Engineering Program Manager Jobs in Jackson, MS (NOW HIRING)

Our Vision: Be the best at what we do. Our Mission: Improve lives through technology.

Summary:

At C Spire, we are customer inspired. Every C Spire team member is charged with delivering a world-class experience to every customer. Every team member is charged with living the brand and bringing our strategic vision to life so that we are - and become known as - the BEST in our industry.
As the Director of Fiber Engineering & Mapping, you will lead the planning, design, and execution of C Spire's fiber network infrastructure to support long-term growth and market expansion. This role oversees all engineering and GIS/mapping functions, ensuring designs are scalable, cost-effective, compliant, and optimized for efficient construction and long-term maintainability. You will guide internal design teams, manage external engineering partners, and drive innovation, operational excellence, and process improvement across all fiber engineering disciplines.

Responsibilities:

In all of your duties, you will have a relentless, obsessive, yet disciplined approach to manage all details to perfection and deliver desired results.

Develop and execute the company's fiber engineering and mapping strategy in alignment with growth objectives and deployment plans.
Oversee the full engineering life cycle, including route planning, field engineering, permitting, make-ready analysis, design review, and construction-ready deliverables.
Ensure all designs are optimized for scalability, constructability, cost efficiency, reliability, and long-term network performance.
Establish, maintain, and enforce engineering standards, documentation requirements, QA/QC processes, and design governance.
Lead the GIS/mapping function for network planning, design, as-builting, and asset management.
Ensure accuracy and consistency of spatial data across engineering, construction, and operations systems.
Utilize GIS platforms (e.g., ESRI) for design automation, route optimization, and planning decision support.
Implement improved workflows for data validation, map production, and integration with enterprise systems.
Lead, mentor, and develop engineering managers, OSP designers, GIS analysts, and support staff.
Provide strong scheduling, prioritization, performance management, and workload planning across multiple markets.
Manage relationships with external engineering firms, GIS vendors, contractors, and consultants.
Ensure vendor-produced designs meet company standards, regulatory requirements, and timelines.
Represent C Spire in meetings with municipalities, permitting authorities, utilities, and joint-use partners.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Construction, Network Operations, Product, Permitting, and Finance to ensure engineering alignment with deployment readiness.
Support due diligence for market expansion, M&A activity, and integration of acquired networks.
Provide leadership with regular reporting on engineering timelines, risks, staffing, budgets, and KPIs.
Continuously improve engineering processes, mapping practices, permitting workflows, and field validation methodologies.
Leverage emerging technologies to improve design speed, accuracy, and operational efficiency.
Resolve route conflicts, utility coordination issues, and environmental constraints with internal and external teams.
Identify cost-saving opportunities in design, material usage, resiliency planning, and long-term maintenance.
Ensure compliance with permitting requirements, regulatory standards, safety guidelines, and environmental constraints.
Identify and mitigate engineering risks early in the design process.
Stay informed of OSP industry standards, market developments, and evolving regulatory requirements.
Perform additional duties as assigned.

This position is an exceptional introduction to strategic fiber engineering leadership, offering significant impact across C Spire's network growth and expansion initiatives.

Qualifications:

What You Will Bring

As a C Spire team member, you will bring a relentless obsession to be the best in our industry and a winning mentality, determined to outsmart and outdo competitors. You will have a single-minded commitment to unbeatable internal customer and external customer experience. To support our Fiber Engineering & Mapping team, you will have an unapologetic passion for innovation, precision, and continuous improvement.

In addition to that, we require:

10+ years of progressive experience in fiber network engineering, OSP design, or telecommunications infrastructure.
At least 5 years of leadership experience managing engineering teams or managing multi-market engineering programs.
Proven expertise in FTTH/OSP design, route planning, permitting workflows, and construction-ready deliverables.
Hands-on proficiency with GIS applications (ESRI/ArcGIS) and familiarity with CAD tools.
Strong understanding of permitting requirements, regulatory compliance, pole/conduit construction, and OSP engineering standards.
Demonstrated success managing engineering vendors and cross-functional technical teams.
Ability to translate complex technical concepts for executives and non-technical stakeholders.

We will give special consideration to candidates who have:

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, GIS, or related field.
Experience with asset management or construction management platforms.
Experience with advanced mapping technologies, automation tools, or AI-enhanced design workflows.

What You Will Gain

A great workplace needs more than excellent health coverage-though we provide that and more. We make sure working at C Spire is the best career experience around. Forbes has previously named us one of America's Best Midsize Employers.

For our full-time employees we offer:
Competitive Compensation Package
Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance
401k Match
Tuition Assistance Programs
Complimentary Wireless Service & Device*
Teladoc Telemedicine
WellBeacon Wellness Program
Paid Talent Referral Opportunities

Physical Requirements / Working Conditions

Must be able to sit for extended periods and use a computer keyboard/mouse. Must be capable of occasional lifting or movement of up to 10 lbs; rarely up to 25 lbs. Travel required for site visits, vendor meetings, and engineering coordination.

Complimentary wireless service and device available to team members in our wireless footprint.