Permitting Manager

About Us:
Stimulus Technologies is a leader in technology services, dedicated to bridging the digital divide in underserved communities. With operations across California, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon, we deliver high-speed, reliable connectivity that transforms lives and businesses. We also offer IT, VoIP, and CyberSecurity services to a range of clients. As we expand our reach, we seek an experienced executive to oversee broadband operations, lead cross-functional teams, and drive network deployment excellence across the western United States.

Position Overview:
Own the process. Build the team. Drive approvals

As the Permitting Manager at Stimulus Technologies, you lead all permitting efforts across fiber deployment projects, serving as the owner’s representative while building and developing an internal permitting team. You’ll establish agency relationships, set quality standards, and oversee both your team and the engineering firm’s permitting work to ensure projects move efficiently from submittal to approval. 

This is a high-impact leadership role where you’ll shape how permitting is executed—developing processes, mentoring staff, and holding both internal and external partners accountable for performance. You’ll drive timelines, resolve bottlenecks, and ensure permitting supports, not delays, project delivery. If you’re experienced in telecom or utility permitting and want the opportunity to build a team and own the function, this role offers both leadership and long-term impact.

Essential Functions
Project Startup
•    Contact and document all permitting requirements for each entity and project.
•    Build and maintain productive working relationships with all permitting agencies throughout each project, ensuring Stimulus retains the direct owner’s relationship with each agency.
•    Establish permitting deliverable requirements in coordination with the internal and external engineering teams.
•    Create and maintain the permitting submittal schedule and tracker for all projects, aligned with the master project schedule.
•    Develop a comprehensive list of permits required for each project or sub-project.
•    Create and maintain all permitting boundary mapping and constructability maps for the field teams.
•    Develop and maintain all permitting trackers required for each project.
•    Create permitting QC checklists to uphold quality and consistency across submittals.
•    Assist in establishing pricing and budgets for permitting costs.
•    Establish KPIs and metrics for all permitting types across each project.
In-Process Permitting
•    Lead all communication with permitting agencies regarding issues, projected approval dates, and status updates.
•    Conduct regular follow-up with agencies to keep permits moving through the approval pipeline.
•    Manage the day-to-day operations and workload of the internal permitting group.
•    Set clear timelines and expectations for each employee’s permitting tasks.
•    Monitor daily activity and output of each team member.
•    Review and approve the engineering firm’s permitting packages, applications, and supporting documentation for quality and completeness before submission to agencies.
•    Verify all permitting mapping on a weekly basis for accuracy and validity.
•    Review and verify permitting trackers and spreadsheets for completeness.
•    Coordinate with the field team and the engineering firm to gather any information missed during field staking.
•    Analyze permitting rejections, identify root causes, and address training gaps for process-related errors – both internally and with the engineering firm.
•    Develop corrective action schedules for permitting rejections.
•    Provide regular status updates to Project Management, the client, OSP field managers, and the VP of Engineering.
•    Process and submit invoices from pole owners and permitting agencies to the client.
•    Tally poles against application areas for new invoices and coordinate payment with pole owners.
•    Review and approve all make-ready estimates and pole application submittals to each pole owner.
•    Monitor staffing needs and make recommendations to the VP of Engineering on personnel issues or additions.
•    Provide details to the VP of Engineering and Project Management on all required permitting activities for each of the state and federal grant programs.
•    Ensure the engineering firm’s permitting deliverables conform to Stimulus Technologies standards and the terms of the engineering firm’s SOW before they are submitted externally.
Post-Approval
•    Maintain all licenses and approvals from agencies; distribute to the field team promptly upon receipt.
•    Update mapping and spreadsheets upon new approvals and transmit to the field team and Project Manager.
•    Contact permitting agencies or applicable bodies to confirm completion of construction on each permit as required.
•    Ensure all permit closeout documentation is complete and archived.

Education and Experience
Required
•    High school diploma or GED; associate or bachelor’s degree preferred.
•    Minimum 3 years of experience managing permitting processes for telecom, broadband, or utility construction projects.
•    Demonstrated experience leading a team of permitting coordinators or specialists.
•    Strong understanding of right-of-way, railroad, DOT, and municipal permitting workflows.
•    Proficiency with permitting tracking tools, GIS/mapping software, and Microsoft Office Suite.
•    Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
•    Strong written and verbal communication skills for agency and client correspondence.
•    Valid driver’s license.
Preferred
•    Experience with NEPA, NHPA and Section 106, or tribal permitting processes.
•    Familiarity with pole attachment licensing and make-ready coordination.
•    Experience with fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) or FTTP deployment projects.
•    Background in OSP engineering or construction management.
•    Experience overseeing or QC’ing permitting work performed by third-party engineering firms.

Alignment with Core Values
At Stimulus Technologies, our core values define how we work. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
•    Driven to Grow – Continuously seeks to develop professionally, stays current with industry practices, and pushes to improve processes and outcomes.
•    See a Need – Fill a Need – Proactively identifies gaps, obstacles, or opportunities and takes action without waiting to be asked.
•    Elevate Others – Mentors teammates, shares knowledge freely, and actively contributes to a positive and collaborative work environment.
•    Extreme Ownership – Takes full accountability for results, decisions, and mistakes; does not deflect blame or make excuses.
•    Celebrate Success – Recognizes contributions of team members, acknowledges milestones, and fosters a culture where wins are shared.

Stimulus Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.