Director, Damage Prevention & Claims Recovery

Position Summary

Tillman FiberCo is seeking an experienced Director, Damage Prevention & Claims Recovery to build and lead the company's efforts to prevent, investigate, manage, and recover costs associated with third-party damage to its fiber-optic network infrastructure.

This leadership role is responsible for developing and overseeing the company's damage prevention program, fiber damage investigations, emergency Break/Fix coordination, and end-to-end third-party claims recovery process across assigned markets.

The Director will work closely with Fiber Construction, Field Operations, Break/Fix Fiber Engineering, Damage Prevention Technicians, contractors, and external claims and recovery partners to ensure damage incidents are responded to quickly, thoroughly investigated, cost-effectively repaired, and supported by complete documentation to maximize financial recovery.

A key priority of this position will be building a structured claims recovery function from the ground up, establishing consistent processes, improving investigation quality, strengthening contractor accountability, and driving reimbursement of repair and restoration expenses from responsible third parties.

The successful candidate will bring a combination of telecommunications or utility infrastructure experience, field operations leadership, investigative capabilities, and demonstrated experience managing damage claims, financial recovery, and damage prevention programs.

Key Responsibilities

Damage Prevention & Program Leadership

• Lead and continuously improve Tillman FiberCo damage prevention program to reduce third-party fiber strikes and minimize network damage.
• Establish and implement standardized damage prevention policies, procedures, and best practices across assigned markets.
• Oversee internal Damage Prevention Technicians and Damage Investigators, ensuring consistent field execution, accountability, and quality of investigations.
• Partner with Construction, Engineering, and Field Operations to identify recurring damage trends, operational gaps, and opportunities to improve network protection.
• Monitor contractor compliance with damage prevention requirements, 811 regulations, utility locating procedures, and applicable state excavation laws.
• Develop contractor performance metrics and scorecards to identify repeat offenders, track damage frequency, and improve accountability.
• Promote awareness and education among internal teams, contractors, excavators, and other stakeholders regarding fiber protection and excavation requirements.

Fiber Damage Investigation & Emergency Response

• Oversee investigations involving fiber strikes, cuts, conduit damage, and other third-party damage to underground and aerial network infrastructure.
• Support 24/7 Break/Fix emergency response efforts, coordinating with Construction Managers, Damage Prevention Technicians, Field Operations, Fiber Engineering, and repair contractors.
• Ensure damage incidents are investigated promptly and thoroughly, with appropriate evidence collected to establish the circumstances, cause, and responsible parties.
• Ensure investigations include photographs, 811 ticket information, locate records, excavation details, contractor information, witness statements, repair timelines, and other supporting evidence.
• Coordinate with internal teams and contractors to identify safe, timely, and cost-effective restoration solutions, minimizing customer disruption and unnecessary repair expenses.
• Review repair documentation and associated costs to ensure accuracy, completeness, and appropriate allocation.
• Establish consistent investigation and documentation standards to support successful claims submission and financial recovery.

Claims Recovery Program Development & Financial Accountability

• Establish, develop, and lead Tillman FiberCo's third-party damage claims and financial recovery program from the ground up.
• Develop standardized processes for identifying, investigating, documenting, submitting, pursuing, and closing third-party damage claims.
• Personally oversee the end-to-end claims recovery process, including claim preparation, submission, follow-up, dispute resolution, settlement negotiations, and collection of outstanding reimbursements.
• Establish relationships with responsible excavators, contractors, insurance carriers, municipalities, utility owners, and other liable parties to facilitate timely reimbursement.
• Ensure all eligible damage-related expenses, including labor, materials, equipment, contractor costs, and restoration expenses, are properly documented and pursued for recovery.
• Monitor outstanding claims, identify barriers to recovery, and proactively pursue resolution of disputed, delayed, or unpaid claims.
• Coordinate with internal leadership and legal counsel when escalation is necessary to resolve disputed claims or pursue recovery.
• Establish a centralized claims tracking and reporting process to monitor incidents, financial exposure, claims submitted, amounts recovered, outstanding balances, and unrecovered expenses.
• Evaluate and recommend external claims recovery vendors, specialized resources, or technology solutions as the program grows.
• Identify opportunities to improve recovery rates, reduce unrecovered losses, and strengthen financial accountability across the organization.

Reporting, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain reporting on fiber damage incidents, investigation status, repair costs, claims submitted, recovery amounts, and outstanding claims.
• Establish key performance indicators to measure damage frequency, investigation turnaround, claims submission timelines, recovery rates, and financial losses.
• Analyze damage trends by market, contractor, excavation company, and incident type to identify opportunities for prevention and cost reduction.
• Provide regular reporting and recommendations to leadership regarding damage exposure, claims performance, recovery opportunities, and operational improvements.
• Develop processes to ensure accountability from initial damage notification through final restoration and financial closeout.
• Continuously evaluate internal processes, external vendors, and contractor performance to improve operational efficiency and maximize recovery.

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will establish a more proactive and accountable approach to protecting Tillman FiberCo's network infrastructure while significantly improving the company's ability to recover financial losses resulting from third-party damage.

Success will be measured by:

• Increased Financial Recovery: Improve the percentage of eligible third-party damage expenses successfully recovered.
• Reduced Network Damage: Decrease repeat fiber strikes through improved prevention practices, contractor accountability, and excavation compliance.
• Faster Claims Resolution: Improve investigation turnaround, claims submission timelines, and outstanding claims resolution.
• Improved Cost Control: Ensure repair and restoration expenses are properly documented, validated, and controlled.
• Stronger Operational Accountability: Establish consistent processes and reporting across Damage Prevention, Construction, Field Operations, and Claims.
• Improved Visibility: Provide leadership with accurate reporting on damage-related financial exposure, recovery performance, and outstanding claims.

This position is ideal for a hands-on leader who understands the operational realities of fiber infrastructure and has the ability to connect field investigations, damage prevention, and claims recovery into one accountable program. The Director will play a critical role in protecting Tillman FiberCo's network, reducing avoidable losses, and ensuring the company aggressively pursues reimbursement when its infrastructure is damaged by others.

 Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in telecommunications, fiber-optic construction, utility operations, damage prevention, claims management, or related infrastructure operations.
• Demonstrated experience managing third-party utility damage investigations, claims, recovery, or damage prevention programs.
• Strong understanding of underground utility construction, outside plant (OSP) fiber infrastructure, aerial and underground facilities, and restoration practices.
• Knowledge of 811 ticketing systems, utility locating procedures, excavation practices, state damage prevention laws, and applicable industry standards.
• Experience managing claims documentation, repair cost validation, financial recovery, settlements, and third-party liability disputes.
• Previous leadership experience overseeing field personnel, investigators, contractors, or operational teams.
• Ability to interpret investigation findings, identify responsible parties, and develop comprehensive documentation supporting financial recovery.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to track financial exposure, claims performance, recovery rates, and operational trends.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and reporting tools, including Excel.
• Ability to manage multiple active incidents, investigations, claims, and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel throughout assigned markets.
• Availability for after-hours and emergency response support as require