Senior OSP & Fiber Deployment Program Leader

Lightpath; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Yearly Bonus Program

401k Matching

Job summary

Lightpath is building out dense, high-performance fiber networks to power the digital economy in Illinois and nationwide. We seek an OSP Program Manager to lead planning, execution, and delivery across large-scale fiber projects, coordinating across engineering, construction, and operations while maintaining budget and regulatory compliance.

The ideal candidate brings strong telecom infrastructure experience, program management expertise, and a track record of cross-functional leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Construction Management, Business, or related field; equivalent experience may be considered.
• 7+ years of telecommunications, OSP engineering, fiber deployment, or infrastructure project management experience.
• 3+ years of program management experience leading complex, multi-project initiatives.
• Strong knowledge of fiber optic network architecture and OSP construction practices.
• Experience managing large capital infrastructure budgets.
• Proven leadership experience in cross-functional and matrixed organizations.
• Strong analytical, financial, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of OSP fiber engineering and construction projects across multiple markets and regions.
• Develop and maintain program schedules, budgets, resource plans, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Drive execution of strategic fiber deployment initiatives supporting network growth, customer demand, and operational objectives.
• Establish program governance, performance metrics, and reporting mechanisms.
• Monitor program milestones and proactively address schedule, budget, quality, and resource challenges.
• Provide oversight of aerial, underground, and buried fiber infrastructure projects.
• Ensure engineering designs meet company standards, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate with OSP Engineering, Construction, Network Operations, and Planning teams throughout project lifecycles.
• Review project scopes, estimates, engineering packages, and construction deliverables.
• Support route selection, permit acquisition, easement coordination, and utility accommodation efforts.
• Manage capital and operational budgets across assigned programs.
• Track project expenditures, forecasts, accruals, and financial performance.
• Identify opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement while maintaining quality and delivery commitments.
• Ensure accurate financial reporting and compliance with capital governance processes.
• Lead relationships with engineering firms, construction contractors, and material suppliers.
• Establish performance expectations and monitor contractor productivity, quality, and safety metrics.
• Review and approve scopes of work, contracts, change orders, and invoices.
• Drive accountability for vendor performance and service-level agreements.
• Partner with executive leadership, regional operations teams, municipalities, utility companies, and regulatory agencies.
• Communicate program status, risks, financial performance, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to resolve issues and maintain project momentum.
• Represent OSP programs during executive reviews and governance meetings.
• Identify and mitigate program risks affecting budget, schedule, quality, or customer commitments.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, permitting requirements, environmental regulations, and safety standards.
• Support audits, quality inspections, and regulatory reviews as required.
• Promote a culture of safety, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Program management

Stakeholder engagement

Financial management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Telecommunications/Construction Management/Business or related field

PMP certification

Tools

GIS

AutoCAD

ArcGIS

IQGeo

SpatialNet

Job description

Lightpath is building out dense, high-performance fiber networks to power the digital economy in Illinois and nationwide. We seek an OSP Program Manager to lead planning, execution, and delivery across large-scale fiber projects, coordinating across engineering, construction, and operations while maintaining budget and regulatory compliance.

The ideal candidate brings strong telecom infrastructure experience, program management expertise, and a track record of cross-functional leadership.