Senior Manager of Construction Projects

Position Description:Lyte Fiber, LLC (“Lyte”) is seeking an accomplished and experienced telecommunications operations professional to fill the role of Sr. Manager of Construction Projects. Lyte is a private-equity backed fiber broadband start-up with ambitious plans to scale and expand its FTTH, SMB and MDU business lines across multiple regions. The manager will be joining an experienced team that brings decades of fiber broadband, infrastructure and technology experience with a proven track record of building and growing highly-successful businesses.The Sr. Manager is the people leader for Lyte Fiber’s entire Construction Project Management team, including Senior and Junior Project Managers, and is accountable for its performance and results. The team has ultimate responsibility for managing project budgets, meeting project timelines, managing the overall project team and interfacing with internal and external stakeholders to ensure seamless communication. Oversight begins at planning and extends through OSP design, permitting, construction, go-live and project closeout. The Sr. Manager ensures the team has the people, processes and direction to deliver on time and on budget. This individual should be comfortable in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with excellent leadership and communication skills.Duties and Responsibilities:Lead and manage the Construction Project Management team, Senior and Junior, across all markets.Recruit, hire, onboard and retain Project Managers, building a team with the depth to support current and planned growth.Set clear goals and expectations for each Project Manager; hold regular one-on-ones, give ongoing feedback, conduct performance reviews and address concerns promptly.Coach and develop Project Managers at every level, mentoring Seniors as leaders and preparing Juniors for advancement.Assign projects and markets based on experience, strengths and workload, and ensure staffing supports current and future projects.Delegate project ownership and decisions appropriately, empowering Project Managers while holding them accountable for results.Establish and enforce consistent standards for work plans, scheduling, budget control, change management, reporting and close-out in every market.Own schedule integrity across the portfolio: critically review contractor and PM schedules, challenge optimistic durations and unrealistic assumptions about permitting, material lead times and field conditions, identify critical path risks early, and hold PMs and vendors to committed dates with a clear recovery plan when they slip.Review project scope, requirements, contracts and work plans with Project Managers to ensure they are within budget and aligned with specifications.Monitor the portfolio for on-time delivery across network design, permitting, material delivery, construction, purchase orders, system readiness, network operations acceptance and close-out, and step in early when projects slip.Foresee portfolio-level risks and work with Project Managers on mitigation to keep projects on track and on budget.Work closely with OSP Engineering and Operations leadership to align on construction ready packages, ensure a smooth transition to construction and feed field changes back to engineering.Partner with Community Development, Sales and Marketing so Project Managers coordinate market kick-offs and pre- and post-construction communications with cities and residents.Oversee project invoice approval, approving as required and working with Accounting on timely progress payments per contract terms.Ensure the team complies with federal, state, local and industry regulations, standards and best practices.Recommend process improvements that improve team performance and forecasting, shorten time to resolution, increase resource efficiency and reduce cost.Evaluate and recommend a project management application that supports project tracking and real-time reporting throughout the project lifecycle.Report weekly to senior management on team-wide status, timelines, resource needs, monthly and quarterly forecasts, and exceptions that may trigger reassessment, incremental capital, resource plan changes or changes in planned service availability.Other Duties:Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in construction management, civil engineering, telecommunications, business administration, or equivalent.5+ years of telecommunications project management experience, with a strong preference for OSP fiber design and construction.Demonstrated experience leading, coaching and developing a team of project managers, senior and junior, across many simultaneous projects.Extensive scheduling experience in OSP fiber design, permitting and construction, with the judgment to pressure-test schedules for optimism and the credibility to push back on contractors, vendors and PMs.Knowledge of telecom construction and engineering, project budgeting, scheduling and tracking, project finance, cost reporting and field office operations.PMP or comparable certification highly desirable.Proven people-management skills: hiring, performance management, coaching, capacity planning and addressing performance concerns constructively.Ability to manage big picture and details, using sound judgment to decide, prioritize, delegate and hold others accountable.Strong written and oral communication skills, including presenting ideas clearly and giving direct feedback to team members.Ability to work with different functional groups and all levels to achieve results, build alignment and resolve conflict.Proficient in MS Office and general project management and ERP applications.Ability to Work with Google Earth KMZ’s and KML’s.Physical Demands and Work EnvironmentWill require to travel to various construction projects sites.Flexibility to work extended hours as necessary to meet project deadlines.Must be able to perform physical activities such as bending, standing, climbing and walking in construction areasMust be able to lift up to 30 pounds at timesProlonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computerAbout Lyte FiberEstablished in 2023 and headquartered in Houston, TX, Lyte Fiber, LLC (“Lyte”) is dedicated to bringing the fastest, most reliable home and business fiber optic internet to Texas and beyond. Formed in partnership with SDC Capital Partners, a leading digital infrastructure investment firm, Lyte was started by internet industry veterans who are passionate about providing a best-in-class customer experience, building a company where great employees want to work and connecting Texas communities. As part of our commitment to each community we serve, Lyte pledges a 1% giveback to local charities and causes annually.Lyte Fiber, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and sexual orientation), gender identity, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, ethnicity, genetic information, age, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of physical or mental disability or any other characteristic protected by federal or Texas law.Applicants who believe they need an accommodation on account of a disability or sincerely held religious belief to perform the essential functions of the job they are applying for, should submit those requests to HR. Requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and cannot be guaranteed. #J-18808-Ljbffr