Director, Software Engineering – Network Automation and AI Solutions

Zayo provides mission-critical bandwidth and communications infrastructure solutions to major companies across North America and Europe. Zayo is seeking a Director, Software Engineering to lead network automation, OSS modernization, AI-enabled engineering workflows, and operational transformation. The role will provide architectural and technical leadership for engineering teams developing scalable solutions that improve network operations, service quality, and customer experience.

Responsibilities:

• Define and execute the strategic roadmap for network automation, OSS modernization, and AI-driven operational transformation
• Lead and develop software engineering teams responsible for network automation, OSS platforms, and operational tooling
• Establish architectural standards, engineering best practices, and scalable solutions across monitoring, inventory, correlation, ticketing, and network management systems
• Drive adoption of AI, automation, and advanced analytics to improve network operations, service delivery, and engineering workflows
• Identify, prioritize, and deliver high-impact automation initiatives that improve operational efficiency, service quality, scalability, and customer outcomes
• Provide technical leadership for the design, development, integration, and support of automation platforms and enterprise OSS applications
• Partner with business and technology leaders to align automation investments with strategic objectives and operational priorities
• Establish engineering metrics, performance standards, and KPIs to measure delivery excellence and business impact
• Lead operational transformation initiatives that reduce manual effort, improve reliability, and accelerate incident detection and resolution
• Collaborate across Engineering, Network Operations, Product, Security, Architecture, and IT to drive enterprise-wide automation and technology initiatives
• Evaluate emerging technologies, AI platforms, LLM frameworks, and automation capabilities to support innovation and continuous improvement
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on automation, software engineering, AI strategy, and operational modernization
• Influence enterprise technology decisions through technical expertise, business acumen, and organizational leadership
• Foster a high-performance engineering culture focused on innovation, accountability, continuous learning, and customer success
• Communicate technical strategies, roadmap progress, and business outcomes effectively to technical and executive audiences

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Information Systems, Telecommunications, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered
• Minimum of twelve (12) years of experience in software engineering, network automation, OSS development, network operations, or related technical disciplines
• Minimum of five (5) years of engineering leadership experience managing software development or automation teams
• Hands-on experience with Cisco Crosswork Network Controller (CNC) and Cisco Network Services Orchestrator (NSO), including network automation, orchestration, and service lifecycle management
• Proven experience leading large-scale automation and operational transformation initiatives
• Strong expertise in software architecture, distributed systems, and enterprise application development
• Hands-on experience with Python, JavaScript, and modern development frameworks
• Experience designing and implementing AI-enabled automation solutions in production environments
• Strong knowledge of networking fundamentals including TCP/IP, DNS, SSL, HTTP(S), SSH, routing, switching, and network management principles
• Experience with network monitoring and management technologies including SNMP, Syslog, telemetry, and event management systems
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, communication, and organizational leadership skills
• This position is not eligible for employment-based visa sponsorship. Zayo will not provide, transfer, or assume sponsorship for any employment visa or work authorization for this position now or in the future
• Telecommunications, fiber network, carrier, or large-scale infrastructure industry experience
• Experience with IBM/Tivoli Netcool, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Splunk, or similar OSS and operational platforms
• Knowledge of network inventory, service assurance, fault management, and operational support systems
• Experience with LLMs, prompt engineering, AI orchestration frameworks, agent-based architectures, and enterprise AI adoption strategies
• Familiarity with cloud-native architectures, APIs, microservices, and modern integration platforms
• Experience building AI governance frameworks and responsible AI operating models
• Knowledge of network engineering, service delivery, and customer-facing operational processes