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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for OSP Construction Manager

💰 $ - $

TelecommunicationsConstructionProject ManagementOSP

🎯 Role Definition

This role requires a seasoned OSP Construction Manager to lead outside plant fiber construction projects from pre-construction through closeout. The ideal candidate combines hands-on field experience in aerial and underground fiber construction with strong project controls, permitting knowledge, and proven ability to manage multiple contractors across distributed work fronts. This role drives schedule, quality, safety and cost performance while serving as the primary field escalation and client-facing representative for OSP delivery.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • OSP Project Engineer
  • Construction Supervisor / Foreman (Aerial & Underground)
  • Telecom Field Engineer

Advancement To:

  • OSP Program Manager / Senior Construction Manager
  • Director of Field Operations / Director of Construction
  • Vice President, Construction Delivery

Lateral Moves:

  • Project Manager (Telecom/Infrastructure)
  • Quality Assurance / Commissioning Manager
  • Permitting & Right-of-Way Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead and manage all aspects of OSP construction for fiber optic projects (FTTH, fiber backbone, municipal builds), including planning, resource allocation, field supervision, contractor oversight, schedule management and closeout to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time and within budget.
  • Develop, review and execute construction schedules and phasing plans using MS Project or equivalent; monitor critical path activities and implement mitigation plans to maintain on-time delivery across multiple concurrent job sites.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for contractors, subcontractors and field crews; manage contractor performance, enforce SOW compliance, administer change orders, and ensure adherence to contract milestones and liquidated damages provisions.
  • Oversee permit acquisition and municipal coordination activities: prepare permit applications, track approvals, coordinate inspections, negotiate encroachment and traffic control permits, and maintain positive relationships with municipal agencies and utility owners.
  • Implement and enforce site-specific safety plans and company HSE policies; conduct regular field safety audits, toolbox talks, incident investigations and ensure OSHA compliance and required training for field personnel.
  • Manage quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs on-site, including pre-lay surveys, conduit/pull-tape inspections, splice vault installation acceptance, fiber continuity testing, and as-built documentation reviews to meet engineering standards.
  • Supervise aerial construction activities: pole loading studies, make-ready coordination, joint-use agreement execution, pole attachment oversight and contractor sequencing to minimize service interruptions and enforce clearances.
  • Supervise underground construction activities: trenching, boring, conduit installation, handholes and manhole placement, backfill and reinstatement, ensuring compliance with civil restoration standards and utilities protection practices.
  • Coordinate utility locating, mark-outs and protection (One-Call coordination) and manage conflicts with existing infrastructure; escalate and resolve utility relocations and schedule impacts with utility owners.
  • Lead fiber testing and acceptance: plan and supervise OTDR testing, power meter testing, end-to-end continuity checks, document test results, and work with commissioning teams to achieve network turn-up criteria.
  • Maintain detailed project cost controls: manage budgets, forecast spend, approve field purchase requisitions, validate contractor invoices, track productivity and identify opportunities for cost savings without compromising quality or schedule.
  • Prepare and present weekly/monthly construction reports, RFI logs, change order summaries, and site status updates to internal stakeholders, clients and senior leadership; maintain project logs and centralized documentation in Procore or equivalent.
  • Drive materials and logistics management: validate materials lists, coordinate deliveries to staging yards, manage inventory levels, verify correct cable, conduit and hardware before deployment and address SKU mismatches to avoid downtime.
  • Facilitate coordination between engineering/design teams and field operations: review construction packages, redlines, as-built updates and clarify design intent to field crews to prevent rework.
  • Execute site-specific traffic control plans and coordination with traffic management contractors for safe public works operations during open trenching and restoration activities.
  • Control and remediate construction defects and punch lists during acceptance; manage warranty-related repairs and track long-term corrective actions to reduce recurrence on future projects.
  • Enforce environmental and erosion control measures on civil works; ensure compliance with environmental permits, stormwater BMPs and site restoration requirements.
  • Provide leadership for staffing, hiring and development of field supervisors and foremen; coach, mentor and evaluate field leadership and drive continuous improvement through lessons learned.
  • Conduct risk assessments and develop contingency plans for weather, supply chain delays, right-of-way obstructions and labor shortages; proactively communicate risks to stakeholders and align mitigation strategies.
  • Manage stakeholder communications with clients, property owners and local government representatives: coordinate private property approvals, access agreements and expedite resolution of property disputes to keep construction moving.
  • Oversee subcontractor safety and quality prequalification and onboarding: review safety plans, insurance certificates, past performance, and ensure required certifications (pole-top rescue, confined space, traffic control) are current.
  • Lead final project closeout and documentation: ensure complete as-built drawings, GIS updates, test records, lien releases, punch-list sign-offs and final billing packages are submitted and approved.
  • Drive productivity improvements and standard operating procedures for OSP construction including best practices for fiber pulls, splice sequence planning and conduit fill optimization.
  • Monitor and enforce adherence to engineering drawings, industry codes (NEC, NESC), customer-specific specifications and company standards across all field activities.

Secondary Functions

  • Support procurement and vendor selection by providing field-level insights on preferred materials, installation methods and supplier performance.
  • Maintain and update GIS or network inventory systems with accurate construction data, coordinates and as-built attributes for long-term network maintenance.
  • Participate in pre-bid site walks and provide field-level estimating inputs such as labor productivity rates, man-hour estimates and equipment needs for accurate bidding.
  • Assist in dispute resolution between stakeholders, including homeowners, contractors and utilities, to expedite project continuity.
  • Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives: identify process bottlenecks, propose construction standard updates and participate in post-mortem lessons learned sessions.
  • Provide on-call support for high-severity network incidents impacting construction or live network segments, coordinating emergency repairs as needed.
  • Coordinate contractor training sessions on company standards, safety protocols and new construction techniques to maintain a competent field workforce.
  • Maintain records of equipment calibration, testing tools and field instrumentation used for acceptance testing and quality control.
  • Participate in cross-functional planning meetings with sales, engineering and operations to sequence activations and align build deliverables to revenue milestones.
  • Support the development and upkeep of the project management information system (PMIS) by ensuring timely status updates, attachments and closure of action items.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Strong knowledge of OSP fiber construction methods: aerial strand and lashed fiber, direct-burial, conduit, microtrenching, and HDD (horizontal directional drilling).
  • Experience with fiber testing and acceptance: OTDR testing, power meter testing, splice acceptance criteria, loss budgets and test documentation.
  • Proficiency with construction/project management tools: Procore, Primavera P6 or MS Project, SAP or ERP invoice systems, and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel for cost tracking).
  • Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, profiles, pole loading diagrams, soils reports and as-built CAD/GIS deliverables.
  • Demonstrated experience managing permitting processes, municipal encroachment permits, ROW agreements and utility coordination.
  • Contract and change order administration experience, including SOW enforcement, payment milestone tracking and dispute resolution.
  • Working knowledge of industry codes and standards: NESC, NEC, local building codes and telecom construction standards.
  • Familiarity with traffic control plans, lane closure permitting, and contractor coordination for safe public works operations.
  • Grounding in safety regulations and HSE management systems, including OSHA standards, confined space, fall protection and pole top rescue protocols.
  • Experience with materials management and logistics for fiber builds: cable handling, reel management, conduit inventories and staging yard operations.
  • GIS and as-built update experience; ability to translate field changes into digital network inventories.
  • Vendor and subcontractor management skills, including performance KPI monitoring and prequalification.
  • Budgeting, forecasting and cost-control skills specific to field construction projects.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and people management with the ability to motivate dispersed field crews and contractors.
  • Excellent oral and written communication; comfortable representing the company with clients, municipalities and stakeholders.
  • Highly organized with strong time-management, prioritization and multi-project coordination skills.
  • Problem-solving mindset with tactical field decision-making and escalation capability.
  • Negotiation skills for resolving contractor disputes, procuring materials and managing change orders.
  • Customer-focused and service-oriented approach; ability to maintain positive client relationships under pressure.
  • Attention to detail for QA/QC, test data validation and as-built accuracy.
  • Adaptability to shifting priorities, weather impacts and evolving project scopes.
  • Conflict resolution and de-escalation skills when managing on-site personnel issues or public complaints.
  • Analytical mindset for productivity tracking, root-cause analysis and continuous improvement.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent with substantial hands-on OSP construction experience; or
  • Associate degree in related technical field plus relevant certifications.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering or closely related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Telecommunications / Network Engineering
  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Project Management
  • Business Administration (for leadership emphasis)

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of progressive experience in OSP fiber construction, with at least 3–5 years in a supervisory or management role.

Preferred:

  • 7+ years’ experience managing large-scale fiber construction programs (FTTH, municipal networks, backbone builds).
  • Demonstrated experience managing multiple contractors, municipal permitting, QA/QC programs, and project financials.
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