Wireless Network Program Management

Grace Dickson *****.*.*******@*****.*** • 845-***-****

Fishers, IN 46037 • LinkedIn

Accomplished engineering program leader with 18+ years of success in devising strategic plans and employing engineering best practices for leading the implementation of high-impact, large-scale programs across the telecommunications sector. Led cross-functional teams of 17 to 200 while managing budgets of ~$45M to drive all aspects of program management, engineering, and wired or wireless network operations. Spearheaded fiber densification across 16 markets in the US, along with a history of overseeing the successful launch of 5G in Houston and Indiana, two of the first four markets in the country. Adept at creating scope, defining project SOWs, executing work orders, and developing comprehensive reports for multidisciplinary stakeholders. Delivered 1500+ miles of fiber, which covered over 600+ sites that increased revenue opportunities and provisioning synergies. An inspirational leader with a reputation for enhancing the skillsets and technical acumen of over 100 engineering professionals by planning/executing training programs. Core Competencies

● Program and People Leader

● Engineering Operations Oversight

● Project SOW Development

● Change Management

● Fiber Optics Deployment

● Full Lifecycle Project Management

● Strategic Planning & Execution

● CAPEX/OPEX Budget

Management

● Business Operations Management

● Wired/Wireless Network Building

● 5G/New Technologies Launch

● Internal Audits Execution

● Cross-Functional Team Leadership

● Training Program Execution

● Staff Mentoring & Development

● Risk Management

● Vendor or Supplier Relationships

● Stakeholder Management

Professional Experience

Charter Communications, Streetsboro, OH Jun 2021 to Feb 2022 Director of Inside Plant Engineering

Managed a multi-million-dollar budget to steer inside plant engineering operations, initiatives, and programs. Provided oversight and approval of project statements of work (SOWs) and work orders (WOs).

● Directed a 7-member team (including 2 senior managers and 5 managers) along with their teams consisting of over 100 inside plant engineers in the Northern Ohio region as part of the future leader’s program.

● Delivered technical guidance and direction to support team members in managing outages across the plant.

● Succeeded as the only female director of color to quickly gain an understanding of the industry. Verizon Business, Indianapolis, IN Jan 2018 to Jun 2021 Senior Manager – Engineering and Project Implementation Facilitated implementation of the “One Fiber Initiative” in over 16 markets while leading a team of 14 engineers and project managers in each market. Administered a CAPEX/OPEX budget of $90M to steer overall engineering programs and initiatives across two states.

● Played a vital role in the successful launch of 5G and the densification of 4G macro and micro cells as well as the fiber build in Louisville and Indiana.

- Successfully launched 5G in Houston and Indiana, two of the first four markets in the country.

● Procured leases in both Louisville and Indiana while coordinating with site acquisition specialists and government entities.

● Fostered strong relationships with 14 vendors across two markets to ensure timely and efficient procurement of high-quality equipment critical to the implementation of ongoing engineering projects.

● Led splicing and testing of an average of 111 nodes in Indiana (the highest average in the country).

● Delivered 1500+ miles of fiber and 600+ sites for the Verizon Wireless build, which expanded revenue opportunities and enhanced provisioning synergies. Verizon Wireless, Houston, TX Dec 2014 to Jan 2018 Senior Network Assurance Manager

Delivered leadership to oversee operational and maintenance aspects of digital and data technologies for 450 macro cell sites for Verizon wireless, 3 distributed antenna systems (DAS), various small cells, and in-building repeater design Grace Dickson Page 2

(IBRD) within rural and urban environments, as well as managing CDMA, GSM, LTE, 5G, Microwave, iDAS, oDAS, and WiFi.

● Controlled capital budget of more than $2oM as well as generated budgetary forecasts for the next year.

● Led a team of 17 network assurance engineers to cover three distinct geographical zones with over 400 cell sites. Managed the proper maintenance and operationalization of cell sites, associated equipment, Ethernet backhaul, towers, and facilities.

● Managed over 150 network assurance engineers from College Station, TX to Florida while on call once a month.

● Met overall growth schedules by providing support to all wireless local departments in the organization, such as site acquisition, construction, RF, SP, engineering, and facilities.

● Supported other organizations (such as System Performance, Data Engineering, and inter-area engineering and operations) while managing a network SAP (Service Aggregation Point) and TAP (Transport Aggregation Point) center.

● Planned, scheduled, and budgeted training initiatives to improve the technical knowledge of 150+ switch and cell technicians.

- Developed a training manual to be used for new employees performing cell operations across the nation while collaborating with a centralized headquarters group. Verizon Wireless, Dallas, TX May 2012 to Dec 2014

Supervisor – Network Repair Bureau

Led a team of 34 employees on a daily basis and had oversight of over 200 technical staff across two states. Carried out evaluations to assess the overall performance or progress of staff members.

● Enhanced professional skillset and knowledge of employees by conducting technical training. Managed the NRB new hire training program.

● Authored and delivered monthly, quarterly, and annual performance appraisals. Verizon Wireless, West Nyack, NY July 2007 to May 2012 Facilities and Circuit Design Engineer

Acted as an XNG (Facilities inventory tool) subject matter expert. Managed overall circuit design and engineering functions for an MTSO servicing Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn, NY, that included 2G data swap and 1G to 10G circuit upgrades.

● Elevated the EBH (Ethernet Back Haul) compliance rate from 0% to 95.16%, as well as improved the DS1 reliability report from 83.08% to 91.62%.

● Maximized telecom savings by engineering and upgrading circuits. Earlier Experience

Field Engineer – Cells Verizon Wireless, Whitestone, NY, 2004 to 2007 Education & Credentials

Master of Business Administration

Management Concentration and International Business Certification Master of Science degree in Telecommunications Concentration in networking Iona College, New Rochelle, NY

Bachelor of Science in Biology

S.U.N.Y. Geneseo

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