We are looking for an experienced and proactive fibre specialist who will act as a technical authority and quality lead across all aspects of our physical fibre plant.
You will be responsible for setting and maintaining the standards of fibre build quality, from splicing and joint enclosures to labelling, documentation, testing, and infrastructure handover. You will directly perform and oversee critical infrastructure splicing and provide guidance to other teams working in the field.
This role is essential to improving our network’s long-term maintainability, reliability, and resilience, reducing the risk of customer-affecting incidents and ensuring the professionalism of one of our most critical assets.
Principle Accountabilities and Responsibilities
· Perform high-quality splicing work across active and passive infrastructure
· Produce work confidently confirming to Open Reach standards
· Own and codify our physical fibre standards, including la belling, documentation, and test requirements
· Carryout own Risk Assessments
· Carryout or support testing and departmental sign-off of new infrastructure builds
· Review and advise on network designs to ensure optical hygiene and practical maintainability
· Act as the technical authority and mentor for junior splicers and related field teams
· Identify and resolve quality issues. For example: poor joints, water ingress, stress-prone enclosures
· Contribute to field process development, safety reviews, and operational improvements
· Maintain accurate documentation of all works
· Participate in out-of-hours reactive work when required (paid overtime)
· Mentor other splicers in the Company
Skills & Experience Required
· Significant experience (5+ years) in fibre jointing/splicing within FTTP/FTTH PON networks
· Proven ability to work on live networks and high-density distribution builds
· Deep knowledge of joint closures, fibre routing, slack management, and tray organisation
· Skilled in OTDR testing, fault finding, and use of core fusion splicers (e.g. Sumitomo)
· Familiar with industry standards
· Meticulous attention to detail and pride in producing high-quality work
· Able to read and contribute to technical network designs and splicing diagrams
· Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of critical infrastructure
· Holds a full UK driving licence and comfortable working across our network footprint
· Must be willing to climb poles
· Thorough understanding of all PIA documentation and CP documents
· Ability to enforce SOPS, provide solutions to historic build and future work
Essential: Smart awards accreditations, PIA relevant, S007, S008
· Smart Awards or equivalent certification including SA001 and SA002
NRSWA, Unit 01 Street Works Signing, Lighting & Guarding accreditation.
· Certificate in Fibre Optic splicing (eg: City & Guilds C3668-02)
· IPAF Stat 1B
Desirable skills
· Familiarity with Apex, QGIS, dash pivot, and other network documentation systems
· Experience mentoring or training junior field staff
· Openreach PON build supervisor, Co-ordinator (On-site).
· Ribbon splicing
Job Details:
Benefits we can offer you include
Who we are
Lightning Fibre was established in 2018 and is the leading local alternative network provider of symmetric full fibre broadband in East Sussex. We build and operate our own network from our headquarters in Polegate.
Our broadband network can supply our standard installed customers with anything up to 10 Gigabits in both download and uploads.
We are a community orientated network operator, whose aim is to significantly upgrade our region’s broadband infrastructure. By providing local jobs and keeping local money in the areas we serve, we act as a vital enabler to grow our digital local economy.
Please submit your CV together with a short covering letter or message which should outline what you will bring to this role.