Director, Network Strategy

Brightspeed • Charlotte, NC

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

We are looking for a Director, Network Strategy to join our growing team! In this role, you will be responsible for the strategic governance, financial oversight, and optimization of network maintenance and infrastructure-related costs across the organization. You will oversee contracted maintenance for Outside Plant (OSP) telecommunications infrastructure and Central Office (CO) power systems, utility locate services, and damage cost recovery for OSP assets. You will lead the rationalization of legacy copper network investments versus network discontinuance strategies and evaluates insourcing opportunities to reduce third-party spend while maintaining network reliability, safety, and regulatory compliance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in telecom or network infrastructure operations, cost management, or financial governance, with 5+ years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience managing contracted maintenance for Outside Plant networks and/or Central Office power infrastructure.
• Strong background in vendor management, contract negotiation, and cost optimization.
• Experience with utility locate programs and damage cost recovery processes.
• KEY COMPETENCIES:
• Strategic financial leadership
• Network infrastructure cost management
• Vendor and contract governance
• Data-driven analysis and decision-making
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Risk, compliance, and regulatory awareness

Nice To Haves

• MBA or advanced degree.
• Experience in large, regulated telecom or utility environments.
• Knowledge of copper retirement, network discontinuance, and regulatory considerations.
• Proven experience evaluating and implementing insourcing initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Network Cost Strategy & Financial Governance
• Develop and execute enterprise-wide strategies to control, optimize, and forecast network maintenance and infrastructure costs.
• Own expense budgets related to contracted network maintenance, utility locates, damage recovery, and power infrastructure support.
• Analyze cost drivers, trends, and variances; identify and implement cost-reduction initiatives aligned with operational and reliability goals.
• Establish financial controls, governance models, and approval frameworks for network-related expenditures.
• Contracted Maintenance Oversight
• Oversee all contracted maintenance activities for Outside Plant infrastructure, including fiber and copper networks, both aerial and underground plant.
• Oversee contracted maintenance for Central Office power infrastructure, including DC power plants, batteries, generators, UPS systems, and associated failover systems.
• Ensure maintenance programs meet defined SLAs, safety standards, regulatory requirements, and network availability objectives.
• Utility Locates & Damage Cost Recovery
• Provide strategic oversight of utility locate programs, ensuring compliance with “call-before-you-dig” regulations and cost-effective service delivery.
• Lead damage cost recovery efforts for OSP assets, including claims management, cost tracking, and recovery from responsible third parties.
• Establish processes, metrics, and reporting to reduce repeat damages and improve recovery rates.
• Legacy Copper Network Rationalization
• Lead evaluation and rationalization of legacy copper network investments, balancing maintenance costs, customer impact, and regulatory obligations.
• Partner with Engineering, Network Planning, and Regulatory teams to develop strategies for copper retirement, network discontinuance, or transition to alternative technologies.
• Provide financial and operational analysis to support executive decision-making on legacy network investments.
• Insourcing & Cost Optimization Initiatives
• Evaluate opportunities to insource network maintenance, utility locate, or support functions to reduce third-party spend and improve cost control.
• Develop business cases, financial models, and implementation plans for approved insourcing initiatives.
• Collaborate with HR, Operations, and Labor Relations teams to support workforce planning and transition strategies.
• Vendor & Contract Management
• Lead vendor strategy, RFP/RFQ processes, contract negotiations, renewals, and performance management for network maintenance and related services.
• Define and enforce SLAs, KPIs, and performance metrics; conduct regular vendor performance reviews.
• Partner with Procurement, Legal, Finance, and Risk teams to ensure favorable contract terms and compliance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Reporting
• Collaborate with Network Operations, Engineering, Construction, Power, Regulatory, and Finance teams to align cost strategies with operational priorities.
• Support emergency restoration, disaster recovery, and major outage response by ensuring vendor readiness and cost controls.
• Develop executive-level dashboards and reporting on costs, vendor performance, damage recovery, and network investment effectiveness.

Benefits

• We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.
• Our benefits and paid time off programs reflect our underlying belief in promoting overall wellness through physical, emotional and financial health.
• Brightspeed offers a comprehensive benefit program, including competitive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; an employee assistance program; a 401K plan with company match and a host of voluntary benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees