Before the first fiber-optic line goes up or the first trench is dug, someone has to say hi
to the new city that we’re expanding service to. That's the job of Ziply Fiber's Local Government Relations team, and it's a bigger one than you might think.
We sat down with Katie Wilson, Senior Manager, Local Government Relations, to learn about the team and the work they do.
We work with cities, counties and special districts to build relationships and maintain them. Our goal is to smooth the road through early permitting and construction, then hand the community off to marketing and operations with the groundwork already laid, as well as our Community Development Managers, who ensure we have a lasting presence in the community post-build. The point isn't to check a box. Our work isn't transactional in that community. The community understands that we want to be a long-term partner.
No two communities are alike
As you can imagine, every city has its own codes, its own culture and its own turnover. A mayor who was a friend to infrastructure projects last year may be succeeded by one with entirely different priorities. Katie's team tracks those shifts and passes off what they learn to colleagues in construction, operations and marketing, so no one walks into a new community unprepared.
That context matters more than you’d think. Picture a neighborhood where several different kinds of construction are all happening at the same time. The neighbors may be a little nervous, and who could blame them? Katie’s team makes sure the crews and the folks prepping materials know that before they show up, so everyone arrives with an abundance of calm and patience. As Katie puts it, the goal is no unforced errors.
Patience, but with a clock running
When asked what traits serve someone well on this team, Katie's answer is immediate: Patience.
But she's quick to add the other half of the equation. Ziply Fiber’s working to expand its footprint and speed up construction, in part because no one wants neighborhoods disrupted longer than necessary. So, our team has to be willing to pivot and move quickly, too. It's a balancing act of building trust, which takes time, while gently keeping everyone to an acceptable timeline.
Understanding the “why”
The most useful thing Katie has learned about local elected officials is that they tend to arrive with a deep love of their community. Many of these folks are unpaid or barely paid, and they often got involved because of one issue they cared about, maybe it was a business owner who wanted to do more for their town, or a resident who wouldn't let go of a stalled park project.
If you can understand their why, it's the first step to figuring out what makes them tick,
she says. Once they're on a city council, they're expected to weigh in on everything. That's where our team steps in. A lot of the work we do in local government relations is just capacity building and education, whether that means walking officials through what telecommunications is or what sets fiber internet apart from cable.
Small decisions, real impact
Ask Katie where the work makes a difference, and she skips the headline moments for the everyday ones. It might be a construction crew learning that a sidewalk is the main route to school. School starts at 8:00 AM, and this is the main walking corridor for the students, and so the heavy equipment shows up later. Or it might be wrapping up an hour early so a community event has plenty of parking.
It's also about being the person a city can call. When a resident has a complaint, Katie wants them to reach someone who will listen and connect them quickly with someone who can fix the problem.
Small but mighty
Katie has been at Ziply Fiber for a little over a year, and the team is still taking shape. It's compact today, but, as Ziply Fiber prepares to grow across the country, so too will the team. In fact, they’re actively hiring.
Sure, speed, poles and trenches may get the headlines, but it’s the handshake, courtesy of the Local Government Relations team, that gets the green light.
If you’re interested in joining the Local Government Relations team, or another team at Ziply Fiber, click here to view our current employment opportunities. https://ziplyfiber.com/careers
