Senior Manager - Carrier Services Wholesale and Carrier Services at MTN

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Context: (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission, etc.)
• Proactive influence and response to developments in the Carrier /Wholesale market
• The specific regulatory framework within which MTN operates (Licences, Acts, associated regulations, WTO offers by the Government, ITU, EU directives legislation applicable to MTN)
• High value market, within a strongly competitive, fast changing and dynamic industry. 
• Highly competitive market with new and established competitors
• Fast moving industry
• Context changes in terms of technology advancements
• Changes in consumer behaviour

Key Performance Areas:

• Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)
• Task Complexity: Indicates those KPA’s that are essential to the position itself. These are normally specific to the incumbent, the job,and the function. Excludes role and leadership / management.

Strategic Input

• Develop, challenge and operationalise long-term strategy for the Carrier Services function, ensuring alignment of all activities undertaken in the unit to the strategy of the business.
• Review and monitor global carrier market trends and competitor initiatives  and develop plans to mazimise MTN profitability accordingly.
• Develop  long-term forecasts and predictions (2-5 years).

Operational Planning 

• Ensure that operational targets are aligned to business strategy and that long term (1-2 years) implications of actions have been considered in terms of viability of the business from a broad perspective.
• Consider the impact of solutions on other areas of the business, as well as on the interdependency of units.
• Drive best practice, continuous improvement and innovation at process and procedure level within the Carrier Services function.
• Construct, implement and fine-tune methods, processes, policies and systems to enhance effectiveness and meet organisational goals.
• Set objectives and targets for Carrier Services team in alignment with business strategy, considering the long term (1-2 years) implications of actions from a more broad perspective 
• Implement actions and plans to ensure fulfilment of the Carrier Services objectives, liaising with relevant areas of the business and internal and external stakeholders involved  when necessary to ensure delivery of required solutions, customer experience and SLAs. Initiate corrective actions where applicable.

Market and Competition Management and Effectiveness

• Consider local and global conditions, as well as competitor activity
• Ensure that processes and solutions align to changing work practices and provide context for delivery and services
• Understand regulatory and licence framework as it applies to carrier market
• Provide advice regarding Interconnect, Facilities Leasing and other wholesale contracts, ensuring compliance with SLAs and with business strategic objectives

Operational effectiveness

• Manage carrier processes (interconnect, roaming) to  maximise business return.
• Actively negotiate carrier  issues (supply and demand)  
• Liaise with Strategy and Business Departments to define targets, provide input and discuss all carrier services issues with the business plan.
• Participate in negotiation of Interconnect, Facilities Leading and other wholesale contracts to ensure compliance with business strategic objectives.
• Manage and resolve all competition complaint issues.
• Liaise with Strategy and Business Development to receive mid- to long-term business ambitions in terms of carrier field and to receive business plan impact analysis of regulatory economic issues.
• Represent MTN at relevant forums and conferences

Service enhancement

• Liaise with all relevant stakeholders to ensure provision of effective product and service information and smooth delivery of support services
• Collate and analyse of market knowledge, trends and competitive information, channelling field and competitor information to relevant areas.
• Monitor quality of routing to ensure it meets business requirements

Customer Satisfaction and Stakeholder Relationships

• Identify trends / patterns pertaining to customers and suppliers and filter this information through the correct channels to continually improve all aspects of service delivery 
• Build a reputation internally within MTN and externally 
• Build an in-depth understanding of client needs and develop, fine-tune and align service and solution delivery accordingly to ensure that needs are satisfied
• Ensure customer needs and requirements are satisfied through appropriate systems / processes / procedures
• Adopt a proactive approach to prevent problems from arising in the future, putting contingency plans in place to prevent delays and enhance the customer experience 
• Drive continuous improvement and initiate change to continually improve all aspects of service delivery

Ad-hoc Project Assistance

• Provide expert advice and assistance on MTN projects as required (eg regulatory)
• Receive and analyse request
• Gather information
• Conduct research
• Involve role players
• Develop/ compile model
• Provide feedback

Reporting

• Collate and compile required reports.
• Submit reports and recommendations as required to  Chief Officer, Managed Network Services and other departments as required.

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 MTN SA 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

Supervisory / Leadership / Managerial Complexity:  Refers to the responsibilities for directing, guiding, motivating  and influencing others.

• Recruit, develop and retain a highly motovated team members with outstanding skills, qualifications and potential.
• Define the divisional KPAs and KPIs that will be cascaded down to the team and evaluate and assess performance effectively.
• Understand the need to train and develop team members to be able to use resources optimally and enhance performance.
• Provide expert advice to all internal and external stakeholders.
• Influence complaints resolution.
• Build and enforce a customer centric approach 
• Build employee relations and collaborative teamwork 
• Communicate actively and effectively resolving any potential conflicts that may arise
• Display insight into leadership style and how it impacts on performance positively and negatively
• Have the self insight and flexibility to adapt to different situations
• Manage boundaries that separate units in order to optimise workflow
• Role Complexity:  Does not refer to the various “roles” that the incumbent has to assume in the conducting of the duties. Instead, this would be additional complexity that should not be inherent in this position, but the incumbent has responsibility for. Example HR Managers having to manage an IT function.
• Sit on various committees as required by Chief Officer, Managed Network Services.
• Participate in or manage ad-hoc projects as required.
• Lateral Dimensions: These indicate the areas where the individuals could contribute uniquely in addition to the indicated duties, as well as how they could be affected by others or circumstances not necessarily under their control.
• Creativities (improvement/innovation inherent)  Indicates the potential for improvement and / or innovation inherent in a position.
• Establish and maintain good relationships with internal and external stakeholders relative to carrier Service market
• Develop improved relationships with carrier suppliers and clients
• Provide claw-back and other customer-focused policy change recommendations.
• Apply research in an optimal way to add as much value as possible to this and to other areas of the business.
• Network extensively and build and maintain relationships (internal and external).
• Build brand credibility.

Vulnerabilities (control span) Refers to the latent difficulties, or things that could potentially go wrong that affect a specific position.

• Such vulnerabilities may / may not be under the control of the incumbent. Direct implication or first level of impact.
• Contravention of legislation by the company contrary to advice given
• No control over global carrier trends
• Submissions being ignored by senior management
• Overruling of economic proposals
• Ineffective support from key stakeholders 
• Corporate governance regulating business risk
• Poor business strategy elements leading to excessive  risk
• Retention of experienced staff

Collaboration:  Refers to formal and informal relationships

• Responsibility towards:  who are they and what do they receive from the incumbent.
• Direct reports: 4 (currently)
• Matrix reports: 0
• Key customers: Other licensed operators in SA and Globally, MTN group, internal, (BUs, Finance, Networks, Billing and Marketing).
• Key suppliers: Other licensed operators, contractors, consultants, internal, 
• Relations:

Discretionary Space:

• The degree to which individuals are allowed to exercise independent thought and judgment.
• Independent thought and Judgment: Relates to the decision-making constraints place upon a position or conversely, the degree of   freedom in decision-making.
• Conduct independent research.
• Interpret research, global trends, presentations and other findings in support of advice given
• Advise management appropriately with technically sound information that is in conformance with the competitive environment.
• Make decisions associated with improving business processes 
• Dissemination of information

Authorities:

• As per delegation of authority

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum Requirements  - minimum necessary, and not the ideal / preferred should be included.

Education:

• 4 year tertiary qualification in Commerce, Engineering or Marketing/or related MBA/Masters Advantage

Global Experience Standards (5)

• Manager track record of 5 years or more; with at least 5 years in relevant Carrier Services industry 
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies advantageous