Local Government Relations Manager

Ziply Fiber; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

401k

Flexible spending account

Paid sick leave

Paid time off

Parental leave

Quarterly performance bonus

Training

Career growth and education reimburse‑

Job summary

Ziply Fiber seeks a Local Government Relations Manager in Chicago to lead permitting, right‑of‑way coordination, and community engagement as the company expands its fiber network.

You will build relationships with mayors and public works officials, guide teams through local codes, and represent Ziply Fiber in government discussions to keep builds on time and on budget.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, political science, communications, business, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience working with local governments or public agencies on capital projects, land use and right‑of‑way matters, permitting, public works, or related municipal infrastructure issues.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong written and verbal communication and ability to build relationships with diverse stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with key community, public and government officials.
• Meet with mayors, city council members, county commissioners, administrators, and staff to articulate Ziply Fiber’s plans and obtain support.
• Serve as principal contact for Ziply Fiber’s Network Operations team on local government issues.
• Review and interpret city ordinances, municipal codes, and construction standards to advise internal teams.
• Track and report progress against organizational objectives and provide leadership with updates.

Skills

Public policy

Communication

Relationship-building

Project coordination

Public speaking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in public administration, political science, communications, business, or related field

Tools

Microsoft 365

Job description

Job Description

Position Title: Local Government Relations Manager

Base Salary: $85,000 to $120,000 annually DOE

• Medical
• dental
• vision
• 401k
• flexible spending account
• paid sick leave
• paid time off
• parental leave
• quarterly performance bonus
• training
• career growth and education reimbursement programs

Ziply Fiber is a local internet service provider dedicated to elevating the connected lives of the communities we serve. We offer the fastest home internet in the nation, a refreshingly great customer experience, and affordable plans that put customers in charge.

As our state‑of‑the‑art fiber network expands, so does our need for team members who can help us grow and realize our goals.

Our Company Values

• Genuinely Caring: We treat customers and colleagues like neighbors, with empathy and full attention.
• Empowering You: We help customers choose what is best for them, and we support employees in implementing new ideas and solutions.
• Innovation and Improvement: We constantly seek ways to improve how we serve customers and each other.
• Earning Your Trust: We build trust through clear, honest, human communication.

Job Summary

The Local Government Relations Manager supports Ziply Fiber’s network expansion by building strong relationships with local governments, public works departments, utilities, and community leaders. This role serves as a key liaison across multiple jurisdictions, helping navigate permitting, right‑of‑way, construction coordination, and community issues. A strong understanding of city ordinances and construction standards enables this role to guide internal teams through local requirements and support their efforts to deliver builds on time and on budget. It also provides critical local insight to internal teams to support timely project execution and maintain positive community partnerships. The position plays a central role in strengthening Ziply Fiber’s presence and reputation as a collaborative and community‑focused infrastructure partner.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Essential Duties and Responsibilities listed below are a range of duties performed by the employee and not intended to reflect all duties performed.

Leadership and Issue Resolution

• Continuous engagement with and understanding the objectives of local leadership (FDC, Field Ops, Marketing) ensuring issues are attended to timely and professionally. Support local leadership in the resolution of right‑of‑way, permitting, pole attachment/joint use and similar issues with states, counties, and cities and third parties.
• Work with the local leadership team (FDC, Field Ops, Marketing) on known issues providing support to resolve issues in a timely manner.
• Ensures teams are aware of current field issues, community inquiries, and work together towards a satisfactory resolution.
• Focuses on meeting and maintaining consistent service levels.
• Carefully and thoroughly tracks complaint resolution performance.

Community and Government Relations

• Cultivating and maintaining strategic relationships with key community, public and government officials.
• Meeting regularly with mayors, city council members, county commissioners, administrators, and staff of key cities and counties to articulate the Company’s vision and plans and to obtain support for Ziply Fiber’s initiatives.
• Act as principal contact for Ziply Fiber’s Network Operations team on local government issues and resolution of constituent inquiries.

Stakeholder and Business Engagement

• Establishing and maintaining relationships with local chambers of commerce, economic development councils, and local community groups.
• Works with residents and businesses to resolve issues related to all construction efforts and to create a win‑win solution for the resident, business, and the company.

Construction and Build Area Support

• Work with local jurisdiction and community for active build areas ensuring we are attending to all issues as they arise.
• Serve as a champion for internal teams by proactively identifying solutions, removing obstacles, and consistently finding a path forward to keep projects on track.
• Review and interpret right of way agreements/franchises, municipal codes, and construction standards to advise construction and installation teams, helping them achieve their build obligations on budget and on schedule.
• Track and report progress on support against organizational performance objectives, providing leadership with clear visibility into local market results.

Other Duties

• Performs other duties as required to support the business and evolving organization.

Required Position Competencies

• Interpersonal Skills – Focuses on resolving conflict; maintains confidentiality; listens to others; keeps emotions under control. Responds promptly to resident/business needs; solicits feedback to improve service; responds to requests, inquiries, issues with sense of urgency; meets commitments.
• Professional Integrity - Must demonstrate a high degree of personal and professional integrity due to the nature of information involved and the public visibility of this position.
• Adaptability - Must thrive working independently as well as with cross functional teams, and exhibit energy, intelligence, and a drive for success.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership – Acts as the primary liaison between the organization and local government, serving as an informal leader who bridges all business functions with a comprehensive understanding of operations and accountability for driving performance against collective goals.
• Ability to effectively present information in one‑on‑one and small group situations to residents, businesses, municipal leadership, community members, and other employees of the organization. Must be comfortable presenting in public meetings and receiving immediate feedback.
• Communication – Writes and speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations. Listens and gets clarification, responds well to questions, demonstrates group presentation skills, active participation in internal and public‑facing meetings. Tailors communication to engage effectively with a range of key stakeholders, including construction or engineering staff, city planners, contractors, legal staff, the general public, other utility operators, and municipal leadership.
• Strong problem‑solving, partnership, and collaboration skills.
• Results‑Driven Translator – Ability to communicate clearly and bridge understanding between stakeholders who operate in different disciplines and speak different professional “languages,” driving toward shared outcomes.
• Negotiation and Composure – Skilled at navigating complex, high‑pressure situations with diplomacy, humility, and the ability to think on one’s feet while maintaining a constructive tone.
• Compassion and Tenacity – Demonstrates empathy and understanding when working with residents, businesses, and government officials, while maintaining persistent focus on achieving results.
• Strong verbal and written communication, analytical, and reporting skills, including the ability to provide leadership with regular updates on progress, key issues, and outcomes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, political science, communications, business, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of experience working with local governments or public agencies on capital projects, land use and right‑of‑way matters, permitting, public works, utility coordination, or related municipal infrastructure issues.
• Demonstrated experience working directly with local governments, public works departments, utilities, and/or agencies involved in right‑of‑way, permitting, construction oversight, or municipal coordination.
• Experience navigating governmental processes, municipal codes, public works standards, and utility coordination requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Demonstrated ability to read, interpret, and apply city ordinances, municipal codes, and construction standards in a practical, operations‑focused context.
• Public policy/compliance implementation experience.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to lead and manage projects and tasks while effectively representing Ziply Fiber.
• Ability and willingness to travel locally up to 50%, particularly during peak construction periods.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and satisfactory driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in the telecom industry.
• Experience collaborating with state, county, and municipal officials on infrastructure projects, right‑of‑way management, or public utilities coordination.
• Knowledge and understanding of operations teams, outside plant teams is preferred.
• Knowledge of, and experience working on, federal, state, local, broadband, and telecommunications issues.
• Familiarity with municipal public works processes, utility permitting workflows, and coordination requirements for fiber or infrastructure deployment.
• Extensive portfolio of relationships across state and local government.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to work independently and apply sound judgment and reasoning skills to a variety of situations.
• Ability to multi‑task and collaborate effectively with other personnel to meet deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication, attention to detail, and organizational skills, including the ability to maintain accurate database records, update reports, and track and communicate progress.