Director, Broadband and Digital Equity - VHB

Overview

ABOUT THE POSITION

The Corporate Broadband and Digital Equity Director is responsible for establishing and directing VHB’s Broadband and Digital Equity program throughout our current and targeted footprint, consistent with VHB’s Strategic Plan and OneVHB.  The leader will create a strategy to establish VHB as a partner of choice enabling clients at the Federal, State and local governments, public and private utilities, and other institutional facilities expand their broadband coverage and improve digital equity for their stakeholders.  The Director will foster collaboration between internal and external partners to deliver on VHB’s strategic outcomes in this area, and leverage funding from various sources such as Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and state and local funds.  This position will also partner with other Innovation-focused programs in the office of CTO, technology-enabled teams, VHB Market and Service Leaders to leverage joint-opportunities to pursue win-win strategies and advance those programs.  The Director will maintain VHB’s strategic advantage, maintain a roadmap for sustained growth, evaluate performance, and develop opportunities for new business ventures within each of the markets VHB operates in and services VHB provides.

Responsibilities

• Drive strategic growth and works with a multi-disciplinary team for execution of VHB’s Broadband and Digital Equity program, working with CTO, Corporate Market / Service Leaders, Regional Managers, and Technology Enabled Leads to bring the most innovative approach to address the challenges of our clients (“value engineering with technology”).
• Maintain a deep understanding of the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA) and develop a win strategy for VHB and its client base to procure funding to expand broadband coverage and bring about digital equity. Create win-win partnerships with other companies to go after opportunities strategically.
• Provide project executive oversight on the Broadband and Digital Equity program with clear scoping and financially viable deliverables and formulate short-term and long-term strategy.
• In collaboration with Service Leads and Technology Enabled Leads, identify, develop, recruit and mentor VHB’s future leaders with a focus on technology integration, including those with strong business development and client relationship expertise.
• Build on VHB successes, follow developments and best practices in other parts of the country in Broadband and Digital Equity, to constantly improve VHBs leadership position in this domain.
• Develop material for Community Engagement Workshops that involve multiple community stakeholders from local government, technology, education, economic development, healthcare, and others, convene workshops and build capacity in VHB to scale these across VHB footprint and beyond.
• Identify champions within VHB clients and help them build a multi-disciplinary approach to broadband expansion and capacity building.
• Provide technical knowledge and overall management of VHB’s growing Broadband and Digital Equity program that ranges from planning, design, implementation and operations. Work with MLs, Technology Enabled Leads and RMs to build and maintain market knowledge to assist CTO in making appropriate investment and prioritization decisions.
• Understand and assess the current Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) for resources provided by VHB. Understand and rate our current capabilities by office and region to allow an objective opinion on how best to leverage/augment the current skill base.  Collaboratively bring together Broadband and relevant programs-focused practitioners from around the company in a cohesive manner to realize a unified corporate vision.
• Manage VHB’s external visibility, branding and promotional efforts related to VHB’s Broadband and Digital Equity Program.  In addition, represent VHB at conferences, seminars, industry events and provide technical presentations.
• Serve as Principal in Charge / Project Management on major strategic pursuits. Lead go / no-go decisions supporting the CTO, RMs, MDs and Technology Enabled Leads. 
• Lead and direct VHB’s Smart Community approach and organization to integrate skillsets into regions and projects; develops the approach, policies and leads the building out of the Broadband and Digital Equity center of excellence; actively manages and promotes the communities of practices around broadband as an enabling driver for other initiatives.
• Work with the RMs, MDs, and Technology Enabled Leads to identify, recruit, and acquire key and strategic personnel that align with the vision for the program.
• Supports the development and implementation of the VHB “lighthouse” model project program to drive education and raise awareness of our Broadband and Digital Equity capabilities across markets, services, and regions.
• In collaboration with the CDO, CTO, MLs / SLs and Technology, develops training program that positions VHB to be forward thinking and collaborative in driving joint successes for multiple programs.
• Partner with the CTO in the development of an outreach plan to better leverage VHB’s current client base, and augment that base based on VHB’s relationships and contacts at both a State and Federal level.

Leads the Future

• Strategic aptitude – sees the bigger picture and is passionate about driving Broadband and Technology Enablement forward.
• Demonstrates future focus, creates a compelling vision – inspires others to see the way forward and take appropriate risks despite challenges
• Understands our industry, champions innovation, challenges status quo and remains at the forefront of evolving industry and economic trends

Leads the Business

• Exhibits business acumen, including sound judgment and decision-making
• Deep understanding of VHB business practices, P&L management, matrix operational alignment and evolution (teams, offices, regions) and OneVHB
• Strong bias for action, drives performance, and focuses on results and progress.
• Comfortable with ambiguity

Leads Client Relationships

• Demonstrates passion for VHB, its markets, and its clients
• Leads VHB’s reputation as a critical asset while safeguarding VHB’s interests
• Prioritizes client acquisition and retention

Leads People

• Fosters teamwork and collaboration – creates a climate in which people want to give their best to the organization and one another
• Provides clear direction, speaks with an influential voice and inspires others
• Excellent communicator: verbal and non-verbal; one-on-one and group dynamics
• Rewards success and tackles poor performance productively with direct reports – lets people know exactly where they stand, and enables success through development, coaching, feedback and reward
• Actively recruits top talent, and manages negative turnover

Leads By Example

• Exhibits integrity and conviction – a conscience for VHB; outwardly supporting the organizations beliefs and mission, standing with confidence on difficult issues
• Leads with courage, energy and drive and a strong work ethic - courageously addresses the toughest issues, resolving them in ways that demonstrated dedication to VHB, its clients and employees
• Develops trusting relationships at all levels (internally and externally)

Minimum Qualifications

• 15+ years of diversified business management experience
• Bachelor's degree, Master's preferred

WE ARE VHB! We’re an inspired and innovative team of engineers, scientists, planners, and designers who partner with clients in the transportation, real estate, institutional, and energy industries, as well as federal, state, and local governments.

Our work helps improve mobility, enhance communities, and contribute to economic vitality. We do this while balancing development and infrastructure needs with stewardship of our environment.

Our people make us great! VHB provides a differentiating employee experience.

• Inclusive culture of collaboration and innovation
• Opportunity to work on complex, transformational projects
• Amazing co-workers
• A focus on learning and development
• Flexible, hybrid workplace

It’s not surprising that VHB has consistently been rated one of the top AEC firms to work for across our 30+ offices on the East Coast. We’re growing and we hope you’ll join us!

VHB is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age, or any other federally protected class.

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