Manager, Network Connectivity & Carrier Strategy

Overview

Own how Vultr's new data center sites connect to the world by running site connectivity selection end to end, negotiating with carriers, deciding network POP placement, and shaping backbone expansion strategy. Manages a small team of carrier relations professionals.

What you'll do

• Own the end-to-end site connectivity selection process: assessment, requirements, carrier outreach, engineering, procurement, and turn-up for every new data center site
• Map regional fiber and carrier infrastructure using tools like FiberLocator, PeeringDB, state 811/one-call records, and local knowledge to assess what is buildable, by whom, and on what timeline
• Negotiate MSAs, NDAs, colocation agreements, dark fiber IRUs, and wavelength/transport contracts with national and regional carriers
• Lead engineering sessions with carriers to turn concepts into construction budgets, build timelines, and route-diversity commitments
• Manage and grow a small team of carrier relations TPMs/reps; set their priorities, coach their carrier engagements, and hold delivery to timeline
• Advise executive and network leadership on where to build next by synthesizing carrier capability, fiber availability, power/land economics, and regional demand into expansion recommendations
• Partner with Network Engineering/Architecture on connectivity design and with operations on POP turn-up and backbone integration
• Track carrier performance, delivery accuracy, responsiveness, and construction quality, and drive the carrier engagement playbook: who to call, how to escalate, when to pivot
• Evaluate self-build fiber opportunities with local construction partners where regulatory and economics favor partnership over turnkey carrier builds

What you'll need

• 10+ years in network infrastructure, telecommunications, or data center connectivity, including 5+ years negotiating fiber, transport, peering, transit, and colocation deals
• Deep knowledge of fiber construction economics and logistics: route surveys, make-ready, right-of-way, permits, ILA/hut placement, splice and amp engineering, and realistic construction timelines
• Demonstrated ability to piece together multi-party connectivity deals, including dark fiber IRUs, wavelength leases, colo agreements, with national and regional carriers, including self-built metro fiber arrangements
• Track record of building carrier relationships at the engineering and executive level
• Strong grasp of long-haul and metro transport technology: 800/400G-ZR/ZR+, DWDM, amplification, distance limits, and route diversity design
• Experience advising on network POP/site placement strategy (carrier hotels, IX presence, PeeringDB literacy) and rural/metro build trade-offs
• Knowledge of relevant IP networking technologies and best practices, including BGP, Segment Routing, MPLS, and Traffic Engineering; SLOs and SLAs
• Knowledge of relevant software development and tooling, including GIS, scripting, agentic coding, network traffic analysis, network simulation, and synthetic monitoring
• 3+ years of people management, or clear readiness to manage; comfortable running a small team of carrier relations professionals
• Excellent written and verbal communication, able to produce crisp briefs for executives and detailed requirements docs for engineering teams

Nice to have

• Willing to travel to carrier meetings, site walks, and construction reviews (up to 25%)

Details

• Location: Remote, United States
• Travel: up to 25% for carrier meetings, site walks, and construction reviews
• Compensation: $150,000 - $200,000+, varying by experience, background, location, and applicable laws