Principal Specialist: Technology Architect at Vodacom

Job description

The role of the Band Principal Specialist: Technology Architect is to provide end-to-end thought leadership, strategic guidance, architectural design and consulting to Technology and Vodacom as a whole for key strategic technical and commercial initiatives. These initiatives include key strategic technology evolution initiatives as well as key capability enabling initiatives. To own/lead the overall deployment/upgrade/evolution of Vodacom technical platforms from a strategic guidance and architectural perspective.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

• To maintain sound relationships at all levels within the Consumer and Enterprise Business Groups and all other Commercial customers within Vodacom in accordance with agreed strategies with Line Management.
• To maintain sound relationships at all levels within the Network and Information Technology groups, suppliers and internal customers in accordance with agreed strategies with Line Management.
• To communicate at all levels within the organization through documented outputs tailored to the specific project/initiative, engagement, audience and desired outcome. This could include written documents, presentations, memos, etc.
• To define technical Target Architectures for various technologies and domains in order to facilitate technical optimization/evolution of relevant technologies within the Network/IT domains.
• To investigate, research and innovate in all fields relevant to a Converged Service Provider, including the Network (Fixed and Mobile) and IT domains.
• To engage at all levels within the organization through formal and informal meetings, workshops, presentations, etc.in order to obtain key outcomes, decisions, agreements, alignment, etc.
• To work with a peer architect group in requesting and providing peer review and guidance on initiatives and deliverables.
• To provide technical co-ordination of projects and initiatives, driving projects to successful completion/implementation
• To define technical Target Architectures to fulfil business enabler requirements and lead project delivery in terms of architectural design.
• To compile reporting information to be presented to all levels of management.
• To produce global industry standard, professionally written documents for all initiatives
• To provide strategic leadership and architectural leadership for the procurement of new technologies and systems through various SCM processes.
• To drive technology awareness by responding to technology queries and creating technology information sessions.
• To provide Mergers & Acquisition technology supports required by all involved parties, as well as coordinating and collating all technology responses in agreement with the Technology Senior Leadership team
• To define technical strategic roadmaps for various technologies and domains, taking into consideration the relevant standards, industry and market trends and relevant business needs.
• To lead initiatives that provide thought leadership and drive key strategic Vodacom Technology initiatives by liaising with and aligning (when required) Technology and all other relevant BU’s in order to provide the SLT (Senior Leadership Team) with technical and non-technical guidance for a particular area of focus.
• To extract, distil and crystalize all inputs and requirements into components that are technology-relevant.

The Ideal Candidate For This Role Will Have

• Matric/Grade 12 (or SAQA Accredited equivalent) is essential
• A relevant 3 year Degree / National Diploma in Electrical Engineering (or SAQA Accredited equivalent) is essential
• A relevant Honours or Master’s degree is highly desirable
• A minimum of 10 years total experience in the Telecommunications Industry
• 5 years of the above 10 years’ experience should be in Access Architecture, Planning or Design

In addition to the details listed above, the ideal candidate will have an in depth knowledge and understanding:

• In depth knowledge of Fixed and Mobile Telecommunications technologies, including Access, Transmission and Core Network knowledge, both Circuit and Packet switched, as well as IP principles and standards.
• Mobile bearer technologies as defined by 3GPP/IETF/GSMA.
• Telecommunications BSS knowledge including (but not limited to) Customer Care, CRM and Customer Self Service, Customer Interaction Technologies (including Online), Charging/Billing/Mediation, BI and CVM Technologies and Middleware/Integration Technologies.
• General knowledge of key technology concepts that impact Telecommunications and the broader ICT industry in order to provide thought leadership.
• Enterprise Architecture Methodologies, Standards and Best Practices.

The base location for this role is Midrand, Techno Park.

The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.