Manager, Telecommunications

Overview

As the nation’s first statewide, “transmission only” company, VELCO manages the safe, reliable, cost‑effective transmission of electric power throughout Vermont and as a part of the integrated New England regional network. The Telecommunications Manager leads and evolves a high‑availability, low‑latency, always‑on network that supports SCADA, protection and control systems, field crews, substations, and emergency operations.

• Carrier‑Grade Network Operations – Own the end‑to‑end design and operation of high‑availability telecommunications networks supporting real‑time OT applications. Ensure carrier‑class reliability through path diversity, redundancy, fast failover, environmental hardening, and disaster recovery. Oversee 24‑x‑7 operations including monitoring, incident management, root cause analysis, change management, and outage response. Establish and manage SLAs, operational procedures, and escalation processes.
• Network Architecture & Technology Strategy – Define and maintain telecommunications architecture standards including fiber transport, IP/CES, microwave/RF, radio systems, and supporting infrastructure. Develop a long‑term technical vision aligned with VELCO’s fiber expansion and statewide radio systems. Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends; perform cost/benefit and lifecycle analyses. Plan and manage carrier interconnections and external network partnerships.
• Leadership & Team Management – Lead and develop a multidisciplinary telecommunications team (engineers, technicians, contractors). Set clear performance expectations and foster a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement. Coordinate cross‑functional teams across OT, IT, system operations, engineering, and cybersecurity.
• Performance, Monitoring & Asset Management – Establish KPIs to measure network performance (availability, latency, packet loss, incident trends). Implement proactive and predictive maintenance strategies and asset lifecycle management. Leverage data analytics and monitoring tools to identify risks and drive improvements.
• Project, Vendor & Financial Management – Manage multiple concurrent projects with cross‑functional stakeholders. Develop and manage departmental budgets, forecasts, and capital plans. Oversee vendor and carrier relationships to ensure cost‑effective, high‑quality service delivery. Procure equipment and services in compliance with company procurement policies.
• Security, Compliance & Risk Management – Ensure telecommunications systems comply with NERCCIP and other regulatory requirements. Partner with Cybersecurity and Technical Services teams to maintain secure, resilient network operations. Maintain accurate documentation, standards, diagrams, and as‑built records.
• Stakeholder Engagement – Act as a trusted technical advisor to leadership and internal customers. Communicate clearly with internal and external stakeholders during normal operations and critical events. Represent telecommunications interests in enterprise planning and decision‑making forums.

• Preferred educational background:
  Bachelor’s degree in engineering, information technology, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum 3+ years of leadership experience managing technical people, vendors, and complex technology in a 24‑x‑7 operations environment.
• Minimum 7+ years of progressively responsible experience in telecommunications engineering or operations, including experience with fiber, microwave, radio, and IP networking; utility or other critical‑infrastructure experience strongly preferred.
• Proven record in strong leadership, conflict resolution, negotiation skills, and personnel management.
• Knowledge of telecommunications technologies, software, and hardware (enterprise data and voice systems, SONET, DWDM, Carrier Ethernet, fiber optic and microwave networks, trunked two‑way radio systems).
• Experience managing telecommunications systems supporting mission‑critical infrastructure, preferably in utility or industrial controls spaces.
• Proven record in establishing, monitoring and maintaining key performance indicators for…