Project Manager, Long Haul Site Acquisition and Permitting

Key Responsibilities 

• Manage the end-to-end acquisition of real estate assets and property rights required for the construction of telecommunications fiber optic facilities, including site identification, feasibility analysis, lease negotiations, easement acquisition, and property purchases.  

• Coordinate site acquisition activities with engineering, construction, utility providers, permitting agencies, landowners, and legal teams to ensure project schedules, budgets, and deployment objectives are achieved.  

• Lead negotiations with property owners, municipalities, tribal authorities, federal agencies, and other stakeholders to secure site rights while minimizing project risk and maintaining positive business relationships.  

• Oversee zoning, permitting, environmental, and regulatory compliance activities, including NEPA, Tribal, Wetlands, BLM, and local jurisdictional requirements, ensuring all project approvals are obtained on schedule.  

• Develop, manage, and track project budgets, purchase orders, forecasts, and financial reporting while ensuring alignment with program objectives and cost controls.  

• Produce and maintain executive-level project reporting, including weekly status updates, project readouts, dashboards, and presentations utilizing Google Slides, Google Sheets, Excel, Salesforce (SFDC), and SiteTracker.  

• Utilize GIS and mapping tools, including Google Earth and related geospatial applications, to evaluate site suitability, support route planning, identify permitting risks, and facilitate project execution.  

• Manage multiple concurrent projects through all phases of the site acquisition lifecycle while maintaining detailed project schedules, tracking milestones, resolving issues proactively, and ensuring successful project delivery.  

Preferred Qualifications / Experience Highlights 

• Experience supporting telecommunications infrastructure projects, including fiber optic networks, wireless facilities, fiber huts, power infrastructure, and related construction activities.  

• Strong understanding of real estate contracts, easements, legal documentation, land use regulations, zoning requirements, and construction development processes.  

• Advanced proficiency with Salesforce (SFDC), SiteTracker, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign, and Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, formulas, and advanced reporting functions.  

Key Responsibilities  

Site Acquisition  

• Identify potential sites for ILA deployment in alignment with network planning requirements  

• Support and lead negotiations for land purchases and lease agreements  

• Coordinate preparation and execution of acquisition documents  

• Develop and maintain site acquisition trackers and status updates  

• Prepare deal summaries and support internal approval processes  

Due Diligence & Design Coordination  

• Manage site due diligence activities including:  

• Title review  

• Surveys  

• Zoning and land use analysis  

• Environmental assessments  

• Utility availability  

• Coordinate with engineering and construction teams on site layout and constructability  

• Ensure site designs align with company standards and jurisdictional requirements  

Permitting  

• Manage the permitting process across local, state, and federal jurisdictions  

• Prepare and submit permit applications  

• Track permit status and proactively manage timelines  

• Coordinate responses to agency comments and resubmittals  

• Engage with jurisdictions and stakeholders to facilitate approvals  

Program Execution  

• Manage project schedules, budgets, and forecasts for assigned sites  

• Provide regular status updates including risks, issues, and mitigation plans  

• Support weekly and monthly program reporting (KPIs/KGPs)  

• Ensure compliance with company standards, processes, and documentation requirements  

Vendor & Stakeholder Management  

• Coordinate and manage vendors including site acquisition firms, environmental consultants, and permitting specialists  

• Ensure vendor performance aligns with expectations and contract requirements  

• Collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, construction, legal, and finance teams  

Qualifications  

• Bachelor’s degree in Real Estate, Engineering, Construction Management, Planning, or related field (or equivalent experience)  

• Three to seven (3–7) years of experience in site acquisition, permitting, or infrastructure deployment  

• Experience with land use, zoning, and permitting processes  

• Experience supporting land purchase or lease negotiations  

• Familiarity with telecom or infrastructure projects preferred  

• Environmental permitting experience is a plus  

Skills & Competencies  

• Project management and organization  

• Negotiation and coordination skills  

• Strong communication and stakeholder management  

• Ability to manage multiple sites/projects simultaneously  

• Problem-solving and risk mitigation  

• Attention to detail and documentation accuracy  

Success Metrics: 

• Site acquisition cycle time  

• Permitting cycle time  

• On-time delivery of sites to construction  

• Budget adherence at the project level  

• Reduction in permitting resubmittals  

• Quality and completeness of site documentation at handoff  

Estimated base salary range: $77,100 - $118,600 USD/annually