Program Engineer (Voice Core)

Program Planning and Strategy

• Provide technical leadership, ensuring alignment and oversight for assigned programs, driving innovative and high-quality solutions which are in line with strategic goals and long-range technical plans.
• Develop and manage program plans, including scope, schedule, budget, and resource allocations, ensuring financial & service quality monitoring controls are in place.
• Define technical program objectives and success criteria in alignment with organizational goals and long-range plans, company culture and mission.
• Specify architectural standards, implementation requirements, ongoing support needs, and lifecycle management planning framework.
• Identify and mitigate program risks and issues.
• Optimize resource utilization to achieve program goals within budget constraints.
• Monitor and report on program technical execution & quality performance.
• Follow IEEE/Industry regulations, codes & standards, working at industry leading levels and following engineering discipline practices.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, legal regulations, and auditing.

Project Planning & Execution Support

• Support multiple technology projects from initiation to completion to operations hand-off as a support and escalation resource.
• Lead project engineers through major, multifaceted projects that span multiple departments and disciplines.
• Monitor project activities and provide strategic technical guidance and alignment within a specific program, as well as across the enterprise.
• Develop and validate engineering estimates, project plans, and execution strategies.
• Coordinate with project managers to ensure project milestones and deliverables are met.
• Monitor project performance, ensuring adherence to timelines and quality standards.
• Provide post-implementation operational support for projects, ensuring efforts align with business line services and strategic objectives.
• Lead and mentor project teams, providing guidance and support as needed.
• Foster a collaborative environment to enhance team performance and productivity.
• Manage resource allocation, establish architectural standards, and ensure teams have the necessary tools and support.

Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary liaison with technical strategy, program management, project engineering, and project management teams, providing guidance and alignment across complex company initiatives.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Facilitate meetings and workshops to drive program objectives and decision-making.
• Prepare and present regular program status reports and key issue updates to senior management and stakeholders.

Continuous Improvement

• Promote a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence within the engineering team.
• Adhere to best practices and design standards when coordinating with other programs and projects to identify and implement efficiencies that extend beyond the scope of a single program.
• Evaluate program performance and implement process improvements.
• Identify and address dependencies and risks that may impact program success.
• Promote best practices and lessons learned across projects and teams.
• Drive innovation and efficiency in technology solutions and project execution across multiple teams, departments, and companywide.
• Ensure team takes full advantage of advances in technologies used by the company and across the industry to improve and add new services for our customers.

Focus Areas – 

Voice Core

Additional Job Requirements:

• Provide technical leadership for the architecture, design, deployment, and optimization of Class 4/Class 5 switching platforms, including Metaswitch, softswitches, SBCs, and MGWs.
• Provides advanced expertise in SIP, SS7/SIGTRAN, MGCP, ISDN PRI, TDM, and IMS architectures to support scalable, resilient, and interoperable voice networks.
• Design and oversee end-to-end core network architectures for large-scale deployments, ensuring alignment with technical, regulatory, and organizational requirements. 
• Serve as the engineering liaison across Strategic Management Office (SMO), Front-end Estimating Engineering (FEET), Sales Engineering (SE), and other stakeholders to drive design approvals, project estimates, technical strategy, and alignment with broader business objectives. 
• Lead engineering reviews, including After Action Reviews (AARs), to assess project network impacts, drive continuous improvement, incorporate lessons learned, and inform future designs and engineering practices.
• Strong knowledge of engineering standards, reference designs, testing, and documentation. 

Protocols & Standards: 

Hardware & Software: 

Preferred Certifications: 

COMPETENCIES:

• ACCOUNTABILITY- Takes ownership for actions, decisions, and results; openly accepts feedback and demonstrates a willingness to improve.
  • Ability to remain current within the industry standards and best practices.
• BASIC PRINCIPLES - Interacts with people in a way that builds mutual trust, confidence, and respect; adheres to GCI’s Code of Conduct for Employees – the Basic Principles.
• COLLABORATION - Works effectively with others to accomplish common goals and objectives; maintains positive relationships even under difficult circumstances.
  • Ability to influence without authority and guide a team towards common goals by demonstrating strong leadership skills, building trust, and maximizing relationships across the company.
  • Ability to professionally mediate conflicts and foster technical alignment.
• COMMUNICATION- Conveys thoughts and expresses ideas appropriately and professionally.
  • Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to patiently and accurately articulate information to internal and external audiences, professionally handle inquiries and complaints, and communicate effectively with the team.
  • Ability to convey technical information in presentation/training format to a range of technical and non-technical audiences at all levels of the company.
• COMPLIANCE - Follows internal controls; protects confidential information; abides by GCI’s Code of Business Conduct & Ethics.
• CUSTOMER FOCUS - Demonstrates commitment to service excellence; gives high priority to customer satisfaction.
• RELIABILITY - Consistently follows through on assigned tasks as expected; demonstrates timely attendance at meetings, training, and other work obligations.
• RESULTS - Uses a combination of job knowledge, initiative, sound decision making, innovation, adaptability, and problem solving.
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to reconcile divergent demands and prioritize individual workload.
  • Strong critical thinking and decision-making skills with the ability to use sound, logical judgment based on data, research, analysis, and experience to choose an appropriate course of action.
  • Strong strategic planning and implementation skills with the ability to set measurable and achievable goals and objectives for the team.
  • Adept at developing, documenting and executing technical plans and activities that have a broad organizational impact.
  • Demonstrated ability to define, deliver, and support strategic plans for aligning organizational technical strategies and long-range planning. 
  • Ability to prioritize and successfully execute multiple projects, under time constraints, in an environment with changing priorities, goals, and competing deadlines.
  • Demonstrated ability to professionally mediate conflicts, recommend and implement solutions, and foster technical alignment.
• SAFETY & SECURITY - Supports a safe work environment by following all workplace safety rules and guidelines; complies with applicable Security policies and procedures.
• TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY - Proficient computer skills and MS Office knowledge (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Visio) to complete job duties effectively.
  • Excellent professional and technical knowledge of the telecommunications industry.

Additional Job Requirements:

This is an intermediate level position within the discipline demonstrating broad knowledge and proficiency in areas of responsibility. Performs moderately complex tasks and job duties, receiving minimal instruction on routine work and general instruction on new assignments. Works under moderate supervision with latitude for independent judgment. Supports higher level staff in implementing more complex projects.

Minimum Qualifications:

Required: *A combination of relevant work experience and/or education sufficient to perform the duties of the job may substitute to meet the total years required on a year-for-year basis

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics, Computer Science, Project Management, Business, IT/IS, or related discipline. *
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressive professional engineering experience. *

Preferred: 

• Master’s degree in Engineering.
• Broad experience in the telecommunications industry within any of the following fields:  Broadband Internet, ISP Infrastructure, Urban & Rural Fiber Optic Networks, Mobile & Fixed Wireless, Microwave & Satellite Communications, Capacity Planning, Lifecycle Management, Information Technology & Security.
• Other relevant telecom industry or job specific certifications: Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), Agile or Scrum certifications. 

DRIVING REQUIREMENTS: 

• This position may require access to reliable transportation for occasional travel between retail store locations, offices, worksites, or other locations as needed.

• GCI headquarters are based in Anchorage with project work occurring throughout the state of Alaska as well as locations in Oregon and Washington state. 
• Must be willing to travel up to 25% of the time to include rural locations off the road system.
• Work is primarily sedentary, requiring daily routine computer usage.
• Ability to work shifts as assigned, work in standard office/home office setting, and operate standard office equipment.
• Ability to accurately communicate information and ideas to others effectively.
• Physical agility and effort sufficient to perform job duties safely and effectively.
• Ability to make valid judgments and decisions. 
• Available to work additional time on weekends, holidays, before or after normal work hours when necessary. 
• Must work well in a team environment and be able to work with a diverse group of people and customers.
• Virtual workers must comply with remote work policies and agreements.