Fiber Test & Acceptance Project Manager

About this role

Company Description
Zayo provides mission-critical bandwidth to the world’s most impactful companies, fueling the innovations that are transforming our society. Zayo’s 141,000-mile network in North America and Europe includes extensive metro connectivity to thousands of buildings and data centers. Zayo’s communications infrastructure solutions include dark fiber, private data networks, wavelengths, Ethernet, and dedicated Internet access. Zayo serves wireless and wireline carriers, media, tech, content, finance, healthcare and other large enterprises.
Zayo is seeking an experienced Fiber Test & Acceptance Project Manager to lead the testing, validation, quality assurance, and final acceptance of long-haul Outside Plant (OSP) fiber optic infrastructure. This position is responsible for managing the end-to-end fiber testing and acceptance process, ensuring newly constructed fiber routes meet Zayo's engineering standards, customer specifications, contractual requirements, and operational readiness expectations.
The ideal candidate combines strong technical knowledge of EXFO or Viavi Fiber Test Analysis Platforms, fiber optic splicing, OTDR testing, insertion loss analysis, and dark fiber acceptance with proven project management, vendor oversight, financial accountability, and problem-solving experience.
Our Fiber Test & Acceptance Project Manager will work closely with OSP Construction, Fiber Engineering, Field Operations, Network Operations, project managers, customers, and external contractors to ensure fiber routes are tested, deficiencies are resolved, and complete, accurate closeout packages are delivered on schedule.
This role requires someone who can manage multiple projects simultaneously, hold testing and splicing contractors accountable, interpret technical testing results, identify risks early, and drive projects through final acceptance and operational handoff.
Location: Remote within the United States.
Work Authorization Requirement:
This position is not eligible for employer-sponsored work authorization, such as OPT, TN, H1B or any other type of work visa, now or in the future.
Zayo will not provide, transfer, or assume sponsorship for any
employment visa or work authorization for this position now or in the future.
Key Responsibilities
Fiber Testing, Validation & Acceptance
· Manage and oversee the complete fiber testing and acceptance process for long-haul, backbone, and OSP fiber deployment projects.
· Review and analyze dark fiber testing results, including Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR), insertion loss (IL), Optical Loss Test Set (OLTS), optical power meter, Fiber Inspection Probe (FIP), Chromatic Dispersion (CD), and Polarization Mode Dispersion (PMD) results, as required by project specifications.
· Validate fiber testing methodologies, including wavelength selection, pulse width, test duration, launch and receive fibers, bidirectional testing, and customer-specific acceptance thresholds.
· Interpret OTDR traces and test reports to identify excessive loss, abnormal splice events, reflectance issues, fiber discontinuities, and other performance deficiencies.
· Review testing results generated through EXFO, VIAVI, Anritsu, or comparable fiber test-analysis platforms.
· Determine whether fiber test packages meet contractual and engineering requirements or require additional testing, troubleshooting, or remediation.
· Coordinate with field technicians, fiber splicers, engineers, and vendors to diagnose and resolve testing failures.
· Ensure completed fiber routes satisfy Zayo's technical and quality standards before final acceptance.
OSP Project Management & Execution
· Manage multiple concurrent fiber testing and acceptance projects, ensuring completion within established schedules, budgets, and customer commitments.
· Coordinate project activities from construction completion through splicing, testing, remediation, acceptance, and final closeout.
· Develop and maintain project schedules, testing milestones, resource requirements, and completion forecasts.
· Identify dependencies between engineering, permitting, construction, splicing, testing, and network acceptance.
· Monitor project progress and proactively address risks involving construction delays, vendor performance, material availability, access restrictions, or testing deficiencies.
· Develop recovery plans when testing or acceptance issues threaten customer delivery milestones.
· Coordinate access to customer facilities, network points of presence (POPs), and data centers for fiber splicing and testing activities.
· Provide regular project status updates, risk assessments, and recovery recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership.
Contractor & Vendor Management
· Provide daily oversight of OSP splicing, testing, and construction vendors responsible for completing fiber acceptance requirements.
· Establish clear expectations for production, schedules, workmanship, testing quality, documentation, and contractual deliverables.
· Monitor vendor performance against project milestones, quality standards, and service-level commitments.
· Review contractor-submitted testing results and closeout documentation to verify compliance with engineering and customer requirements.
· Identify vendor performance deficiencies and implement corrective-action plans to prevent recurring issues.
· Coordinate vendor resources to expedite splicing, testing, troubleshooting, and remediation.
· Escalate unresolved contractor performance, quality, or schedule concerns to the appropriate leadership teams.
· Project Budgets, Contracts & Financial Controls
· Develop, manage, and track project budgets associated with assigned fiber testing and acceptance activities.
· Manage purchase requisitions, purchase orders, contractor invoices, and change orders.
· Review contractor invoices and validate work performed against approved scopes, unit rates, contract terms, and project deliverables.
· Monitor project expenditures and…