Director, Market Development

Director Of Market Development

The Director Of Market Development plays a critical role in shaping where and how Clearwave grows. This position owns the front end of market entry – from initial municipal and community engagement through market approval and handoff to the teams responsible for development and construction.

This is a high-impact role at the intersection of market strategy, business development, government relations, infrastructure, and cross-functional execution. The Director will help identify and advance new market opportunities, build relationships with municipal and community stakeholders, navigate the complexities of local market entry, and translate early market intelligence into executable investment decisions.

The ideal candidate is a high-agency, commercially minded leader who is comfortable operating with autonomy, building relationships, navigating ambiguity, and bringing together diverse stakeholders to solve complex problems. As Clearwave continues to expand, this role will also help build and scale the processes, tools, and talent required to make market development a repeatable competitive advantage.

Depending on organizational needs and the growth of the function, the Director may lead a team of Market Development Managers and / or operate as a senior individual contributor responsible for advancing priority markets.

What You'll Do:

Market Strategy & Expansion

• Own market advancement recommendations and serve as the accountable leader for go / no-go readiness prior to executive approval
• Develop and execute market development strategies across priority markets, balancing growth opportunities with municipal, regulatory, operational, and financial considerations
• Drive consistent, high-quality execution of Clearwave's market entry playbook from initial outreach through market approval and announcement
• Identify opportunities, risks, and market dynamics that may influence Clearwave's ability to successfully enter and scale with a market
• Ensure market assumptions and external commitments are validated and operationally executable before handoff to Engineering, Construction, Operations, and other downstream teams
• Operate with a high degree of autonomy, taking ownership of priority markets and driving them forward from opportunity identification through executive recommendation and handoff

Municipal & Community Engagement

• Lead Clearwave's engagement with municipal leadership and key community stakeholders in new and expanding markets, including mayors, city councils, city managers, public works, planning departments, economic development organizations, and other relevant stakeholders
• Build trusted relationships with municipal and community leaders and develop a clear understanding of local priorities, opportunities, constraints, and expectations
• Identify, escalate, and resolve municipal, regulatory, stakeholder, and operations issues that could delay or derail market entry
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex negotiations, stalled approvals, and other high-priority market-entry challenges
• Represent Clearwave professionally and credibly in external meetings, community discussions, and other stakeholder engagements
• Document and communicate key municipal commitments, assumptions, risks, and political or community context so internal teams have a clear understanding of the environment in which they will operate

Cross-Functional Leadership & Execution

• Serve as the integrator across Market Selection, Engineering, Construction, Regulatory, Sales, Marketing, Finance, and Operations to ensure alignment and clean handoffs
• Translate external market intelligence and stakeholder feedback into actionable recommendations for Clearwave leadership
• Ensure early market commitments, including rights-of-way, permitting posture, construction expectations, municipal requirements, and community considerations, are clearly documented and operationally viable
• Identify gaps between assumptions made during market selection and the realities encountered during market development and provide feedback that improves future market evaluation and execution
• Anticipate potential issues before they become execution challenges and proactively bring the appropriate teams together to resolve them

Competitive Intelligence & Market Insights

• Monitor competitor activity, fiber overbuilds, public funding awards, regulatory developments, and other factors affecting Clearwave's current and target markets
• Maintain a forward-looking understanding of telecom, broadband, infrastructure, and local market trends that may impact market feasibility and investment decisions
• Develop and maintain competitive intelligence dashboards, market tracking tools, and executive reporting
• Bring field-driven insights back to the organization to improve market selection models, assumptions, prioritization, and overall expansion strategy

Function & Team Development

• Help build and continuously improve the processes, tools, playbooks, and operating cadence that allow Market Development to scale effectively
• Establish clear roles, expectations, KPIs, and success metrics tied to market advancement, speed, quality, and execution
• Partner with leadership to scale Market Development capacity as Clearwave's geographic footprint grows
• Where direct reports are assigned, recruit, onboard, coach, develop, and manage Market Development Managers while establishing a culture of ownership, accountability, professionalism, and results
• Where applicable, build bench strength and develop talent to support regional and multi-market expansion
• Serve as a role model for the behaviors and operating standards expected across the Market Development function

Strategic Contribution & Executive Communication

• Partner with Market Selection and executive leadership to refine Clearwave's approach to identifying, evaluating, prioritizing, and entering new markets
• Provide field-driven feedback that improves scoring models, investment assumptions, market prioritization, and the overall market-entry strategy
• Prepare and present clear, concise updates to executive leadership on market pipeline health, opportunities, risks, decisions required, and progress towards market entry
• Assist in standing up new regions and developing the infrastructure, relationships, and capabilities required to support continued growth

Requirements

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years in market development, business development, government relations, telecom, infrastructure, or related fields
• Demonstrated experience building and leading teams, including hiring, performance management, and accountability
• Deep understanding of telecom, broadband, or utility-scale infrastructure markets
• Proven ability to operate across municipal, regulatory, and corporate environments
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence internal leaders and external stakeholders
• High analytical rigor with comfort operating in ambiguity and incomplete information
• Experience managing complex, cross-functional initiatives across multiple geographies
• MBA or equivalent advanced experience preferred but not required

Other Requirements

• Travel: 50–60%+, depending on market activity and team distribution

Benefits:

Clearwave Fiber appreciates the role our associates play to help the company grow, and in return an excellent benefits package is offered to our associates to recognize the importance of their contributions such as:

• Competitive pay and lucrative bonus plan
• Medical, dental, and vision plans - start when you start!
• Life insurance (self, spouse, children)
• Paid Time Off
• 10 Paid Holidays
• 401(k) - 100% company match (vesting and matching starts upon hire, up to 4% of eligible compensation)
• Employee Assistance Plan
• Employee Referral Plan

Additional Perks

• Free services, if living within service area
• LinkedIn Learning
• Associate recognition program
• Advancement opportunities
• Collaborative work environment

About Us:

Clearwave Fiber, a leading provider of 100% Fiber Optic Internet services, is expanding its network across the Midwest and Southeast regions. Backed by strong investment partners including Cable One, GTCR, Stephens Capital, and The Pritzker Organization, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge technology and unparalleled customer service. Join our team of over 300 colleagues dedicated to shaping the future of connectivity.

Pre-hire Assurance:

Rest assured, Clearwave Fiber prioritizes the safety and security of our associates and customers. Job offers are contingent upon successful background checks, drug screenings, and reference checks. Once cleared, embark on a fulfilling and rewarding career journey with us.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Clearwave Fiber is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.