technical discipline.
• 8+ years in network operations or related field.
• 2+ years of people leadership or management experience.
• Experience leading teams in 24/7 operational environments.
• Experience with incident response, service restoration, and performance programs.
• Experience in satellite communications, wireless, or large-scale networks is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead 24/7 Network Operations Center teams for monitoring, incident response, and service restoration.
• Oversee network operations strategy, implementation, and continuous improvement for high availability.
• Establish and monitor SLAs and KPIs across networks and services.
• Implement best practices for incident management, escalation, and operational reporting.
• Ensure timely identification, escalation, and resolution of outages and incidents.
• Develop processes and standards to improve monitoring, response, and efficiency.
• Coordinate cross-functional efforts with engineering, logistics, and program management.

Skills

Leadership

Network operations

Incident management

24/7 operations

Strategic planning

Program management

Communication

ITIL knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Decision making under pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering/IT/telecom/CS

ITIL/PMP or network certifications

Tools

NOC monitoring tools

Ticketing systems

Network performance analytics

Job description

Position Overview

AST SpaceMobile is building the first and only global cellular broadband network in space to operate directly with standard, unmodified mobile devices based on our extensive IP and patent portfolio and designed for both commercial and government applications. Our engineers and space scientists are on a mission to eliminate the connectivity gaps faced by today’s five billion mobile subscribers and finally bring broadband to the billions who remain unconnected.

We are seeking a Director, Network Operations to lead the monitoring, management, and operational performance of a complex communications and network infrastructure environment. This role is responsible for overseeing 24/7 network operations, ensuring service availability, operational excellence, incident response, and continuous improvement across critical network systems.

The Director, Network Operations will provide strategic leadership to a team of network operations engineers and technicians while partnering with cross-functional teams to support operational readiness, infrastructure growth, and technology innovation. The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise with proven leadership, program management, and operational excellence capabilities in a fast‑paced, mission‑critical environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage Network Operations Center (NOC) teams responsible for 24/7 monitoring, incident response, and service restoration activities.
• Oversee network operations strategy, implementation, and continuous improvement initiatives to ensure high service availability and operational performance.
• Establish and monitor key operational metrics, service‑level agreements (SLAs), and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Implement and maintain best practices for incident management, problem management, monitoring, escalation management, and operational reporting.
• Ensure timely identification, escalation, mitigation, and resolution of network outages and service‑impacting events.
• Lead root cause analysis and post‑incident review activities to drive operational improvements and prevent recurring issues.
• Develop and maintain processes, procedures, and operational standards to improve network monitoring and response effectiveness.
• Manage technical and operational support activities across communications, network, and infrastructure environments.
• Build, develop, mentor, and lead high‑performing onsite and remote operations teams.
• Provide executive‑level communications and status updates regarding network health, operational risks, and major incidents.
• Coordinate cross‑functional efforts with engineering, logistics, procurement, program management, and other stakeholders.
• Support operational readiness for new technologies, systems, and infrastructure deployments.
• Utilize operational reporting and analytics to assess network performance, identify trends, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support budget planning, resource forecasting, and operational cost management activities.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization, automation, and operational efficiencies.
• Ensure operational policies, procedures, and documentation remain current and aligned with organizational objectives.

Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, information technology, telecommunications, computer science, or a related technical discipline.
• Relevant industry certifications are a plus (ITIL, PMP, Network Certifications, or equivalent).

Experience

• A minimum of 8 years of experience in network operations, telecommunications, infrastructure operations, or a related technical field.
• Minimum of 2 years of people leadership or management experience overseeing technical operations teams.
• Experience leading teams in a 24/7 operational support environment.
• Experience managing incident response, service restoration, and operational performance programs.
• Experience supporting complex communications, networking, telecommunications, or mission‑critical infrastructure environments.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience with satellite communications, telecommunications, wireless, cellular, or large‑scale network environments.
• Experience supporting network operations centers (NOC) and service operations organizations.
• Knowledge of network infrastructure, transport systems, and communications technologies.
• Experience supporting operational infrastructure in highly available environments.
• Familiarity with ITIL‑based service management processes and operational best practices.
• Experience implementing operational automation and monitoring solutions.
• Experience managing geographically dispersed or global technical teams.
• Experience supporting infrastructure deployment and operational readiness initiatives.
• Program or project management experience within technical organizations.

Soft Skills

• Strong leadership and team‑development skills with the ability to motivate and mentor technical professionals.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively within cross‑functional and multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive‑level presentations and stakeholder communications.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across technical and non‑technical organizations.
• Meticulous attention to detail to ensure operational accuracy and quality of deliverables.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills with a proactive approach to issue resolution.
• Exceptional organizational and time‑management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to make sound decisions in high‑pressure and time‑sensitive situations.
• Adaptability and flexibility in fast‑paced, evolving environments.
• Strong customer‑service mindset with a focus on operational excellence.

Technology Stack

• Network monitoring and management platforms.
• Incident management and ticketing systems.
• Network performance monitoring and reporting tools.
• Telecommunications and communications infrastructure technologies.
• Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Project).
• Service management platforms and workflow tools.
• Network analytics, reporting, and dashboard tools.
• Process automation and operational support tools.
• Enterprise collaboration and communication platforms.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in a standard office environment and use a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to review operational reports, technical documentation, network diagrams, and infrastructure data.
• Ability to participate in meetings, presentations, and operational review sessions.
• Ability to respond to urgent operational situations and provide leadership during service‑impacting events.
• Ability to travel occasionally as required for business, operational, training, or customer support activities.
• May occasionally work in operational, laboratory, data center, or infrastructure support environments.
• Ability to support a 24/7 operational organization, including participation in escalation and on‑call activities as needed.

Additional Requirements

• Active Top Secret/SCI (TS/SCI) security clearance required.
• US citizenship required due to government contract requirements.

This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands.

AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at‑will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.