at VELCO in Rutland, Vermont, United States
Job Description
Why Join Our Team
VELCO operates some of the most critical communications infrastructure in Vermont. Our telecommunications network is engineered and operated to carrier‑grade standards, supporting real‑time electric grid operations, public safety, and statewide field communications.
As Telecommunications Manager, you will lead and evolve a high‑availability, low‑latency, always‑on network that supports SCADA, protection and control systems, field crews, substations, and emergency operations. This role offers the opportunity to apply service‑provider best practices in a mission‑critical utility environment—where reliability is not optional and outages are not acceptable.
Position Summary
The Telecommunications Manager is responsible for the design, operation, and continuous improvement of carrier‑grade telecommunications services supporting VELCO’s Operational Technology (OT) and enterprise environments.
This role oversees daily operations, long‑term network strategy, staff and vendor management, and multiple concurrent projects. The Manager ensures telecommunications services meet stringent availability, resiliency, performance, and recovery objectives, aligning telecom architecture with OT, IT, cybersecurity, and corporate strategy.
How You Will Make an Impact
You will lead the modernization and operation of a statewide fiber optic and radio communications network, blending legacy infrastructure with modern transport technologies while maintaining uninterrupted service. You will establish operational discipline, performance metrics, and service management processes consistent with carrier and Tier‑1 network environments.
Your leadership will directly enable:
Reliable real‑time grid monitoring and control
Safe and effective field operations
Regulatory compliance
Long‑term scalability and technology evolution
Key Responsibilities
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 24x7 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 NERC CIP 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.
Ideal Background
This role is well‑suited for leaders with experience in:
Carrier‑grade or service‑provider networks
Fiber transport, RF/microwave, and large‑scale IP networks
24x7 critical infrastructure or utility environments
Operating networks where availability and recovery are mission‑critical
Why This Role Is Different
Unlike traditional enterprise IT roles, this position operates in a no‑fail environment. You will lead a carrier‑class network where seconds matter, redundancy is mandatory, and reliability directly impacts public safety and grid stability.
If you are driven by engineering rigor, operational excellence, and real‑world impact, this role offers a uniquely meaningful leadership opportunity.
Physical/Mental Demands
Must be able to perform typical administrative functions which may involve long periods of keyboarding and periodically of scanning, filing, copying, etc.
Must be able to maintain fast pace while completing complex work, in potentially emotionally- fraught situations, with competing priorities, within tight timelines and with frequent interruptions.
Must be able to work additional hours when necessary.
Must be able to maintain confidentiality of information.
Valid driver’s license required, and periodic in-state travel required.
