Director-IT Operations Support System (OSS) and Center of Excellence (COE)

TDS•Madison, WI

About The Position

The Director-IT Operations Support System (OSS) and Center of Excellence (COE) leads the strategy, execution, software development, and continuous improvement of systems and processes that support end-to-end network service delivery. The role stewards TDS’s OSS platforms and data, ensuring they are reliable, scalable, and aligned with business priorities. It owns technology capabilities that translate network infrastructure into customer-facing services, with a strong emphasis on automation and operational excellence. The Director has ownership of the full lifecycle of network service management, including service qualification, order orchestration, provisioning, activation, and service assurance. The role ensures a seamless flow from customer order through service delivery and ongoing performance management, working closely with cross-functional teams. It is accountable for accurate network inventory, efficient order processing, and proactive monitoring that support customer experience and business growth. The Director leads strategic automation and modernization initiatives across network operations, identifying opportunities to reduce manual effort, accelerate provisioning, increase scale, streamline workflows, enhance data consistency, and improve operational efficiency. The role supports transformation initiatives involving fiber expansion, provisioning platforms, and network technologies, and integrates efforts across the organization and customer systems to deliver end-to-end solutions. The position leads multiple managers and teams within OSS, with a span of more than 80 associates across operations support departments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or higher, or at least 4 years of professional work experience.
At least 8 years of experience with increasing responsibility in application development and/or technology management.
At least 4 years of experience leading projects.
At least 5 years of management or supervisory experience.
Experience in a communications company, IT products company (such as a software company), or IT consultancy.
Ability to communicate complex technical issues effectively to business leaders and distill complex information for key decision-makers.
Leadership ability in attracting and retaining technical talent.
Ability to interact effectively with peers to develop near-term and long-term strategies.
Ability to foster an innovation culture.
Experience motivating and energizing IT professionals while maintaining disciplined delivery of low-defect software.
Experience with operating systems, database systems, integration services, application communication protocols, and programming technologies.
Extensive experience driving SDLC, agile, and CI/CD.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ML/AI.

Responsibilities

Lead multiple managers and teams, fostering operational excellence and strategic alignment across operations support departments.
Oversee delivery of technology solutions within the assigned portfolio and maintain alignment with business unit stakeholders.
Govern the direction and lifecycle of supported technologies.
Oversee executive-level communications, technical strategy, and financial and operational planning and management.
Oversee software development, SaaS configurations, and support for applications and technologies developed in-house or acquired externally.
Ensure adherence to IT-wide technical and application development practices.
Establish and maintain effective management practices for system availability, performance, security, and lifecycle management.
Contribute to the IT Director team and the overall IT function, aligning IT practices, processes, and solution delivery with business strategy.
Ensure consistent application of organizational processes, leadership expectations, and IT culture across teams.
Ensure compliance with security and data privacy policies and standards within the role’s scope.
Manage third-party resources, including vendor selection, performance oversight, and adherence to TDS standards, specifications, and deliverables.
Align technology capabilities and initiatives with business priorities to deliver measurable value.
Oversee identification, prioritization, and delivery of solutions that support business outcomes.
Provide visibility into and escalate risks that could compromise projects or business value, and provide alternatives for in-flight adjustments.
Lead automation and modernization efforts to reduce manual work, improve provisioning speed, scale operations, streamline workflows, and improve data consistency and efficiency.
Oversee the network service management lifecycle, including service qualification, order orchestration, provisioning, activation, service assurance, and ongoing performance management.

Benefits

Medical insurance
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Life insurance
401(k) plan
Education assistance
Paid time off, including vacation and sick leave
Seven paid national holidays and one floating holiday
Paid parental leave
Short-term disability coverage for associates scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week
Long-term disability coverage for associates scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week
Comprehensive well-being program