RISI is committed to empowering small towns across the country with fiber infrastructure to participate in the 21st century digital economy, attract and retain top-tier talent, and provide reliable internet service to school-aged children and remote workers — thus uplifting the community’s quality of life. Not only do broadband inequalities fall along rural/urban divides, access is often exacerbated along racial and class lines. Our organization is dedicated to helping rural communities plan networks that overcome all of these longstanding inequalities.
For each community we work with, our broadband efforts resemble a management consulting engagement. This includes identifying and aligning stakeholders, collecting data from a range of sources, estimating construction costs with high-level designs, brokering partnerships between public and private entities, and recommending creative grant and funding strategies that allow networks to be built.
We’re looking for someone who has an existing knowledge base related to the provision of broadband service, networking, operations, or planning, or a related field such as electric utilities or other telecommunications infrastructure.
We are also looking for someone with experience creating high-caliber work products in a professional environment, with impeccable project management instincts and an ability to write quickly, precisely, and strategically. Excel modeling skills, familiarity with business plans and basic economics are also a plus.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, we’re looking for a thoughtful, humble, and generous coworker ready to work incredibly hard on mission-driven projects across the country as part of a flat and nimble team.
Responsibilities
Execute on broadband consulting projects as part of a team, bringing strategic input and creativity
Communicate technical topics to non-technical audiences; write for both business and casual audiences
Create clear, succinct slide decks, presentations, written materials, and proposals
Creatively solve a range of problems by asking questions, seeking advice, and thinking strategically
Perform interviews with industry experts and local stakeholders gracefully and confidently
Collaborate across the organization, understanding that broadband is a throughline of everything we do
Create, analyze, and adapt spreadsheet models on a variety of topics
Contribute to business development for the organization via writing proposals, responding to inbound inquiries, and giving presentations
Requirements
Requirements
2+ years of relevant professional experience in project management, consulting, and/or in the utilities, telecom, or infrastructure space
Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills
Basic knowledge of economics
Facility with spreadsheet work, knowledge of spreadsheet modeling, excel formulas, and spreadsheet hygiene
Strong computer skills, including use of Google Enterprise tools, web-based tools and databases
Ability to read/summarize technical, legal, and policy writing
Demonstrated strength in rigorous research/analysis and structured problem solving
Self-directed, and able to thrive in a collaborative team environment
Attentive to detail, curious
Committed to the belief that rural America provides real economic opportunity and that sustainable, future-focused development is necessary to bridging geographic and economic divides facing our country
Preference for candidates located in Vermont or New Hampshire, but remote applicants will be considered