Vice President of Broadband

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About the job

South Central Power Company, Ohio’s largest electric cooperative, is seeking an individual to fill the position of Vice President of Broadband.

In September of 2023, with the support of a $98 million grant from Broadband Ohio, South Central Power established connectSCP and launched a fiber-to-the-home project to bring high quality, high speed internet service to its rural consumers in the southwestern and far eastern portions of its service area. In just 12 months, we’ve completed over 1,000 miles and connected over 1,000 accounts to our fiber network.

We are now in need of an experienced leader to work closely with the CEO and other key stakeholders to advance the goal of ensuring that all our members have access to high quality, high speed internet service. The individual selected for the position will be responsible for leading the day-to-day activities of an ISP that is expected to pass over 20,000 homes and businesses by the end of 2026. This includes establishing and monitoring budgets, selecting technologies and systems that deliver high availability and reliable service, evaluating new business and expansion opportunities, cultivating relationships with vendors, reviewing and executing vendor and subscriber contracts, developing employees, managing assets and meeting service, growth and profitability targets.

The successful candidate is someone that thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys collaboration and strategic thinking and is highly organized with excellent communication and leadership skills. The Vice President of Broadband will promote and maintain a safe working environment, observe all safety rules, and support South Central Power Company’s mission, vision, and values. This position will report directly to the President & CEO and have direct reports including Project Manager, Manager of Construction, Network Operations Manager, Network Engineering Manager, and In Home Operations Manager. This position reports to our headquarters based in Lancaster, Ohio.

What the job requires:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or related field is desired, but individuals with a combination of education and experience will be considered. Must have a minimum of 10 years of increasingly responsible experience within an internet service provider performing engineering, construction, operations, financial, sales and marketing, and/or customer service. Senior management experience within a cooperative environment is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal, leadership and change management skills required. Exceptional written and verbal communications and ability to tailor message and style to different audiences. Strong management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple and changing project deliverables at the same time.
• Expertise in business planning; ability to partner with technology, finance, and sales teams to drive business outcomes. Must understand a broad range of broadband and fiber optic technologies, accounting principles, and procedures as they relate to fiscal management and reporting of business results.
• Knowledge of construction, maintenance, and service functions associated with plant facilities, safety rules and Cooperative policies and practices will be required as is adherence to the National Electric Safety Code (NESC).
• Extensive internal and external contacts requiring a high degree of diplomacy, negotiation, and the ability to interact with and influence people in all types of positions and advise as senior management.