Director - Network Feeder Fiber Planning & Market Strategy

Director – Network Feeder Fiber Planning & Market Strategy  

About Forged Fiber  

At Forged Fiber,  our mission is bold but simple: deliver fast, reliable, future-proof connectivity that  builds the foundation for everything online. As we execute,  we believe the right way to do something is the only way. This  foundation guides how the company builds,  operates , and  maintains   a state-of-the-art open-access fiber network platform that  empowers millions .  

Forged Fiber is about more than building a network. It is about people. Every role matters. Every contribution counts. Together, employees create impact through teamwork, trust, and a shared commitment to excellence.  

The Role  

We’re building the nation’s best open ‑ access fiber network platform—reliable, future ‑ proof infrastructure that empowers communities and unlocks next ‑ generation internet experiences. The  Director – Network Feeder Fiber Planning & Market Strategy is accountable for market-level Network Feeder Fiber (F1)  network strategy, leading a team of senior fiber planners responsible for translating growth, tenant demand, and investment priorities into scalable, constructible network plans.  

This role sits at the intersection of network strategy, capital planning, and wholesale customer enablement. In addition to managing and developing individual contributors performing F1 planning work, the Director serves as a primary interface, aligning network architecture, expansion roadmaps, and delivery timelines with growth needs.  

The Director ensures that network feeder fiber plans align to long-term risk adjusted opportunity size , while producing outputs that downstream engineering, construction, and operations teams can execute with confidence.  

Work Location - Hybrid- Denver, CO  

The Main Responsibilities  

Strategic F1 Network Leadership  

• Own the F1 fiber planning strategy across assigned markets, integrating tenant demand, growth forecasts, competitive dynamics, and capital constraints.  

• Direct the development of end-to-end F1 plans, including backbone, feeder, distribution, hubs, and interconnection points.  

• Guide  lease vs. build vs. buy evaluations, including third-party fiber or duct leasing, joint builds, and acquisition opportunities.  

• Define long-range network architecture principles aligned with wholesale scalability and open-access economics.  

People Leadership & Team Development  

• Lead and mentor a team of  Senior Fiber Planners (individual contributors)performing GIS-based, market-driven planning.  

• Set planning standards, expectations, and review processes to ensure consistency, quality, and constructability of outputs.  

• Build scalable planning capacity through hiring, onboarding, and professional development.  

• Act as an escalation point for complex planning, cost, or  feasibility tradeoffs.  

Wholesale Tenant Engagement  

• Serve as a senior technical and planning interface for  wholesale fiber tenants .  

• Translate tenant requirements (routes, diversity, fiber counts, timelines, interconnection needs) into actionable F1 planning strategies.  

• Partner with commercial, product, and tenant onboarding teams to support pre-sale planning, diligence, and post-launch expansion discussions.  

• Communicate network capabilities, constraints, and tradeoffs clearly to both technical and non-technical tenant stakeholders.  

Cross-Functional Alignment  

• Partner closely with finance, real estate, engineering, construction, and operations to align plans to budgets, standards, and execution capabilities.  

• Provide clear planning narratives explaining assumptions, risks, alternatives, and recommendations to executive and investment stakeholders.  

• Ensure smooth handoff from F1 planning into downstream engineering and construction workflows.  

Governance, Costing & Decision Support  

• Oversee high-level cost modeling, feasibility analysis, and scenario development across competing network strategies.  

• Identify material cost drivers, delivery risks, and mitigation strategies early in the planning lifecycle.  

• Support capital planning, prioritization, and investment committee decision-making with defensible, data-driven plans.  

What We Look  For in a Candidate  

Forged Fiber ’s culture i s built on honesty, respect, trust, transparency, and a growth mindset.  We strive to treat people as they want to be treated, and to   operate with consistency, integrity, customer obsession, and courage.  We’re looking for  top tier talent to join Forged Fiber that can help  us bring  this mindset to our everyday work and deliver meaningful results .  

Main Requirements  

Required Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering , Telecommunications, Planning, GIS, or  a related field (or equivalent experience).  

• 10+ years of experience in fiber network planning, telecommunications strategy, or related roles, with  demonstrated ownership of market-level planning decisions.  

• 5+ years of  people leadership experience, managing senior individual contributors or technical teams.  

• Strong understanding of fiber network architecture, outside plant design concepts, and deployment constraints  

• Experience interfacing with external customers or partners on technical and network planning topics.  

• Ability to synthesize technical, spatial, and financial inputs into clear executive-level recommendations.  

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Preferred Qualifications  

• Experience supporting open-access or wholesale fiber business models.  

• Fluency with ESRI ArcGIS Pro, 3GIS, or comparable fiber-planning platforms, with the ability to review and guide IC outputs.  

• Experience supporting large-scale market expansion programs or multi-tenant network strategies.  

• Prior accountability for capital-intensive infrastructure planning decisions.  

What Success Looks Like  

• High-quality, scalable F1 plans that enable rapid tenant onboarding and expansion.  

• Strong alignment between commercial demand, capital strategy, and build execution.  

• A high-performing team of senior planners consistently producing trusted planning outputs.  

• Positive, credible relationships with wholesale tenants grounded in technical clarity and  delivery confidence.  

Compensation  

This information reflects the  anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills,  experience and other relevant factors .  

Location Based Pay Ranges:  

$155,000-$215,000  

Forged Fiber offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other  perks that enhance your physical, mental,  emotional and financial wellbeing.  

What to Expect Next  

Background Screening  

If you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements.  

Forged Fiber 37 Services,  LLC  participates in  E ‑ Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I ‑9 information to confirm that you  are authorized to work in the United States. Employers can only use  E ‑ Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed  the Form I ‑9.  

Equal Employment Opportunities  

It is the policy of Forged Fiber to provide  equal employment opportunit y (EEO)to all persons regardless of  age,  color,  national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information,  martial status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.    We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job  assignments or training. In addition, Forged Fiber will provide reasonable  accommodations for qualified individuals with  disabilities, and is a fair change employer and does not  initiate a background check until after an offer is made.  

 

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