Manager - Network and Platform Integration Technology Information at MTN

JOB DESCRIPTION:

• To manage the team of Network and Platform Integration Specialists responsible for effectively vetting, scoping, planning and implementing customer solutions i.e. Bespoke solutions, Hosting, Access, MPLS, VoIP, Cloud, Security and IoT as sold through the Direct & Indirect Sales channels. 
• To ensure continuous improvement on network implementation process, quality assurance and operations that allow the network implementations team to bridge the gap between the targeted MTTIs, performance of services, products and solutions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Input:

• Translate and implement the Client Operations Team strategy in line with the requirements of the business.
• Give input into the areas strategy and assist in translating into near term plans
• Ensuring clarity around priorities and goals for the entire team
• Give input into the first line operational management strategy to achieve operational efficiencies

Profitable growth:

• Contribute positively to Customer Experience and NPS 
• Ensure all customer incidents are resolved expediently to reduce churn
• Ensure high value customers are provided with superior service levels 
• Take the lead in managing highly escalated cases and to resolve them by deploying the right resources

Operational Management:

• Allocate Engineers to key accounts as appropriate and ensure knowledge transfer to the remainder of the team
• Ensure that all installations errors are corrected (such as duplicate mnemonics, missing installed items, hosting console errors). Cessations are kept current. 
• Monitor and ensure that all calls allocated to the team are resolved within policy limits, with resolutions captured timeously in Remedy and fed back effectively to clients according to set time and quality parameters.
• Ensure the effective resolution of complex problems either within the team or through an escalation process.
• Plan and prioritize skills distribution to ensure sufficient engineers are available to:
• Resolve problems escalated by the support centres
• Assist account managers with post sales requests
• Effectively implement customer solutions within the stipulated internal OLAs and customers agreed timelines
• Complete all engineering work related to specialized projects and customer migrations
•  Translate and implement customer business requirements into a technical solution.
•  Maintain high standard of quality by putting in place quality assurance mechanisms
•  Ensure that client documentation is complete to facilitate handover to support areas
•  Deal with problem situations and project work timeously and efficiently, displaying effective time management and time allocation according to project deadline and incident severity 
•  Provide post-sales support and maintenance of client networks
•  Ensure all client documentation is created/updated post implementation phase.
•  Execute projects according to project schedules.
• Architectural design in LAN, WAN, multi-services (IP, VoIP, Security and MPLS). 
• Creation of business cases specifically related to new ventures and new technologies. 
• Technology investment appraisal, benchmarking, and reporting. 
• Lab-testing of new technologies and solutions in terms of conformance, performance, interoperability and manageability. 

Governance:

• Develop policies and procedures. 
• Strictly follow and ensure team compliance of relevant policies and procedures
• Ensure effective SLA strategies are in place to support the business
• Implement proper controls and processes to minimise revenue leakage
• Ensure proper project controls are in place to manage financial and operational risks across the business
• Ensure appropriate implementation of DoA
• Ensure vendor interaction is managed appropriately through RFP review
• Manage the support agreements and supplier support interfaces for area
• Keep abreast of updates relating to statutory and ICT industry issues and ensure compliance.
• Drive the development and implementation of customer centric processes

Fulfilment Management:

• Manage, monitor and report on inflow versus outflow on all new installations on a monthly basis. 
• Manage, monitor and report on all escalated technical issues.
• Manage technical resource allocations to projects
• Continuous engagement and communication to mitigate any potential conflicts that may arise
• Align all workflows to ITIL requirements 

Client Relations:

• Meet with clients as and when required to discuss high level technical problems or technical enhancements to their technical solutions.
• Build and maintain solid relationships with client to assist with client retention and identify up-sell opportunities.
• Carry out effective and timeous deployment of MTN Business Solutions products, ensuring that customer solutions are delivered timeously, within company policy, that SLA terms are adhered to and that the customer is satisfied.
• Understand customer needs and input into the development/fine tuning of systems accordingly
• Contribute towards initiating change to continually improve all aspects of service delivery. 
• Update client on all escalated calls on a regular basis 
• Adopt a proactive approach to prevent problems from arising in the future.

Report Management:

• Ensure integrated reporting of Operations
• Prepare Root Cause Analysis Reports for the client as and when required
• Consolidate key information and translate this into meaningful intelligence for submission to Senior Management.
• Prepare ad hoc reports on request by the GM, SMs or Heads of Department.
• Report on risks and associated remedial activities until resolution

People and Culture:

• Advocate Customer Centricity at all times
• Continuous assessment of delivery capabilities
• Lead, develop and coach the regional Enterprise Technology Services team
• Drive delivery across regional team environment 
• Act as an ambassador and role model for MTN Enterprise Business by living the brand values and vital behaviours
• Develop constructive working relationship with other departments and managers including technical and commercial
• Improve the employee engagement through the GCA
• Ensure a culture of continuous evaluation and improvement within the region
• Drive a culture of high performance, accountability and consequence management

Financial Management:

• Assist in forecasting, planning and developing department budgets in line with MTN SA financial requirements
• Manage departments expenditures in line with agreed budgets
• Identify and eliminate non-contributory expenditures

Project Management:

• Develop and drive the execution of agreed projects 
• Drive the implementation, tracking, monitoring and compliance of Projects
• Contract management in line with Procurement Policies
• Co-ordinate project reporting
• Ensure effective implementation of the integrated project management model 
• Risk management

Business Analysis:

• Perform Business Analysis in line with the methodology and guidelines
• Identify ways to fine tune policies, processes and systems in line with changing work practices
• Determine, document, and review requirements for projects within the scope of the value stream or impacting processes and systems 
• Design, analyse and document workflow and make appropriate recommendations that will positively impact operational effectiveness
• Identify Business Improvement and Optimisation opportunities that will result in improvement of process performance 
• Ensure that benchmarking is conducted with other companies and organizations within and outside the industry. 
• Construct business cases for initiations proposed by the business. Research and consider best practice, local conditions, trends, as well as competitor activity
• Identify and implement innovative ways to use minimum resources to achieve maximum outputs

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Requirements:

Education:

• 3-year Degree / Diploma in Technology Systems (Telecommunication Management / Information Technology) or BSc in Computer Science  (CISCO and Juniper Certification) 
• ITIL Certified
• Fluent in English

Experience: 

• Min 7 years IP and network related experience, which includes routing protocols , such as BGP , ISIS , incorporating”
• Min 3 years Management of engineers
• Min 5 years Project management experience 
• Working with UNIX based systems
• Working with Cisco technologies and products
• Working with juniper technologies
• Scripting 
• Working with ATM infrastructure 
• Working on Martis infrastructure 
• Working on metro type links
• Strong switch background 

Training:

• Leadership Development Programs
• Customer Service Training
• Technology Principles 
• Advanced network configuration and problem solving 
• WAN and LAN technologies
• Management and leadership training
• Network technologies and platforms 
• MTN Services and systems
• Labor relations
• ITIL Version 3
• CCNA , CCNP , CCSP ,  CCIE written , JNCIA , JNCIS 
• Facilitation management