GCI's Mgr, RAN Implementation will oversee the comprehensive planning, execution, and optimization of Radio Access Network (RAN) projects. This role requires collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure the timely deployment and maintenance of wireless access technologies. Plays a critical role in shaping the future of wireless communication within the organization by ensuring the successful deployment, optimization, and management of RAN technologies, which are vital for delivering reliable, high-quality wireless services to customers. Serves as a pivotal leader in driving the organization’s wireless communication capabilities. By emphasizing strategic leadership, quality assurance, and innovation, this position significantly contributes to the company’s operational success while enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty through superior network performance. Must possess a strong background in telecommunications and project management, along with a deep understanding of RAN architecture and technologies.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
This leadership position requires the following non-delegable responsibilities:
- Fully own the mission, goals, operations, and results of the team and areas of responsibility.
- Provide strong leadership to span of control (direct and indirect reports); demonstrate effective leadership in all interactions companywide. This leadership includes generating enthusiasm and shared commitment; identifying and setting direction; teaching, growing, and empowering; owning outcomes; and leading by example. Specific leadership duties include:
- Establishing the vision and tone for the department, consistent with company culture and mission.
- Establishing clear, measurable, and achievable goals and performance expectations and following up appropriately.
- Hiring individuals who can accomplish those goals and meet those expectations; providing them the open communication, training, tools, and mentoring needed to be successful and develop professionally; establishing a development path commensurate with capabilities and potential.
- Providing clear and accurate feedback to individuals and teams on a timely and consistent basis. Identifying and addressing performance problems early and effectively before they damage GCI’s interests and demoralize other employees. Effectively managing processes including annual performance reviews, compensation adjustments, promotions, demotions, transfers, and disciplinary actions up to and including termination in an unbiased and consistent manner.
Strategic Leadership:
- Vision Alignment: Align RAN implementation strategies with the company's overall vision and objectives, ensuring that network capabilities support business growth and innovation.
- Technology Adoption: Drive the adoption of the latest RAN technologies and industry best practices to enhance network performance and user experience.
Project Leadership:
- Initiation to Completion: Lead and manage the end-to-end lifecycle of RAN implementation projects, ensuring they align with organizational goals and timelines.
- Project Planning: Develop comprehensive project plans that outline objectives, deliverables, timelines, and budgets. Regularly update plans based on project progress and emerging challenges.
- Resource Management: Allocate resources efficiently, balancing team workload while ensuring project milestones are met on time and within budget.
Technical Oversight:
- RAN Deployment: Oversee the installation and integration of RAN technologies, including LTE and 5G systems, ensuring all components work seamlessly together.
- Network Design Collaboration: Partner with engineering teams to design network architecture that meets both current and future demand, optimizing for capacity, coverage, and performance.
- Technical Guidance: Provide technical expertise to troubleshoot and resolve complex issues that may arise during implementation, ensuring minimal disruption to project timelines.
Team Management:
- Team Development: Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing team of engineers and technicians, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.
- Performance Reviews: Conduct regular performance evaluations, providing constructive feedback and identifying professional development opportunities to enhance team skills and career growth.
- Culture of Continuous Improvement: Encourage a culture of learning and continuous improvement within the team, promoting best practices and innovative solutions.
Stakeholder Collaboration:
- Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Work closely with internal stakeholders, including network operations, engineering, and product management, to facilitate seamless project delivery and integration.
- Research and Development: Stay abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and regulatory changes that could impact RAN deployment and operations, promoting a culture of innovation.
- Process Enhancement: Continuously assess and refine processes related to RAN implementation to drive efficiency and reduce costs.
- Communication: Regularly communicate project status, potential challenges, and outcomes to senior management and other stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment.
- Feedback Incorporation: Actively seek and incorporate feedback from stakeholders to refine project approaches and address any concerns promptly.
Quality Assurance:
- Best Practices Establishment: Develop and enforce best practices and standards for RAN implementation and performance, ensuring consistency and quality across all projects.
- Performance Monitoring: Regularly monitor network performance metrics, analyzing data to identify trends and areas for improvement. Implement corrective actions as necessary to enhance network reliability and efficiency.
- Issue Resolution: Address and resolve quality-related issues swiftly, ensuring that any impact on customer experience is minimized.
Customer-Centric Focus:
- User Experience Enhancement: Ensure that the RAN implementation efforts directly contribute to improving the end-user experience, focusing on aspects such as signal quality, network speed, and service availability.
- Feedback Loop: Establish mechanisms for gathering customer feedback and insights post-implementation, using this information to inform future projects and enhancements.
Vendor Management:
- Relationship Oversight: Manage relationships with external vendors and contractors, ensuring they adhere to project timelines, quality standards, and budget constraints.
- Supplier Evaluation: Conduct thorough evaluations of RAN equipment and technology suppliers based on performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness to make informed procurement decisions.
- Contract Negotiation: Negotiate contracts with vendors, ensuring favorable terms that align with the organization’s strategic objectives.
Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management:
- Compliance Assurance: Ensure that all projects comply with industry regulations, safety standards, and organizational policies, mitigating risks associated with non-compliance.
- Documentation Maintenance: Prepare and maintain comprehensive documentation related to project plans, technical specifications, and compliance requirements, ensuring all records are up-to-date and accessible for audits.
- Training and Awareness: Educate team members on regulatory requirements and safety standards to promote a culture of compliance within the organization.
- Identifying Risks: Proactively identify potential risks and challenges in RAN projects and develop mitigation strategies to address them effectively.
COMPETENCIES
- ACCOUNTABILITY- Takes ownership for actions, decisions, and results; openly accepts feedback and demonstrates a willingness to improve.
- BASIC PRINCIPLES - Interacts with people in a way that builds mutual trust, confidence, and respect; adheres to GCI’s Code of Conduct for Employees – the Basic Principles. Ability to manage challenging employee or customer issues ensuring positive results.
- COLLABORATION - Works effectively with others to accomplish common goals and objectives; maintains positive relationships even under difficult circumstances.
- Ability to build and promote teamwork, pride in performance, and encourage professional, courteous work behavior.
- COMMUNICATION- Conveys thoughts and expresses ideas appropriately and professionally.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, capable of collaborating with diverse teams and stakeholders.
- COMPLIANCE - Follows internal controls; adheres to GCI policies and procedures regarding proprietary information, commercial accounts, associated billing systems, and databases; protects internal and external customer and company confidential information; abides by GCI’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics.
- CUSTOMER FOCUS - Demonstrates commitment to service excellence; gives high priority to ensuring customer satisfaction.
- RELIABILITY - Consistently follows through on assigned tasks as expected; demonstrates timely attendance at meetings, training, and other work obligations.
- RESULTS - Uses a combination of job knowledge, initiative, sound decision making, innovation, adaptability, and problem solving.
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen attention to detail.
- Proven track record of successfully managing large-scale RAN deployment projects.
- FINANCIAL -Familiar with reporting and tracking tools necessary to ensure budget guidelines meet expectations.
- SAFETY & SECURITY - Supports a safe work environment by following all workplace safety rules and guidelines; complies with applicable Security policies and procedures, and company assets remain secure.
- CHANGE MANAGEMENT: champions and supports department and company change.
- DECISION MAKING: uses sound, logical judgment based on department and company policy and procedures, sales, data, research, and experience to choose an appropriate course of action and find optimal solutions to complex problems.
- PLANNING & IMPLEMENTATION: analyzes workload and establishes appropriate priorities; sets measurable and achievable goals and objectives for the team.
- MENTORING & DEVELOPMENT: utilizes interpersonal skills to guide, direct, and influence others to achieve results.
- Proven ability to lead an organization/team to high levels of performance while maintaining morale and personal growth for employees in a union free environment.
- PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT: sets clear performance expectations for team.
- Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and develop team members.
- Proficient computer skills including MS Office (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel) and Exchange.
- Strong understanding of RAN technologies (LTE, 5G, etc.) and network architecture.
- Familiarity with network planning and optimization tools.
- Experience with project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall).
Minimum Qualifications
Required: * A combination of relevant work experience and/or education sufficient to perform the duties of the job may substitute to meet the total years required on a year-for-year basis
- High School diploma or equivalent.
- Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, or related field. *
- Minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in wireless telecommunications, or a related field with a focus on RAN implementation and project management. * To include a minimum of two (2) years in a supervisory or management position; may be substituted with equivalent demonstrated functional leadership experience.
Preferred:
- Master’s degree
- Experience in telecommunications.
- Other telecom industry specific certifications and/or job specific certifications. PMP certification or equivalent
DRIVING REQUIREMENTS :
This position may require access to reliable transportation for occasional travel between retail store locations, offices, worksites, or other locations as needed.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS and WORKING CONDITIONS:
- Work is primarily sedentary, requiring daily routine computer usage.
- Ability to work shifts as assigned, work in standard office/home office setting, and operate standard office equipment.
- Ability to accurately communicate information and ideas to others effectively.
- Physical agility and effort sufficient to perform job duties safely and effectively.
- Ability to make valid judgments and decisions.
- Available to work additional time on weekends, holidays, before or after normal work hours when necessary.
- Must work well in a team environment and be able to work with a diverse group of people and customers.
- Virtual workers must comply with remote work policies and agreements.
The company and its subsidiaries operate in a 24/7 environment providing critical services to Alaskans and may need to respond to public health and safety matters or other business emergencies. Due to business needs employees may be contacted outside of the core business hours to respond to an immediate emergency. As such, you will be requested to provide emergency after hours contact numbers, to include your home and cell phone numbers if you have those services.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: At GCI, we foster a culture of inclusivity by nurturing an environment where the varied perspectives of our employees, customers, and fellow Alaskans are celebrated. We add value to our community as we grow and empower a diverse workforce that provides equitable opportunity for every Trailblazer.
EEO: GCI is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or any other status or classification protected under applicable state or federal law.
DISCLAIMER: The above information in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.
All employees of GCI work in support of the GCI Mission Statement and Declaration of Principles which are located on the GCI Career page and Employee portal.
