Director of Engineering & Planning

Director of Engineering & Planning

Job Category:

Engineering & Planning

Requisition Number:

DIREC001497

ing Details ed: March 31, 2026 Full-Time On-site Locations Showing 1 location West Des Moines, IA 50266, USA Job Details Description

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Leadership & Architecture

Executive Vision:

Provide strategic vision for network architecture and long-term planning across voice, transport, routing, OSP, and managed services.

Infrastructure Evolution:

Oversee the design and evolution of core elements, including IP/MPLS routing, optical transport (DWDM/OTN), voice platforms (VoIP, SIP), and fiber-optic OSP infrastructure.

Innovation & Automation:

Champion automation initiatives and SDN/NFV-based virtualization to enable efficient provisioning and management of the network.

Cloud Strategy:

Direct cloud engineering and operations, including infrastructure provisioning, monitoring, cost optimization, and disaster recovery. Network Operations & Engineering

Performance Optimization:

Develop and implement strategies to optimize the performance, scalability, and reliability of the network infrastructure.

Deployment & Maintenance:

Oversee the timely design, deployment, and maintenance of network equipment while adhering to industry best practices.

Monitoring & Incident Response:

Implement proactive monitoring tools and lead troubleshooting efforts for outages, performing root cause analysis to prevent recurrence.

Security & Compliance:

Enforce network security policies and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements (e.g., CALEA, FCC, SOC 2). Team & Business Management

Direct Supervision:

Manage and mentor cross-functional teams, including department managers for Fiber Operations, Switching, Digital Video, and Packet Networks.

Financial Oversight:

Develop and manage network operations and capital budgets (CAPEX/OPEX), ensuring cost optimization and alignment with business growth.

Vendor & Partner Relations:

Evaluate vendor proposals, negotiate contracts, and collaborate with affiliated companies and consultants to ensure network compatibility.

Client Engagement:

Partner with sales and product teams to define managed services offerings, contribute to RFPs, and ensure service delivery meets client expectations.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND EXPERIENCE

Bachelor's degree in Electrical, Electronic, or Communications Engineering, Computer Science, or Business Management. (Master's or MBA preferred). At least 10 years of experience in telecommunications network management, with a minimum of 5 years leading large groups of technical professionals. Comprehensive knowledge of transmission network design (copper and fiber) and traffic engineering (TDM and Packet). Proven expertise in IP routing (BGP, OSPF, MPLS), voice services, and OSP infrastructure. Hands-on experience with cloud engineering (AWS, Azure, or GCP) and automation/DevOps practices. Strong financial and business acumen with experience in economic analysis and budget management. Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills; ability to build relationships with senior leaders and customers Preferred Certificate of Professional Engineering (PE), or advanced credentials such as CCIE, AWS/Azure Professional, or

MEF SDN/NFV.

Advanced accounting and financial analysis skills. Experience with managed services (EDR/MDR), optical transport planning tools, and monitoring platforms (e.g., ELK, Prometheus).

REQUIRED SKILLS

Excellent interpersonal skills to establish and maintain effective relationships with customers, employees, superiors and business contacts in a professional, timely and courteous manner Excellent written and oral communication skills Strong relationship builder and communicator with experience leading diverse work teams Ability to perform a variety of tasks, often changing assignments on short notice Must be able to work independently with little or no direct supervision and contribute to a team environment. Ability to make sound decisions using the information at hand Strong trouble resolution and problem solving skills Able to think at a strategic level by viewing things from a broader perspective than day-to-day operations Deals effectively with unexpected situations and issues and is able to be an effective change agent within the company Must possess a strong financial and business acumen Required to have very strong work ethic Ability to develop absolute trust and respect of their staff and other senior leaders Strong attention to detail and accuracy

TOOLS, EQUIPMENT, AND SOFTWARE

Demonstrated knowledge of personal computer applications Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office, including Microsoft Outlook. Experience and proficiency with CAD programs, Visio, PowerPoint, and mapping software

WORKING CONDITIONS AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Primarily indoor work primarily in office environment Frequent utilization of manual dexterity and visualizing of computer screen No unusual physical requirements Frequent travel by vehicle and some by air, with some overnights (if applicable). Frequent extended hours required in order to meet deadlines and respond to issues. Includes availability after normal business hours and on weekends Work environment will be unstructured and with little, if any, direct supervision Qualifications Behaviors Preferred

Functional Expert:

Considered a thought leader on a subject

Thought Provoking:

Capable of making others think deeply on a subject

Leader:

Inspires teammates to follow them

Innovative:

Consistently introduces new ideas and demonstrates original thinking

Detail Oriented:

Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well Motivations Preferred

Financial:

Inspired to perform well by monetary reimbursement Ability to Make an

Impact:

Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Entrepreneurial Spirit:

Inspired to perform well by an ability to drive new ventures within the business

Self-Starter:

Inspired to perform without outside help Experience Required 5 years: Experience leading large groups of technical professionals. 10 years: Experience in telecommunications network management Equal Opportunity Employer This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.