Manager VPN AI & Digital Operations

Lumen is the trusted network for the AI‑powered world, connecting people, data, and applications through our expansive fiber network and connected ecosystem. We enable secure, high‑performance connectivity across cloud, edge, and AI workloads for enterprises, governments, and communities.

At Lumen, you’ll work on infrastructure customers rely on today and build for what’s next, where performance, security, and resilience matter.

This is a high accountability environment where bold ideas drive real innovation for our customers, partners, and industry. The work is challenging, expectations are clear, and trust is built into how we operate. If you’re ready to take ownership, deliver meaningful impact, and help shape the future of AI‑ready connectivity, join us today.

We are seeking a highly driven and results‑oriented leader to manage VPN Service Delivery while also owning the strategy, ideation, and execution of AI, chat, and automation initiatives across the organization. This role is responsible for overseeing end‑to‑end VPN order delivery, ensuring first‑time‑right performance, and driving operational excellence through data‑driven decision‑making and continuous improvement.

In addition to core service delivery responsibilities, this leader will spearhead digital transformation efforts by developing and scaling automation and AI‑driven solutions, supported by disciplined delivery governance and operational analysis. The role requires a balance of hands‑on execution and strategic leadership, including building and developing a high‑performing team. Success will be measured by improvements in cycle time, cost efficiency, service quality, and adherence to Responsible AI and data governance standards within a fast‑paced telecommunications environment.

This is a remote, work‑from‑home position. Candidates must reside in the United States.

• Manage day‑to‑day VPN order delivery across multiple regions and customer segments
• Ensure timely, accurate provisioning aligned with customer SLAs and business goals
• Drive performance against key metrics including FTR (First Time Right), cycle time, and backlog health

• Identify process gaps and lead initiatives to improve efficiency, quality, and scalability
• Champion automation and simplification efforts to reduce manual work and errors
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to implement sustainable solutions

• Establish clear performance expectations and track team productivity and quality
• Analyze operational data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities
• Deliver executive‑level reporting with actionable insights and recommendations
• Cross‑Functional Leadership
• Collaborate closely with Design/TDG, Field Operations, Offnet/Build, and Customer Experience teams
• Act as a point of escalation for complex orders and customer‑impacting issues
• Drive alignment across teams to ensure seamless order flow and issue resolution

• Build and maintain a prioritized AI/automation roadmap tied to business objectives (defect removal, cycle time, cost out, revenue enablement)
• Run structured ideation (workshops, office hours, intake) to capture high‑value chat use cases across business functions
• Establish “value by design”: define hypotheses, baselines, and target benefits for each use case (e.g., hours saved, cost avoided, NPS impact), and ensure every release has measurable outcomes
• Translate ideas into clear user stories, success criteria, and risk/controls; create business cases with ROI, effort, and dependencies
• Rapidly prototype chat/agent flows (prompts, intents, orchestrations) and lead pilot experiments; document reusable patterns and standards
• Partner with Security, Compliance, and Data Governance to meet responsible AI standards (privacy, fairness, transparency) and regulatory obligations

• Build dashboards and operational scorecards (adoption, time saved, quality, compliance) to guide decisions and show value
• Identify automation opportunities and policy/role changes needed to unlock…