Program Manager, FDC – Subsidy Builds

This is a remote position.

Position Title: Program Manager, FDC – Subsidy Builds

 

Base Salary: $105,000 to $155,000 annually DOE

Bonus: Target annual bonus

Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, 401k, flexible spending account, paid sick leave and paid time off, parental leave, quarterly performance bonus, training, career growth and education reimbursement programs.

 

Ziply Fiber is a local internet service provider dedicated to elevating the connected lives of the communities we serve. We offer the fastest home internet in the nation, a refreshingly great customer experience, and affordable plans that put customers in charge. 

 

As our state-of-the-art fiber network expands, so does our need for team members who can help us grow and realize our goals.  

 

Our Company Values: 

 

• Genuinely Caring: We treat customers and colleagues like neighbors, with empathy and full attention. 
  

• Empowering You: We help customers choose what is best for them, and we support employees in implementing new ideas and solutions. 
  

• Innovation and Improvement: We constantly seek ways to improve how we serve customers and each other.  
  

• Earning Your Trust: We build trust through clear, honest, human communication. 
  

 

Job Summary

The Program Manager, Fiber Design & Construction (FDC) - Subsidy Builds is a hands-on program leader responsible for planning and delivering fiber construction programs supported by federal, state and local subsidy funding. This role leads schedule, budget, location-data, milestone, risk and compliance management and partners with engineering, design, permitting, construction, operations, vendors, Finance and Regulatory & External Affairs to move subsidized builds from award through customer-ready service activation and certification.

 

This Program Manager brings structure, clarity and accountability to a complex portfolio of subsidized builds. The ideal candidate translates funding requirements, location-level data and construction dependencies into clear plans and actions while maintaining a recurring operating rhythm that keeps teams aligned, risks visible and milestone certifications audit-ready.

 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

The Essential Duties and Responsibilities listed below are a range of duties performed by the employee and not intended to reflect all duties performed.

 

Strategic Alignment & Communication

·        Translate subsidy award commitments and build strategy into integrated work plans, prioritized actions and measurable deliverables.

·        Reinforce disciplined reporting through structured updates on completed work, upcoming milestones, compliance deliverables, risks and support needed.

·        Develop and present executive reporting summarizing schedule performance, budget status, completed and remaining locations, compliance readiness, key risks and recovery actions.

·        Maintain cross-functional alignment across engineering, design, permitting, construction, operations, vendors, Finance and Regulatory & External Affairs through recurring program reviews.

·        Serve as the primary FDC program owner for assigned subsidy-funded portfolios and maintain accountability for buildout timelines, funded-location commitments, certification milestones and reporting deadlines.

·        Establish recurring program, milestone, risk and compliance reviews and document decisions, owners, due dates and recovery plans.

 

Planning & Modeling

·        Support sequencing and prioritization based on funding deadlines, construction readiness, resource availability, vendor capacity and permitting constraints.

·        Validate planning inputs including eligible locations, award assumptions, design readiness, permitting status, construction scope and serviceability requirements.

·        Build readiness and compliance checklists supporting transitions between design, permitting, construction, service activation and milestone certification.

·        Analyze forecasts against subsidy buildout commitments, ready-for-sale objectives and funding milestones and identify recovery actions for schedule or location gaps.

·        Surface high-cost, high-risk or potentially ineligible segments early and coordinate alternatives with engineering, design, Finance and Regulatory & External Affairs.

·        Drive subsidy-funded programs from award and planning through construction completion, service activation and required certification.

·        Monitor contractor and vendor performance and escalate issues affecting schedule, budget, funded-location commitments or compliance requirements.

 

Milestones & Dependencies

·        Track program and location-level milestones across engineering, permitting, construction, service availability and required funding checkpoints.

·        Maintain visibility into bottlenecks, aging tasks, location discrepancies, certification dependencies and cross-functional risks.

·        Coordinate removal of blockers with engineering, permitting, construction, operations, vendors and Regulatory & External Affairs.

·        Partner with FDC leadership to ensure subsidized projects achieve construction completion, service activation and funded-location targets within required timeframes.

 

Subsidy Program Governance, Compliance & GIS

·        Maintain governance frameworks, documentation standards, escalation paths and workflows for subsidy-funded construction programs.

·        Maintain working knowledge of applicable broadband subsidy programs, including BEAD, RDOF, ARPA/Capital Projects Fund and state or local grant-funded builds.

·        Support milestone certifications and location-level reporting, including USAC HUBB submissions and other funding-administrator requirements, with Regulatory & External Affairs.

·        Maintain accurate, audit-ready program documentation and workflows in SiteTracker and supporting systems, including as-builts, service availability, speed or latency evidence and certification records.

·        Maintain and validate broadband serviceable-location data in Esri ArcGIS, IQGeo or comparable platforms and manage KMZ/KML transfers across GIS, engineering and reporting systems.

·        Reconcile eligible and constructed locations against award records, the FCC National Broadband Map or BEAD fabric and support challenge, true-up and correction processes.

·        Track spend against approved budgets, funding applications and capital forecasts; identify variances and coordinate mitigation plans with Finance, FDC leadership and Regulatory & External Affairs.

·        Maintain milestone, WIP and risk scorecards and a live risk register for each assigned subsidy program.

·        Monitor applicable FCC, NTIA, USAC and state broadband office guidance for changes affecting scope, schedule, reporting or documentation.

·        Coordinate with state broadband offices, USAC and other funding administrators as directed by Regulatory & External Affairs.

·        Coordinate internal readiness for audits, funding reviews and regulatory inquiries.

 

Other Duties

·        Performs other duties as required to support the business and evolving organization.

 

Required Qualifications:

·        High school diploma or GED.

·        Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Project Management, Business Administration or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.

·        Minimum of five (5) to seven (7) years of telecom program or project management experience, including fiber planning, engineering, permitting or construction.

·        Strong end-to-end understanding of the fiber build lifecycle, network readiness and subsidized buildout obligations.

·        Knowledge of permitting processes, third-party utility coordination and federal or state broadband subsidy requirements.

·        Experience managing complex portfolios and converting location-level, construction and compliance work queues into structured execution plans.

·        Proven success driving accountability in cross-functional teams.

·        Demonstrated success leading large, cross-functional telecommunications construction programs involving engineering, permitting, construction, operations, finance, vendors and regulatory stakeholders.

·        Strong analytical skills connecting schedule, budget, GIS, location and compliance data to broader program outcomes.

·        Effective communicator able to simplify complex funding, regulatory and construction requirements and influence technical, operational and cross-functional teams.

·        Highly organized with strong attention to detail and proven ability to manage competing priorities.

·        Proficient with Microsoft Office, Smartsheet, program tracking tools and GIS or location-management platforms.

 

Preferred Qualifications:

·        PMP or equivalent project management certification.

·        Experience with SiteTracker, Esri ArcGIS, IQGeo, KMZ/KML, address-management systems, USAC HUBB reporting or comparable funding-reporting platforms.

 

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

·        Ability to work independently and apply sound judgment and reasoning skills to a variety of situations.

·        Ability to multi-task and collaborate effectively with other personnel to meet deadlines.

·        Strong verbal and written communication, attention to detail, and organizational skills.

·        Ability to work within critical deadlines.

·        Ability to adjust to rapidly changing priorities and schedules.

·        Ability to provide excellent customer service.

 

Work Authorization

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the US for any employer. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

 

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

 

Essential and marginal functions may require maintaining physical condition necessary for bending, stooping, sitting, walking, or standing for prolonged periods of time; most of time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with frequent opportunity to move about. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

 

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office setting with exposure to computer screens and requires extensive use of a computer, keyboard, mouse, and multi-line telephone system. The work is primarily a modern office setting.

 

At all times, Ziply Fiber must be your primary employer. Unless otherwise prohibited by law, employees may not hold outside employment nor be self-employed without obtaining approval in writing from Ziply Fiber. In holding outside employment or self-employment, employees should ensure that participation does not conflict with responsibilities to Ziply Fiber or its business interests.

 

Diverse Workforce / EEO:

Ziply Fiber is an equal opportunity employer. Ziply Fiber will consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, and the presence of a non-job-related handicap or disability or any other legally protected status.

 

Ziply Fiber requires a pre-employment background check as conditions of employment. Ziply Fiber may require a pre-employment drug screening.

 

Ziply Fiber is a drug free workplace.