Director, Operational Excellence & Strategic Program Management

About the Role

At Forged Fiber, our mission is bold but simple: deliver fast, reliable, future-proof connectivity that builds the foundation for everything online. The Director of Operational Excellence & Strategic Program Management is responsible for leading a high-performing team of Program Managers and Project Managers that drive execution across Build, Field Operations, Engineering, IT, HR, Finance, and enterprise transformation initiatives.

This leader serves as a critical partner to executive leadership, ensuring strategic priorities are translated into actionable plans, governed effectively, and delivered with measurable business outcomes. The Director will establish scalable operating models, governance frameworks, performance scorecards, process improvements, organizational readiness programs, and cross-functional execution strategies that support Forged Fiber's aggressive growth objectives and market expansion plans.

Work Location: Dallas, TX or Denver, CO

Key Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise-wide operational excellence initiatives supporting Build, Field Operations, Engineering, IT, HR, Finance, and emerging business functions.
• Develop and maintain executive governance structures, intake processes, prioritization frameworks, and decision-making forums.
• Partner with executive leadership to translate business strategy into executable roadmaps, operational plans, and measurable business outcomes.
• Lead long-range operational planning and strategic roadmap development supporting network expansion, market growth, operational scalability, and organizational performance objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on efficiency, scalability, customer experience, cost reduction, and operational effectiveness.
• Evaluate business priorities, strategic investments, resource allocation decisions, and organizational tradeoffs to support enterprise decision-making.
• Establish accountability for execution of strategic priorities and ensure initiatives remain aligned to company objectives and growth strategies.

Program & Project Management Leadership

• Lead and develop a team of Program Managers, Project Managers, PMO leaders, and operational support resources responsible for strategic and operational initiatives.
• Establish enterprise portfolio management processes that provide visibility into priorities, risks, dependencies, financial impacts, resource constraints, and delivery milestones.
• Ensure consistent project management disciplines, governance standards, reporting frameworks, and execution methodologies across the organization.
• Provide executive oversight of large-scale transformation programs, strategic initiatives, and operational improvement efforts from planning through implementation.
• Serve as the executive escalation point for significant program risks, resource conflicts, stakeholder challenges, and delivery issues affecting strategic outcomes.

Build & Operational Readiness

• Support organizational readiness for market launches, network expansion, operational scaling, and build acceleration objectives.
• Partner with Build, Engineering, Construction, and Field Operations leaders to remove barriers and streamline execution.
• Develop repeatable playbooks, implementation standards, and operational support models.
• Facilitate cross-functional handoffs, lessons-learned reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives across the end-to-end build lifecycle.

Performance Management & Analytics

• Establish executive scorecards, KPIs, dashboards, and operational reporting.
• Monitor program performance, operational trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Provide executive leadership with actionable insights and recommendations.
• Ensure data-driven decision making throughout the organization.

Organizational & People Leadership

• Build, coach, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of PMO professionals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, teamwork, transparency, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support workforce planning, hiring strategies, onboarding readiness, and organizational development initiatives.
• Drive leadership development and succession planning within the PMO organization.

Qualifications

• Required: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in Program Management, PMO Leadership, Operations, Network Build, Telecommunications, Infrastructure, or related industries.
• 5+ years leading teams of Program Managers, Project Managers, or operational leaders.
• Experience managing large-scale transformation programs involving multiple business units.
• Strong executive communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated success in governance, portfolio management, and operational improvement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Telecommunications, fiber network deployment, construction, or infrastructure experience.
• PMP, PgMP, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, or equivalent certifications.
• Experience supporting high-growth organizations and operational scaling efforts.
• Strong analytical, reporting, and executive dashboard development experience.

Success Measures

• On-time delivery of strategic initiatives.
• Successful market launch and operational readiness performance.
• Reduced operational bottlenecks and improved cross-functional execution.
• Increased program visibility, accountability, and governance maturity.
• Improved employee engagement and organizational effectiveness.
• Development of scalable processes that support long-term growth objectives.

What We Look For In a Candidate

Forged Fiber’s culture is built on honesty, respect, trust, transparency, and a growth mindset. We strive to treat people as they want to be treated, and to operate with consistency, integrity, customer obsession, and courage.

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.

Location Based Pay Ranges: Forged Fiber offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing.