General Manager

FPG is executing an exclusive headhunt for a General Manager / Director with Fibre Networking P&L experience for a broadband / alt-net provider. This is a quirky and exciting start-up opportunity for you to lead and scale a start-up Fibre Company so previous fixed line and experience liaising with Regulatory Authorities such as OFCOM will be mandatory as you would be expected to come in and hit the ground running.

As the Business Leader, you will have the autonomy to drive, lead and oversee all aspects of this start-up fibre company’s operations, driving the company's strategic objectives and revenue goals and helping to deliver fibre connectivity to some of the most urban areas of this country.

This opportunity is predominantly remote working and requests around 2 days per week in the office (open to discussion) so ideally you will live within a commutable distance from Bristol / Gloucester regions to make this feasible.

Please note – sponsorship cannot be provided so only candidates that are based in the UK with valid rights to work can be considered.

Objectives:

• Delivery of this company's 5-year business plan, focusing on strategic and financial objectives (returns on the company’s investment).
• Execution of year 1 mobilization objectives (Connections and Customer Service, Company establishment).

The Mission:

• Accountable for the mobilization of this company by defining the organizational design, recruiting key resources, developing and executing the annual business plan, and directing the implementation of the initial operating model with internal and third-party resources to commence delivery of services and establish key revenue streams.
• Formulate and execute the company’s strategic business plan by leading the process of reviewing and refining the company’s strategic direction and long-term goals to meet its business objectives.
• Oversee corporate governance by providing leadership to the senior management team and broader organization, reporting to the company’s Board and corporate as required to ensure effective governance and adherence to corporate policies and ethical standards.
• Drive a performance-oriented culture by monitoring and evaluating the company’s performance against set targets and industry benchmarks to ensure all areas achieve their objectives.
• Position the company as the local fiber provider/enabler across an entire region by providing thought leadership and promoting the fiber opportunity as a visible public ‘face’ of the company. Build the company’s brand and its position in the telecoms market to ensure the business is aware of key telecoms regulatory consultations and respond where appropriate.
• Explore and capitalize on new business opportunities by participating in relevant industry forums such as INCA, Connected Britain, and other Fiber/Telecommunications industry bodies to expand the company's footprint.

Responsibilities:

• Build an effective culture, ethos, and performance for the business by focusing the organization on customer service, customer delivery, and market agility to ensure the company provides a best-in-class organizational culture and service to customers.
• Provide financial oversight by overseeing financial planning, management, and reporting to ensure the company’s financial stability and profitability.
• Champion innovation and the adoption of new technologies, staying abreast of industry trends and technological advancements to keep the company competitive.
• This role requires an innate ability to manage complex, challenging, and often competing priorities, while delivering excellent customer service and realizing financial returns to deliver an effective business.
• The role will need to lead the organization in competing and generating commercial opportunities, while developing the company and its brand awareness.
• This role leads an entirely separate subsidiary company, focused on delivering its own P&L, meeting its own customers’ needs, and providing an effective fiber service to the telecoms industry.
• The company will represent the culture and values of its parent organization within the telecoms industry and maximize commercial returns from telecom fiber assets under the company’s accountability.
• You will be accountable for ensuring sustainable growth and return for the company and its stakeholders. The role is pivotal in forming the company’s organization, culture, people, systems, and processes. You will shape the direction of the company and will require a dynamic and visionary leader who will realize the mission of delivering Fiber for good across the target regions and beyond.

Autonomy & Decision-Making:

• As the Business Lead, you will have delegated authority from the company’s board to make and drive operational decisions per the agreed budget, core policies, and approved delegated authorities.
• Decisions above the agreed delegated authorities will be directed to the Chief Commercial Officer and/or the company’s Board.

Communications:

Internal:

• Chief Executive, Board Members, Senior Management – Meet on an ad-hoc basis to provide insight and oversight of the company, its activities, opportunities, and risks, providing guidance on strategic direction.
• All Staff – Regular engagement to provide leadership and strategic leadership to inspire confidence in the organization and its purpose.

External:

• Chief Commercial Officer – Weekly meetings to discuss organizational performance and influence key areas of the strategic business plan, and functional line into the company.
• Chief Executive – Meet on an ad-hoc basis to provide insight and oversight of the company, its activities, opportunities, and risks, providing insight into performance.
• Executive Leadership Team – Ad-hoc meetings to provide key support services/functions and insight into the company’s operations.
• Senior Leaders – Ad-hoc meetings to influence the support of the infrastructure used by the company.
• Board Members – To provide assurance where required on general governance.
• Key Private and Public Sector Regional Investment Partners – Regular phone and face-to-face meetings to negotiate commercial strategy and areas of significant importance to the company.
• Customers and Clients – Regular phone, email, and face-to-face meetings to negotiate and resolve customer delivery and areas of significant importance to the company.
• Regulatory Authorities e.g., Ofcom – Occasional engagement where required to provide commercial information when necessary to ensure compliance and a collaborative relationship.
• UK Government – Occasional engagement on general or specific commercial matters on behalf of the company’s board.
• External Bodies – Participate in forums, panels, and other forms of industry engagement with organizations such as INCA, Connected Britain, and other telecommunications companies.

Experience:

• Degree educated in business, finance, telecommunications, engineering, or similar.
• Extensive background in the telecommunications industry, including demonstrable experience in senior management positions.
• Experience in both start-up and scale-up organizations with a proven track record of building and transitioning organizations to deliver growth.
• Proven track record in strategic planning, financial management, and operational oversight.
• Experience in managing large-scale telecommunications projects and teams.
• Deep understanding of the telecommunications market, including emerging trends and technologies.