Senior Manager - Pre-Sales SD-WAN and Security.ICT Center of Excellence at MTN

Job Description

• Pre-sales to support, and provide input into complex architectural solutions for deals from Solution Sales, to proposal and delivery, stitching together appropriate assets and contributing to commercial modelling. Solution Design, Proposal Development , Product showcasing, and Technical support. Design authority for solutions .
• Understand the customer’s technical environment and strategic goals to design and deliver customised solutions that meet MTNs’ client-specific needs.
• Develop detailed proposals that outline the proposed Business Line solutions, benefits, and costs, creating pricing models and providing input on contract negotiations.
• Gather technical requirements, evaluating technologies, guiding the implementation of Business Line solutions, and ensuring the architectural integrity of all projects.

Responsibilities

Strategy Development and Implementation

• Lead, create, and manage complex architectural solutions for deals from pre-sales to proposal and delivery, stitching together appropriate assets and contributing to commercial modelling.
• Act as a key player in driving not just sales, but also broader business transformation and long-term client success through Pre-sales and solution architecture function.
• Define and maintain the architecture and solution standards in line with MTN Group guidelines to guide the design and implementation of Business Line solutions within the identified specialised product/ solution domain.
• Continuously evaluate and refine pre-sales and solution architecture processes to ensure they are aligned with the company’s strategic growth priorities, increasing efficiency, and competitive advantage.

Pre-sales and Solution Architecture Delivery Leadership

Lead a team to:

• Engage with clients to understand their business strategies and translate them into tailored technical solutions that provide competitive advantages.
• Serve as trusted advisors during the pre-sales process, guiding clients on how solutions can drive innovation and future growth in alignment with their long-term goals.
• Develop complex, customized architectural solutions that address specific client needs from the pre-sales stage through to proposal and delivery.
• Develop detailed, strategically aligned proposals that clearly outline business line solutions, their long-term benefits, associated costs, and competitive advantages.
• Align client technical requirements with both short-term project goals and long-term business strategies, ensuring the proposed solutions support future scalability, innovation, and growth.
• Lead RFP responses that not only meet client expectations but also position the company as a strategic partner in their digital transformation journey.
• Collaborate closely with forecasting and sales operations to drive and manage pre-sales and RFP pipeline.
• Orchestrate service providers and develop back-to back SLAs between vendors and local teams for large / priority and pilot deals aligned to the customer SLA.
• Provide guidance on creating pricing models and provide input on contract negotiations.
• Oversee the implementation phase to ensure solutions are delivered as designed, while also tracking strategic impact and outcomes for the client.

People Leadership /Management

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of engineers providing coaching, guidance, and performance evaluations.
• Develop and maintain a high-performance team that consistently meets or exceeds targets.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and customer-centricity within the team.
• Set integrated goals and objectives for the team in order to achieve a future-focused, future-fit high-performing organisation.
• Provide technical, procedural and policy guidance to staff, colleagues , partners and vendors.
• Attract, develop and retain appropriate talent. Build talent by identifying and developing new leaders for the respective environment
• Develop and maintain a high-performance team that consistently meets or exceeds targets.
• Set KPIs and provide regular performance feedback through a well-defined and implemented performance review program.
• Develop and implement a training plan to build and develop skills within the team.
• Enable and model healthy employee relations and collaborative teamwork.
• Manage diversity, develop, and embed an Employment Equity plan for the business area.
• Contribute to building a culture of continuous evaluation and improvement. Drive a culture of high performance, accountability and consequence management
• Act as an ambassador for the team by living the values and vital behaviours and changing and influencing employees’ behaviour
• Make the environment the best place to work. Foster professionalism, loyalty and commitment to the organization. Build the
• Company’s brand to be the employer of first choice.

Governance

• Strategic governance and interlock
• Develop and execute the Pre-sales and solution architecture governance framework and associated forums to govern the application of Business Line solution standards within the specialised product/ solution domain.
• Lead regular strategic meetings with key stakeholders to align on pre-sales and solution architecture activities, review solution performance, and identify new opportunities.
• Perform evaluation baseline of key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Request for relevant budget for internal projects and new initiatives. Monitor costs accordingly.
• Facilitate preparation of proposals on change initiatives, policies and procedures.

Escalations

• Identify potential risks in solution delivery and develop mitigation strategies to prevent disruptions and ensure project success.
• Escalate issues that will result in severe time, scope, productivity, and cost or resource or reputational impact.
• Manage and provide solutions to escalations that have multiple processes / functions impact on critical path of service delivery.
• Manage and provide solutions through stakeholder consultation where relevant.

Performance

• Implement processes for regular review and refinement of Business Line solution offerings based on performance data and
• customer feedback in line with MTN SA Strategy.
• Ensure alignment between and across other functions within MTN SA product/ solutions, including but not limited to market
• representatives.
• Provide reports as required timeously regarding performance and outcomes of the unit.

Qualifications

Education

• 3 years qualification / 4-year tertiary qualification in Technology Systems (Telecommunication Management / Information Technology) or related
• MBA / Masters Advantageous

Experience

• At least 7 years related experience in architecture design and delivery, inclusive of;
• Leadership position in pre-sales or solutions architecture.
• Extensive experience in designing and implementing complex technical solutions within telecommunications/ TechCo/SI's, including knowledge of network infrastructure, cloud services, and enterprise solutions.
• Proven track record of collaborating with sales teams to develop and deliver solutions that meet customer needs and drive revenue growth.
• Experience in managing complex solution development projects, from initial requirements gathering to final implementation.

Apply Before: 07/28/2025