Senior IT Manager

Overview

At TDS Telecom, connecting people is at the heart of everything we do. We are forward thinkers who leverage cutting-edge fiber internet technology to strengthen communities. We are dedicated to excellence, which drives us to succeed together, creating a better world through meaningful connections. Ready to make an impact?

We are seeking an experienced Senior IT Manager to lead a high-performing team responsible for the strategy, delivery, and support of our most critical customer-facing digital platforms.  In this role, you will combine technology leadership and customer experience strategy to ensure our web, mobile, and digital experiences are seamless, engaging, innovative, and aligned with business objectives. You will play a key role in shaping the digital journey for our customers while leading a team that develop, implement, and support enterprise-scale applications and platforms.

As a Senior IT Manager, you will:

• Lead and mentor a team of IT professionals responsible for the planning, design, development, deployment, and support of customer-facing applications and digital platforms.
• Drive technology solutions that enhance customer engagement across web, mobile, and digital channels.
• Partner closely with Product Owners and business stakeholders to define priorities, establish capability roadmaps, and deliver solutions that maximize business value.
• Oversee a portfolio of initiatives ranging from enhancements to existing applications to the development of new digital capabilities.
• Lead software package evaluations, vendor selection processes, and implementation projects.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors, consultants, and service providers, including participation in contract negotiations and procurement activities.
• Champion continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to streamline processes, improve customer experiences, and modernize technology platforms.
• Ensure reliable operational support for critical customer-facing systems while balancing innovation and modernization efforts.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and technical excellence within the team.

This is an opportunity to lead transformational digital initiatives that directly impact customer satisfaction, business performance, and the future of our digital experience strategy. You will work alongside talented business and technology leaders while helping shape the next generation of customer engagement capabilities.

This position has the ability to work remotely in any of the 40+ States in which TDS Telecom operates. 

Responsibilities

• Ensures the successful implementation of applications that support company-wide business operations that may also span several business units within the company. Ensures that all activities and work products follow company development policies, procedures, and standards. Prepares workplans for product deliverables, manage human and fiscal resources, effectively negotiate timelines, scope, and cost constraints with Product Owners to attain project goals, oversee completion of tasks, provide status and completion reports to management, and administer the vendor contracts for the project.
• Ensures IT systems are maintained to meet the agreed upon service levels for availability, reliability, performance, and cost. Proactively plan and implement routine maintenance, repairs, enhancements, and upgrades to ensure the systems continue to meet business demands until their decommissioning. Develop on-call rotational schedules, backup plans, and documentation necessary to ensure 24x7 support of systems essential to the operation of the company or the provisioning and delivery of products and services to customers.
• Develop and maintain capability roadmaps and collaborate on the business value realization report.. Establish visibility into time and resource commitments for project and capability alignment with Product Owner(s). Take correction action as required to reduce financial risks and mitigate potential budget-related problems. Develop annual budget plans for new development, enhancements, maintenance, vendor support, and license fees.
• Identify the talent needs for the team to satisfy accountabilities for project/capability delivery and operational support. Develop plans to attract, hire, develop, and retain associates with the skills, knowledge, experience, and motivation needed to successfully support the team in providing IT services. Anticipate shifts in skill requirements and prepare associates to meet those future needs. Provide growth opportunities for associates through stretch assignments, professional development, coaching, mentoring, and feedback. Establish performance criteria for associates, evaluate performance, and provide associates with timely feedback. When necessary administer performance improvement plans or conduct associate terminations.
• Communicate (e.g. written, verbal, social media, etc.) to appropriately engage and inform executive management, project sponsors, system stakeholders, and staff on project, system, financial, and team performance as appropriate. Communicate complex, technical information in a form and manner suitable for the audience to ensure maximum comprehension and to positively influence decision-makers. Establish trust with stakeholders through transparent, unbiased, factual, timely, and complete communication suitable for the targeted audience.
• Establish, grow, and maintain professional business relationships with internal sponsors and project stakeholders, other support teams within the company, and external product and service vendors.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree (or higher) -OR- 4+ years professional work experience.
• 12+ years of IT experience.

Other Qualifications

• Knowledge of supervisory skills including recruitment, hiring, performance management, and termination.
• Knowledge of company policies along with state and federal employment laws relevant to supervisory duties.
• Knowledge of leadership skills such as building effective teams, motivating associates, creating plans for associate growth and development, mentoring, and positioning associates for advancement.
• Knowledge of website and mobile application development, virtual agents, and OMNI Channel customer experience.
• Knowledge of various project management tools to develop a comprehensive project work plan such as Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), Organizational Breakdown Structure (OBS), cash flow analysis, Gantt and network diagrams, and resource schedules.
• Knowledge of techniques such as the Critical Path Method (CPM) to assess and report on risks in project schedule; knowledge of corrective action steps to reduce risks and mitigate problems.
• Knowledge of System Development Life-Cycle (SDLC) methodologies such as Waterfall, Rapid Application Development, or Agile SCRUM.
• Proven experience with various Agile frameworks and supporting tools, along with a strong track record of leading Agile ceremonies. Holding a Kanban Management Professional (KMP) certification is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of system testing practices and tools.
• Knowledge of problem-solving techniques and tools.
• Knowledge of techniques for vendor product solicitation, evaluation, and selection.
• General knowledge of the languages, frameworks and tools typically used in software development including JAVA, .NET, Python, DJango, etc.
• General knowledge of computer operating systems such as Windows, Solaris, Linux, OS/390, etc.
• General knowledge of computer hardware and related infrastructure including servers, switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, and storage.
• General knowledge of data networking including TCP/IP, IP subnetting, DNS, etc.
• General knowledge of the techniques for developing and implementing secure software and host platforms.
• General knowledge of database administration platforms, tools, and techniques for high-availability and high-performance systems.
• General knowledge of DEVOPS, CI/CD build pipelines, and automated testing strategies.
• General knowledge of relevant regulations and legislation including CPNI, PCI, CALEA, etc.
• Knowledge of federal and state privacy regulations and the company's privacy and security policies.
• Ability to travel as needed for company business and professional development.
• Ability to work nights and weekends as needed for system implementations and resolving system problems.
• Knowledge of business analysis practices and business process modeling.
• Knowledge of quality management and quality improvement practices.
• Knowledge of team leadership skills, practices, and behaviors.
• Knowledge of techniques, tools, and applicable laws to conduct effective and legal interviews.
• Knowledge of techniques for writing and presenting business proposals to management.
• Knowledge of techniques to establish business relationships with outside vendors.
• Knowledge of effective writing and public speaking skills. Ability to convey complex information to general audiences.

Do you meet the Required Qualifications but are unsure if your experience aligns with the Other Qualifications? We encourage you to apply! Research shows that many candidates hesitate to apply unless they meet 100% of the qualifications, even when they possess the skills and experience needed to succeed in the role. Experience and skills come in many forms, and they may not always match exactly what’s listed on paper, but they can still lead to success. If you meet the Required Qualifications and believe you have the potential to thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply today!

Benefits

We believe in taking care of our team, which is why we offer comprehensive benefits to support your health, financial well-being, and overall happiness. Join us and experience a work environment where your well-being is a top priority!

Associates scheduled to work 20 or more hours per week have access to:

• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Life Insurance
• 401(k) Plan
• Generous Vacation & Paid Sick Leave
• Seven Paid National Holidays & One Floating Holiday
• Paid Parental Leave (6 weeks after 12 months of employment)
• Adoption & Surrogacy Assistance
• Employee Assistance & Wellness Programs

Associates working 30 or more hours per week additionally have access to:

• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability
• TDS Service Discounts
• Education Assistance
• Paid Volunteer Time

In addition to these benefits, all associates will have the opportunity to participate in our Associate Resource Groups, which are designed to encourage community and facilitate professional development. To learn more, click here.

Who is TDS Telecom?

TDS Telecom provides high-speed internet, TV entertainment, and phone services to a diverse range of communities, including small to mid-sized urban, suburban, and rural areas across the U.S. With over 50 years of experience, TDS is committed to building and expanding fiber optic networks that bring cutting-edge connectivity to neighborhoods nationwide. Serving over 1 million connections, our mission is to create a better world by delivering innovative communication solutions that enhance the way people live, work, and connect. Visit tdstelecom.com to learn more! 

At TDS, we are committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and value the difference of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives in our workforce. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by law.

Pay Transparency

The listed pay range reflects the minimum and maximum base salary. Actual offers will be based on factors such as skills, qualifications, experience, location, and role-specific competencies. Some positions may also offer additional compensation, such as bonuses or equity awards.

Pay Range (Hr./Yr.)