Software Project Manager

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionDescription:

Zhone Technologies, Inc. is a developer of Network Edge and Connectivity systems and Cloud Edge software solutions that enable broadband everywhere. Our software and network innovations are empowering communications service providers to reimagine their edge and transform their businesses and network infrastructure to be future-ready. Zhone systems, platforms and services are leveraged by hundreds of service providers globally and are relied upon by 14 of the top 25 telecom providers across the Americas, EMEA, and Australia/New Zealand. Every day, Zhone builds on a legacy of 25 years in the telecom industry, and recently acquired all of the assets of DZS, Inc.

We are looking for a hands-on, technically proficient Software Project Manager who thrives at the intersection of project leadership and automation. This role is ideal for someone who not only drives successful software delivery across teams but also contributes directly by writing scripts and building automation workflows to improve engineering productivity, collaboration, and system integration. You will work closely with engineering, DevOps, QA, and cross-functional business teams to lead projects that drive innovation and operational efficiency.

This individual serves as a key connector across departments, ensuring information flows seamlessly from idea conception through development, customer delivery, and post-launch follow-up.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional software projects from concept through delivery, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and quality standards.
• Design and build lightweight scripts and automation tools to support development workflows, testing, CI/CD pipelines, or cross-functional tooling needs.
• Act as the primary interface between engineering and non-technical stakeholders to ensure clarity of scope, priorities, and timelines.
• Coordinate project planning, sprint execution, backlog grooming, and delivery tracking using Agile/Scrum or hybrid methodologies.
• Develop and maintain project documentation, roadmaps, and dashboards for visibility and transparency.
• Identify and mitigate delivery risks; proactively resolve issues across teams and systems.
• Drive process improvement initiatives by identifying manual pain points and implementing automation solutions.
• Support engineering leadership in capacity planning, milestone tracking, and release management.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or related field.
• 2 - 3 Years of project management experience in a software development or SaaS environment.
• Hands-on experience writing scripts
• Proven experience leading technical projects in Agile/Iterative environments.
• Strong understanding of software development lifecycles (SDLC), CI/CD, and DevOps principles.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Skills

• Proficiency in Python scripting, particularly for integrating tools and automating workflows (e.g., connecting Jenkins, Jira, and Confluence).
• Familiarity with AI assistants (e.g., ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot) for ideation, rapid prototyping, and automating repetitive tasks.
• Basic web design skills
• Experience with tools such as Jira, GitHub, Jenkins, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps, or similar.
• Working knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP).
• Familiarity with infrastructure as code (e.g., Terraform, Ansible) and automation frameworks.
• Experience supporting or working with QA, SRE, or IT Ops teams to streamline operations.
• PMP, CSM, or similar certification a plus.