BEAD Program Manager

BEAD Program Manager

NEKCV is a community-driven organization whose mission is to ensure high-speed broadband

internet service is available to the most rural and underserved communities in the Northeast

Kingdom and Central Vermont. Founded in 2020 as a Communications Union District, we began network construction in 2021. We’re a growing company of 30 employees, which means there’s lots of room for growth and learning. At NEKCV, we’re committed to creating an inclusive culture where all employees feel welcomed and valued. As we continue to grow, we are seeking a Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program Manager.

The BEAD project is a $106 million federal grant project awarded to NEKCV to bring fiber-optic broadband internet service to the remaining unserved addresses in our 72 town district.

The Program Manager will lead NEKCV’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD Program) initiatives, overseeing planning, execution, compliance, and reporting for federally funded broadband expansion across the Northeast Kingdom and Central Vermont. This role should serve as the Executive Director’s strategic partner—providing operational leadership, supervising program staff, coordinating contractors, and ensuring NEKCV meets all NTIA, federal, state, and local requirements.

The Program Manager will manage complex infrastructure projects, maintain rigorous grant compliance, and represent NEKCV with municipalities, state agencies, vendors, and community partners.

The ideal candidate for this BEAD Program Manager position will be a highly motivated and detail-oriented individual, possessing a comprehensive understanding of project management best practices preferably with either a background in managing federally funded programs or infrastructure grants and telecommunications infrastructure and/or construction.

This position is ideal for a project management professional with telecommunications or infrastructure experience who can balance technical project execution, regulatory compliance, financial oversight, staff supervision, and stakeholder engagement to successfully deliver our BEAD-funded broadband project.

This position ensures projects are completed on time, within budget, and in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. The Program Manager serves as the primary liaison between internal teams, contractors, government agencies, utility partners, and community stakeholders to ensure all deliverables are on time and within the allocated scope and budget.

The selected candidate will have a proven track record and extensive knowledge of best practices in project tracking and management.

• Program Leadership — Serve as second in command; act as organizational lead when the Executive Director is unavailable.
• BEAD Program Execution — Oversee all BEAD-funded activities including planning, procurement, construction coordination, and reporting.
• Grant Compliance & Reporting — Ensure adherence to NTIA BEAD rules, federal Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), and Vermont PSD requirements.
• Budget & Financial Oversight — Manage multi-million-dollar program budgets; track expenditures; coordinate with finance staff on reimbursement and audit readiness.
• Vendor & Contractor Management — Oversee engineering firms, construction contractors, ISPs, and technical consultants.
• Stakeholder Engagement — Coordinate with towns, regional planning commissions, utilities, and community partners.
• Data & Performance Management — Maintain dashboards, milestones, KPIs, GIS data, and progress reports.
• Risk Management — Identify program risks; develop mitigation strategies; ensure continuity of operations.
• Policy & Compliance Monitoring — Track federal/state regulatory changes…