Wireless Network Team Manager

Penn State University • University Park, IL

18h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Penn State Information Technology (PSU IT) Infrastructure Division is seeking a Wireless Team Manager (Network Engineering Manager - Manager) to provide overall leadership for staff, service operations, financial management, and IT Strategic Partner (ITSP) engagement supporting the University’s enterprise wireless services. This position is being filled to ensure leadership continuity following the retirement of the current Wireless Manager. This is a leadership-first role focused on people leadership, service ownership, and operational excellence. While a background in wireless networking is required, success in this role is defined by the ability to lead and develop teams, manage services, and deliver reliable outcomes—not by serving as the primary technical expert. The Manager is accountable for staff leadership, service delivery, and financial oversight, and works in close partnership with the Wireless Technical Lead, who provides technical leadership and architectural direction, ensuring a clear separation between people management and technical leadership.

Requirements

• Experience in IT or infrastructure services
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and managing services
• Background in enterprise networking, with experience in wireless (Wi-Fi) environments
• Strong leadership, communication, organizational, and people management skills
• Experience managing enterprise wireless services in large, complex environments (e.g., higher education, healthcare, large enterprises)
• Experience managing services at scale with high availability expectations
• Experience working with or leading IT Strategic Partner (ITSP) or federated IT engagement models
• Familiarity with modern Wi-Fi architectures, authentication models, and client diversity
• Experience with budget planning, financial oversight, and lifecycle planning
• Experience leading teams through organizational or technology change
• Bachelor's Degree
• 8+ years of relevant experience, includes 3+ years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted
• This position requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid driver’s license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership & People Management Lead, coach, and develop a team of wireless networking professionals
• Establish clear roles, expectations, and performance standards
• Conduct performance management, goal setting, and career development
• Support onboarding, training, professional development, and succession planning
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and inclusive team culture
• Service Ownership & Operational Leadership Own the end-to-end delivery and operational health of the University’s wireless (Wi-Fi) service
• Ensure operational excellence across availability, performance, incident response, and continuous improvement
• Coordinate on-call rotations, incident response, escalation management, and post-incident follow-up
• Monitor service performance, trends, and operational metrics
• Balance day-to-day operations with long-term service evolution and roadmap execution
• Technical Oversight & Strategic Alignment Provide leadership and direction for wireless service strategy without engaging in day-to-day engineering
• Partner closely with the Wireless Technical Lead, who owns detailed design and engineering direction. Make informed leadership decisions by understanding technical tradeoffs, risks, and service impacts
• Build and empower a knowledgeable, self-sufficient team by ensuring staff have the skills, context, and authority needed to execute effectively
• Budget, Financial & Lifecycle Management Develop, manage, and oversee the wireless team and budget
• Plan and forecast capital and operational expenses
• Manage lifecycle planning for wireless infrastructure in alignment with service priorities
• Ensure spending aligns with institutional goals and service outcomes
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and operational efficiencies
• IT Strategic Partner (ITSP) & Stakeholder Collaboration Serve as the primary management point of contact for IT Strategic Partners (ITSPs) related to wireless services
• Coordinate ITSP engagement, communication, and alignment with service standards and priorities
• Ensure consistent service delivery and expectations across colleges and administrative units
• Partner with ITSPs and stakeholders to understand needs, communicate roadmaps, and manage service impacts
• Support escalation, issue resolution, and continuous improvement efforts involving ITSPs
• Change, Communication & Continuous Improvement Lead the team through technology, service, and operational change
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, consistency, and user experience
• Champion standardization where appropriate while enabling local needs
• Communicate service status, risks, priorities, and financial outlook to leadership
• Communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences
• Actively engage a broad and diverse consumer base to gather feedback, translate insights into prioritized improvements, and drive measurable service outcomes

Benefits

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

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