Local Government Relations Manager

About the role

The Local Government Relations Manager at Ziply Fiber supports the company's network expansion by building strong relationships with local governments, public works departments, utilities, and community leaders. This role involves continuous engagement with local leadership to ensure issues are addressed promptly and professionally.

Responsibilities

• Continuous engagement with and understanding the objectives of local leadership (FDC, Field Ops, Marketing) ensuring issues are attended to timely and professionally.
• Support local leadership in the resolution of right-of-way, permitting, pole attachment/joint use and similar issues with states, counties, and cities and third parties.
• Work with the local leadership team (FDC, Field Ops, Marketing) on known issues providing support to resolve issues timely.
• Ensures teams are aware of current field issues, inquirers and work together towards a satisfactory resolution.
• Focuses on meeting and maintaining consistent service levels.
• Carefully and thoroughly tracks complaint resolution performance.
• Cultivating and maintaining strategic relationships with key community, public and government officials.
• Meeting regularly with mayors, city council members, county commissioners, administrators, and staff of key cities and counties to articulate the Company’s vision and plans and to obtain support for Ziply Fiber’s initiatives.
• Act as principal contact for Ziply Fiber’s Network Operations team on local government issues and resolution of constituent inquiries.
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with local chambers of commerce, economic development councils, and local community groups.
• Works with residents and businesses to resolve issues related to all construction efforts and to create a win-win solution for the resident, business, and the company.
• Construction and Build Area Support: Work with city/county and community for active build areas ensuring we are attending to all issues as they arise.

Required Position Competencies

• Interpersonal Skills: Focuses resolving conflict; maintains confidentiality; listens to others; keeps emotions under control. Responds promptly to resident/business needs; solicits feedback to improve service; responds to requests, inquiries, issues timely; meets commitments.
• Managing People: Includes team in planning, decision-making, facilitating and process improvement. Develops team skills and encourages growth. Prioritizes and plans work activities, uses time efficiently; plans for additional workload and schedule changes, sets goals and objectives; develops realistic action plans. Takes responsibility for activities; makes self-available to others; provides regular performance feedback.
• Communication: Writes and speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations. Listens and gets clarification, responds well to questions, demonstrates group presentation skills, active participation in meetings. Strong problem-solving, partnership, and collaboration skills. Strong verbal and written communications skills and analytical abilities.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED.
• Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years’ experience working in a customer support centric environment.
• Demonstrated experience working directly with local governments, public works departments, utilities, and/or agencies involved in right-of-way, permitting, construction oversight, or municipal coordination.
• Experience navigating governmental processes, municipal codes, public works standards, and utility coordination requirements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Public policy/compliance implementation experience.
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 Applications.
• Ability to lead and manage projects and tasks while effectively representing Ziply Fiber is essential.
• Must have and maintain a valid driver’s license, auto insurance, and satisfactory driving record.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Relevant training or experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Experience in the telecom industry.
• Experience collaborating with state, county, and municipal officials on infrastructure projects, right-of-way management, or public utilities coordination.
• Knowledge and understanding of operations teams, outside plant teams is preferred.
• Knowledge of, and experience working on, federal, state, local, broadband, and telecommunications issues.
• Familiarity with municipal public works processes, utility permitting workflows, and coordination requirements for fiber or infrastructure deployment.

Physical Requirements

• Maintaining physical condition necessary for bending, stooping, sitting, walking, or standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Most of time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with frequent opportunity to move about.
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Office setting with exposure to computer screens and requires extensive use of a computer, keyboard, mouse, and multi-line telephone system.
• Modern office setting.

Physical Demands

• Maintains physical condition necessary for bending, stooping, sitting, walking, or standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Most of time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with frequent opportunity to move about.
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Authorization

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the US for any employer. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Physical Requirements

• Maintains physical condition necessary for bending, stooping, sitting, walking, or standing for prolonged periods of time.
• Most of time is spent sitting in a comfortable position with frequent opportunity to move about.
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.
• Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

EEO Statement

Ziply Fiber is an equal opportunity employer. Ziply Fiber will consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status, and the presence of a non-job-related handicap or disability or any other legally protected status. Ziply Fiber requires a pre-employment background check as conditions of employment. Ziply Fiber may require a pre-employment drug screening.