Fiber Test & Acceptance Project Manager

Zayo Group

1d • $77,100 - $118,600 • Remote

About The Position

Zayo is seeking an experienced Fiber Test & Acceptance Project Manager to lead the testing, validation, quality assurance, and final acceptance of long-haul Outside Plant (OSP) fiber optic infrastructure. The position manages the end-to-end fiber testing and acceptance process, ensuring newly constructed fiber routes meet engineering standards, customer specifications, contractual requirements, and operational-readiness expectations. The role works closely with OSP Construction, Fiber Engineering, Field Operations, Network Operations, project managers, customers, and external contractors to resolve deficiencies and deliver accurate closeout packages on schedule. It requires technical fiber-testing knowledge as well as project, vendor, and financial management capabilities, with responsibility for multiple concurrent projects and mandatory rotating on-call support. The position is remote within the United States. Zayo does not provide or assume sponsorship for employment visas or work authorization for this position.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Construction Management, Project Management, or a related technical field preferred; equivalent relevant experience is considered.
• At least 7 years of telecommunications experience involving OSP fiber infrastructure, fiber construction, optical transport, project management, or related network deployment activities.
• At least 5 years of project, contract, or capital management experience, preferably supporting long-haul OSP or large-scale telecommunications infrastructure projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing fiber splicing, testing, acceptance, and project closeout activities.
• Experience coordinating multiple projects, contractors, schedules, budgets, and competing priorities.
• Strong working knowledge of OSP fiber construction methods, fiber optic infrastructure, splicing practices, and optical network design principles.
• Practical experience reviewing and interpreting fiber test results, particularly OTDR and insertion loss testing.
• Understanding of fiber acceptance requirements, testing methodologies, and customer-specific performance thresholds.
• Ability to identify testing deficiencies and coordinate technical troubleshooting and corrective action.
• Familiarity with EXFO, VIAVI, Anritsu, or comparable fiber testing equipment and reporting platforms.
• Ability to interpret construction drawings, splice diagrams, route maps, redlines, as-built documentation, and technical closeout packages.
• Understanding of fiber construction standards, quality assurance, and network inventory requirements.
• Experience managing OSP contractors, field technicians, splicing vendors, and technical project deliverables.
• Working knowledge of project budgets, capital expenditures, purchase orders, contractor invoicing, and change-order management.
• Understanding of unit-rate and fixed-price construction contracts.
• Ability to identify project risks, develop recovery plans, and maintain delivery commitments.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including explaining technical issues to customers, field personnel, project managers, and senior leadership.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, Word, and Outlook.
• Experience using project tracking, reporting, and documentation systems.
• Working knowledge of Google Earth and route-mapping documentation.
• Ability to maintain accurate project schedules, financial records, testing documentation, and closeout information.
• Ability to support mandatory rotating on-call responsibilities for outages and emergency restoration.
• Must have work authorization that does not require employer sponsorship, now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

• Direct experience managing long-haul dark fiber or backbone fiber testing and acceptance.
• Experience interpreting raw OTDR traces in addition to prepackaged testing reports.
• Familiarity with EXFO FastReporter, EXFO ConnectorMax, VIAVI FiberCable2 Suite, VIAVI FiberChekPRO, or Anritsu NetWorks.
• Knowledge of CD/PMD testing and optical performance requirements for long-haul fiber networks.
• Experience managing testing and acceptance across multiple routes or large-scale OSP deployment programs.
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, formulas, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and financial reporting.
• Experience with Salesforce, Sitetracker, or comparable project management platforms.
• Familiarity with GIS, KMZ files, network inventory systems, and fiber documentation.
• Experience with federally funded infrastructure projects and associated requirements, including NTIA, Davis-Bacon, BABA, and environmental assessments.
• Experience coordinating emergency fiber restoration and post-restoration testing.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee testing and acceptance of long-haul, backbone, and OSP fiber deployment projects.
• Review and analyze fiber test results, including OTDR, insertion loss, OLTS, optical power meter, FIP, CD, and PMD results, as required by project specifications.
• Validate test methodologies, including wavelength selection, pulse width, test duration, launch and receive fibers, bidirectional testing, and customer acceptance thresholds.
• Interpret OTDR traces and reports to identify loss, splice, reflectance, discontinuity, and other performance issues.
• Determine whether test packages meet contractual and engineering requirements or require additional testing, troubleshooting, or remediation.
• Coordinate with technicians, splicers, engineers, and vendors to diagnose and resolve testing failures and ensure routes meet technical and quality standards.
• Manage concurrent fiber testing and acceptance projects from construction completion through splicing, testing, remediation, acceptance, and closeout, within schedules, budgets, and customer commitments.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, resource requirements, and completion forecasts; identify dependencies and address project risks and delays.
• Coordinate access to customer facilities, POPs, and data centers for splicing and testing; provide status updates, risk assessments, and recovery recommendations.
• Oversee OSP splicing, testing, and construction vendors; establish expectations, monitor performance, review deliverables, implement corrective actions, and escalate unresolved issues.
• Develop and track project budgets; manage purchase requisitions, purchase orders, invoices, and change orders; validate contractor charges and monitor forecasts and expenditures.
• Support vendor bidding, selection, and procurement; maintain project records in systems such as Salesforce, Sitetracker, and Excel; coordinate with Finance, Construction, and project leadership on financial issues.
• Review and validate dark fiber closeout packages for technical accuracy, completeness, and contractual compliance.
• Reconcile test results with drawings, route maps, splice diagrams, redlines, as-builts, and network inventory; use Google Earth, KMZ files, and mapping tools to verify route information.
• Coordinate corrections to documentation and inventory records, maintain accurate project and acceptance records, and deliver packages to designated stakeholders.
• Participate in mandatory rotating on-call responsibilities and coordinate outage response and emergency restoration with Network Operations, Field Operations, contractors, and other technical resources.
• Help mobilize resources for fiber damage diagnosis and emergency splicing; communicate restoration progress and ensure post-restoration testing and record updates are completed.
• Collaborate across teams and with customers and vendors to resolve technical and operational challenges; develop quality-control processes, acceptance checklists, and corrective-action procedures.
• Identify recurring testing failures, documentation errors, and process inefficiencies and recommend improvements to reduce repeat testing and improve project closeout and network quality.
• Maintain compliance with construction standards, engineering specifications, safety requirements, and applicable regulatory obligations.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Retirement plans
• Paid time off
• Paid parental leave
• Potential eligibility for a discretionary annual incentive plan for non-sales roles

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior