Senior Director Infrastructure Planning

About LumenLumen connects the world. We are igniting business growth by connecting people, data and applications - quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Together, we are building a culture and company from the people up - committed to teamwork, trust and transparency. People power progress.We're looking for top-tier talent and offer the flexibility you need to thrive and deliver lasting impact. Join us as we digitally connect the world and shape the future.The RoleThe Senior Director Infrastructure Planning leads a newly integrated planning domain that brings together fiber, critical infrastructure, and location planning into a single, holistically managed capability for Lumen. This role is accountable for setting national, regional, and metro-level infrastructure and location strategies, translating long-term network and technical space needs into actionable, enterprise-wide plans. The leader will establish consistent planning standards, assumptions, and governance, ensuring infrastructure decisions are grounded in data, aligned to business priorities, and scalable across legacy and growth markets.Working across a broad and highly interdependent stakeholder landscape, this role partners closely with Finance, Corporate Real Estate, Architecture & Engineering, Network Planning, Service Delivery, Service Assurance, Product, and Sales. The Senior Director drives integrated planning for fiber routes, technical sites, and critical infrastructure-including power, cooling, space, and capacity headroom-so that network platforms are planned as a cohesive system rather than in silos. This includes balancing growth, optimization, consolidation, and risk mitigation while supporting both customer demand and operational resilience.The Senior Director is also responsible for capital efficiency, investment prioritization, and asset monetization strategies tied to infrastructure planning outcomes. This includes aligning capacity expansion or contraction decisions to ROI targets, stewarding enterprise and legacy fiber assets, and developing strategies for real estate and site monetization opportunities. Through strong cross-functional leadership and executive-level communication, this role delivers clear, strategic recommendations that enable informed decisions and position Lumen's infrastructure to support long-term business and network objectives.LocatlionThis is a work from home position within the U.S.The Main Responsibilities Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performance tactical planning team; hire and retain top talent, set clear goals, delegate work, and hold direct reports accountable for results. Oversee tactical network deployment, optimization, harvesting, and capital forecasting for power, HVAC, fiber, and technical space. Develop and implement network cost savings strategies aligned with monthly and annual targets; manage assigned financial budgets and optimize capital expenditure. Ensure on-time delivery of projects supporting customer business needs, adhering to approved technology guidelines and standards. Partner with Architecture, Product Management, and Sales to ensure new products and architectures are implemented appropriately and timely; support sales and service delivery teams with network expertise and costing for individual case bases. Drive tactical execution in market, including capacity planning, technology decision-making, and leadership across power, HVAC, fiber, and technical space platforms. Prepare and present briefing materials for leadership; communicate context for business decisions and recommendations and provide timely information to stakeholders. Drive AI tools adoption and use to improve team efficiencies and reduce operating costs Foster a culture of teamwork, collaboration, and continuous improvement; encourage diverse perspectives and move the team forward through change. Engage employees by providing regular updates, soliciting feedback, ensuring retention and onboarding of relevant talent and skill sets. Remain current on industry developments, regulatory rules, and competitor products/services; analyze trends and adapt tactical plans accordingly. What We Look For in a Candidate Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, or related field required; Master's degree in Business Administration or Engineering preferred. Minimum 10 years of telecommunications planning experience, including at least 3 years at the managerial level leading large teams in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Demonstrated expertise in tactical network planning, deployment, and optimization across power, HVAC, fiber, and technical space platforms. Strong capacity planning background across complex transport networks; inside and outside plant experience with in-depth knowledge of ISP/OSP equipment and designs. Proven ability to manage recurring budgets, optimize capital expenditure, and perform economic analysis (e.g., IRR, NPV, cost-benefit). Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; ability to present to multiple layers of internal and external organizations. Experience collaborating across organizational boundaries and influencing outcomes at the executive level. High integrity, strong business ethics, and a passion for driving results. Strong analytical and organizational skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Excel, PowerPoint). Team player with a commitment to continuous improvement and talent development. Limited travel required. CompensationThis information reflects the anticipated base salary range for this position based on current national data. Minimums and maximums may vary based on location. Individual pay is based on skills, experience and other relevant factors.Location Based Pay Ranges:$174,876 - $233,168 in these states: AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, ME, MO, MS, MT, ND, NE, NM, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, UT, VT, WI, WV, and WY.$183,621 - $244,827 in these states: CO, HI, MI, MN, NC, NH, NV, OR, and RI.$192,364- $256,486 in these states: AK, CA, CT, DC, DE, IL, MA, MD, NJ, NY, TX, VA, and WA.Lumen offers a comprehensive package featuring a broad range of Health, Life, Voluntary Lifestyle benefits and other perks that enhance your physical, mental, emotional and financial wellbeing. We're able to answer any additional questions you may have about our bonus structure (short-term incentives, long-term incentives and/or sales compensation) as you move through the selection process.Learn more about Lumen's: Benefits (Bonus Structure #LI-Remote#LI-PB1Requisition #: 341447Background ScreeningIf you are selected for a position, there will be a background screen, which may include checks for criminal records and/or motor vehicle reports and/or drug screening, depending on the position requirements. For more information on these checks, please refer to the Post Offer section of our FAQ page (. Job-related concerns identified during the background screening may disqualify you from the new position or your current role. Background results will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.Equal Employment OpportunitiesWe are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all persons regardless of race, color, ancestry, citizenship, national origin, religion, veteran status, disability, genetic characteristic or information, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, family status, pregnancy, or other legally protected status (collectively, "protected statuses"). We do not tolerate unlawful discrimination in any employment decisions, including recruiting, hiring, compensation, promotion, benefits, discipline, termination, job assignments or training.DisclaimerThe job responsibilities described above indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not intended to include a comprehensive inventory of all duties and responsibilities for this job. Job duties and responsibilities are subject to change based on evolving business needs and conditions.In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information such as age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.Please be advised that Lumen does not require any form of payment from job applicants during the recruitment process. All legitimate job openings will be posted on our official website or communicated through official company email addresses. If you encounter any job offers that request payment in exchange for employment at Lumen, they are not for employment with us, but may relate to another company with a similar name.

Created: 2026-03-18