An advanced non-profit technology community founded in 1996 by the nation's leading higher education institutions, Internet2 provides a collaborative environment for U.S. research and education organizations to solve shared technology challenges and develop innovative solutions supporting their research, educational, and community service missions. Today, Internet2 stands at the intersection of infrastructure and innovation, operating a state-of-the-art national research and education network while simultaneously advancing a comprehensive service portfolio spanning trust and identity solutions, cloud programs and services, research engagement initiatives, and community-building programs. This integrated approach enables Internet2 to deliver unique value that empowers its diverse membership, including universities, government agencies, regional networks, corporations, and leading research and education organizations.
About the Role
The Director, Federal Programs - Network Services provides strategic leadership for Internet2's federal engagement initiatives and serves as the primary executive representative for government member relationships. This role drives organizational impact by managing complex federal programs, cultivating high-value partnerships across government agencies, and developing innovative network services that meet the evolving needs of federal research and operational communities.
As a visible and influential leader in the federal networking community, the director will actively manage Internet2's active federal program portfolio, including, but not limited to the National Oceanic And Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) N-Wave program and developing new federal relationships. They will represent Internet2 in strategic coordination meetings, respond to federal task order RFPs, provide oversight for service implementation, and serve as the point of escalation for vendor management. The director will also lead efforts to create new services to support federal members, including emerging capabilities such as Low Earth Orbit Satellite (LEOs) connectivity solutions.
The director will develop and implement comprehensive federal engagement strategies with a focus on retention and growth across all federal sectors. They will work across internal teams including Engineering, Architecture and Planning, Business Relationship Managers, and senior leadership to strengthen existing relationships, identify new opportunities, and ensure that Internet2 actively contributes to federal mission success through service innovation and collaborative leadership. This position will report to the Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships.
Key Responsibilities
Federal Program Management
Actively manage the Internet2 Federal Program for Network Services, including the NOAA relationship and N-Wave program operations.
Represent Internet2 in regular strategic coordination meetings with federal partners and stakeholders.
Lead response efforts to all federal task order RFPs, ensuring accuracy and competitiveness of proposals.
Provide comprehensive oversight for federal service implementation and serve as primary point of escalation for vendor management.
Provide strategic guidance on growth opportunities for federal programs and identify avenues for expansion.
Advocate for Internet2 services that support federal program goals and identify service gaps that could represent viable new offerings.
Strategic Outreach and Partnership Development
Develop and implement a comprehensive federal engagement plan focused on retention and growth across all federal sectors.
Create communication strategies and materials to support federal member engagement initiatives.
Track progress towards federal engagement goals and provide regular reporting on outcomes.
Work with the Internet2 Federal Account Executive to strengthen relationship management capabilities.
Make recommendations for improvement of existing services, engagements, and development of potential new services.
Strengthen and expand relationships with existing federal members while cultivating new partnership opportunities.
Develop deep working knowledge of cloud services, providers, and strategic focus areas relevant to federal member needs.
New Service Development
Lead efforts to create new services supporting federal members, with initial focus on LEOs connectivity solutions.
Secure vendor contracts with LEOs providers such as OneWeb and Starlink.
Develop comprehensive service descriptions, support models, and fee structures for new federal offerings.
Collaborate with Internet2 Legal to create appropriate service schedules and contracts.
Create informational materials and documentation for member communication regarding new services.
Technical Solution Development and Project Management
Design technical solutions for federal and industry member requirements, ensuring alignment with operational needs and strategic objectives.
Manage technical projects with vendors and internal engineering teams on pilot efforts and new service implementations.
Track and validate provisioned services in internal systems and with vendor partners to ensure accuracy and compliance.
Respond to and support escalation requests and problem reports related to federal activities.
Community Engagement and Representation
Participate in meetings and conferences focused on federal research efforts, representing Internet2 with the objective of developing new services and business opportunities.
Serve as primary executive representative for engagements with government members for contract management, outreach, and event participation.
Build and maintain strong professional relationships with federal agency representatives, network operators, researchers, and vendor partners.
Key Competencies
Strategic thinking and federal program management
Relationship building and stakeholder engagement
Technical solution design and vendor management
Project management and implementation oversight
Communication and presentation skills for technical and non-technical audiences
Ability to translate federal requirements into actionable service offerings
Cross-functional collaboration and team leadership
Qualifications
Required
10+ years' government networking and program experience with focus on federal wide area and international networking, federal program management and budgeting.
Familiarity with sound operational networking principles and demonstrated commitment to achieving objectives.
Familiarity with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and government contract management.
Strong deadline-driven project management foundation with deep knowledge of telecommunication services.
Valid U.S. Passport and compliance with all relevant mandated health requirements.
Ability to travel 20-30% of work time.
Preferred
10+ years' experience evaluating and implementing complex networking projects from concept to completion. Strong working knowledge of current optical networking technologies and cloud connectivity solutions.
Effective, professional oral and written communicator utilizing a variety of digital applications (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) to effectively communicate ideas.
Comfortable presenting to peers, executives, and larger groups with ability to clearly communicate with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Extensive vendor management experience.
Proven track record of fostering excellent professional relationships and ability to work constructively in collaborative environments to reach desired outcomes.
Ability to problem solve, think creatively, and work independently in a dynamic environment while using sound judgment to drive outcomes.
15+ years’ experience working with government contracts and procurement processes.
Experience with telecom vendors and telecommunications industry standards.
Background in developing financial models and business cases for new services.
Experience working with backend systems and service management platforms.
Familiarity with research and education networking community.
As a full-time employee, you will be eligible to participate in Internet2’s employee benefits program effective on your start date in accordance with the terms and conditions of each plan. The program currently includes medical, dental, life, vision and disability insurances, a health spending account program, sick time, vacation time and a tax deferred retirement plan.
Expected Hiring Range: $146,500 - $164,800
Starting salary may vary based on relevant experience.
Pay Grade: B-9
For pay transparency purposes, the full salary range is: $146,500 (Entry Point) - $219,800 (Max Point)
Internet2 is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status.
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