Director, Network Infrastructure

Position Title: Director, Engineering & Connectivity Department: Interconnection Corporate Area: Digital & Marketing Status: Fixed Term (Fixed Term), Full time Exempt Manager Title: Sr. Director, Interconnection Technology Position Overview The Director, Network Infrastructure leads the planning, design, implementation, and ongoing oversight of the PBS Interconnection networking infrastructure in close coordination with managed service providers, system integrators, vendors, stations, and service sites. This role supports a modern, IP-centric connectivity and media delivery ecosystem serving the public media system, including national distribution, contribution workflows, and station connectivity. The environment encompasses managed internet transport, cloud-integrated infrastructure, and distributed station edge systems. The Director establishes and governs technical standards, ensures service performance and reliability, and aligns vendor execution with organizational strategy. In partnership with stations and service sites, the role supports connectivity, resiliency, and infrastructure alignment to maintain a secure, scalable, and sustainable national distribution network. Core Responsibilities Network Architecture & Systems Integration Define and maintain long-term network and IP media transport architecture standards Oversee deployment and operation of physical and logical network components including routers, switches, firewalls, and edge systems in coordination with service providers Monitor network performance and service health, track key metrics and trends, and produce regular reports Maintain comprehensive technical documentation and design principles Vendor Management and Service Performance Serve as technical lead for managed service provider and, as applicable, last mile connectivity service oversight Identify issues and coordinate with vendors to troubleshoot, expedite and resolve incidents in a timely manner, ensuring adherence to service levels and continuous improvement Translate contractual commitments into measurable SLAs, KPIs, and performance benchmarks Guide the development of standard operating procedures for deployment, validation, and incident response, ensuring best practices are observed at all times Ensure vendor incident reports and reason‑for‑outage (RFO) information is provided timely and is used to drive process and/or system changes where applicable Lead structured vendor reviews, service optimization initiatives, and renewal evaluations Infrastructure & Connectivity Support Support the ongoing modernization and evolution of Interconnection infrastructure, connectivity, and network architecture across the public media system Define onboarding standards and connectivity requirements to ensure consistent, reliable integration for all service recipients Provide guidance on ISP connectivity, redundancy models, resiliency frameworks, and network performance best practices Support complex IP transport and connectivity troubleshooting in coordination with managed service providers, internal engineering teams, and external partners Develop and maintain implementation roadmaps, transition strategies, and risk mitigation plans supporting infrastructure evolution Coordinate cross‑functional efforts across IT, broadcast engineering, digital, and external stakeholders to ensure alignment and continuity Maintain structured documentation standards and governance models to support long‑term infrastructure stability Communicate infrastructure strategy, architectural changes, and connectivity impacts clearly to both technical and non‑technical stakeholders Technology Planning Evaluate cost drivers including bandwidth, cloud compute, licensing, hardware, and managed services Develop total cost of ownership analyses and long‑term sustainability models Support capital and operating expense planning Align architectural decisions with financial discipline and long‑range planning objectives Provide executive briefings and strategic recommendations on modernization opportunities IT Network Security Establish and maintain security standards for IP media transport and governance Collaborate with enterprise IT security teams to ensure Interconnection network infrastructure aligns with cybersecurity policies, data privacy, compliance, and reporting standards Evaluate vendor security posture, certifications, and risk exposure Support incident response planning and coordination for connectivity and infrastructure events Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience 10+ years of experience in broadcast technology, network engineering, or IP media delivery Deep understanding of networking protocols and technologies (TCP/IP, routing, VLANs, QoS, DNS, BGP, etc.) Familiarity with codecs (H.264, HEVC) and video transport protocols (SRT, RIST, etc.) Knowledge of broadcast encoding and decoding platforms Strong project management and strategic planning skills Excellent verbal and written communication skills for diverse stakeholder audiences Preferred Qualifications Demonstrated vendor management and contract oversight experience Ability to translate complex technical architecture into executive‑level strategy Experience leading modernization initiatives in broadcast or media distribution environments Experience supporting multi‑station or affiliate‑based distribution models PBS is an Equal Opportunity Employer in accordance with the EEOC and the Commonwealth of Virginia. #J-18808-Ljbffr Public Broadcasting Service