Engineer - Engineer - UCC Platforms and Applications. Technology Information at MTN

JOB DESCRIPTION
Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

• Ensure planning and implementation of all ICT platforms and applications, including procurement, distribution and asset management. Maintain all policies relating ICT platforms and applications. Assist with budgeting for all new and upgrade ICT projects. Planning of the transition to SDN and network virtualization. Administration of server/IT infrastructure and application-level network services upon which network infrastructure, business processes and products are built.

 Context (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission etc.)

• The MTN Group strategy – Ambition 2025 – is based on 10 main pillars, including the Platforms one.
• Based on that, an increased focus is required on Enterprise ICT services and platforms across all MTN Operating Companies.
• In order to accelerate on this stream, MTN Group ExCo has decided to establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) dedicated to those services.
• This is not far from what is happening in other Telco groups, like Telefonica or Vodafone.
• The current allocation has been selected among few options and has been approved from the Executive Steerco that is supervising the programme with the participation of Group and SA Exec’s
• MTN South Africa is establishing a dedicated Technology function to support the MTN Converged ICT services ambitions.
• It has been agreed that the existing Technology support for the Group Elevated Multinational accounts will be housed within the Enterprise CoE with the Operations, Service Management, Incident and problem management being ring fenced into a dedicated function within Technology B2B CoE organisation.

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)

Key Deliverables

ICT Planning and Design

• Planning and design for all Unified Communications and Collaboration platforms.
• Design, deployment and maintenance of server infrastructure, VMware environment, storage network and application-level network services.
• Maintain knowledge of various vendors’ hardware/software product lifecycles.
• Plan and execute the upgrade and replacement of hardware/software before end-of-life.
• Maintain ICT governance and formal controls of all UCC platforms
• Providing input to the disaster recovery plans for all platforms
• Assist with budgeting and network capacity planning
• Liaise with platforms Service Providers and Vendors
• Management of Service Level Agreements (SLA)
• Manage business analysis of customer demand correlated to existing and possible solution deployment
• Develop innovative network solutions with a strong focus on converged products that differentiate MTN in the market.
• Support, maintain and monitoring of all applications

ICT Development

• Maintaining the standards for server installations and applications
• Collaborate with technical product development team to ensure successful product development that uses UCC platforms.
• Develop and continually optimise the end-to-end process flow to ultimately ensure customer satisfaction
• Gather and analyse product and service requirements from multiple customer facing entities.
• Develop relevant documents as input to technical teams
• Provide feedback to requestor in the form of consolidated high-level solution documents, costing and time lines.
• Design and implement workaround solutions and out-of-the-box thinking to ensure speed to market.
• Develop bespoke SLAs that meets customers’ requirements
• Ensure product integration management by defining an end-to-end network architecture to support converged approach.
• Ensure solutions provide excellent customer experience for end subscribers.

Network Optimisation & Performance

• Ensure quality objectives are met and maintained
• Ensure future proof ICT plans to guarantee deliverables are met according to customer requirements both internal and external
• Track and report on performance problems and performance improvements on division level
• Investigate performance issues and identify changes required on division level
• Review design and drive optimisation changes
• Tender evaluations and formulations
• Provide high level support on the planned network/technologies

Operational Excellence

• Research, architect and implement new technologies in line with business needs to assist productivity and functionality of other teams and redundancy of network systems.
• Maintaining knowledge of current technology trends.
• Testing new technology and software in the lab and establish fitness for MTN Business use.
• Constantly learning and evaluating technological skills as is relevant to a Tier 1 ISP.
• Assist with troubleshooting of systems-related issues escalated via NOC and CSC
• Supervisory / Leadership / Managerial Complexity: 

Mentoring and Coaching of Graduate Engineers

• A high level of self-management and ongoing investigation is required for this position
• Engineers must be proficient in the ability to manage their day-to-day tasks/projects, work within given Time Scales and inform management in urgent scenarios when additional resources are required to ensure deadlines are met.
• Engineers must be proficient in the ability to manage their time accordingly

Role Complexity: 

• Systems involved directly support a Tier1 ISP and focusing on scalability and availability aligned with existing network topology
• Must be competent in compiling all management level reports at the highest possible level
   

Job Requirements (Education, Experience, and Competencies)

Education:

• 3-year degree/diploma in IT or Computer Systems
• Fluent in English

Experience:

• 3 years general systems administration experience in an UNIX environment and work experience in an ISP
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in an area of specialisation; with experience in supervising others
• Experience working in a medium organization

Training:

• Sun Solaris/Unix, Erlang, Java, Linux, Vendor Platform Specific Training, SQL, Project Management, People Management, Technology Management.
• BroadWorks and Session Border Controller planning and support
• Hosted Contact Centres

Competencies:

• Head - Big Picture Focus (10)
• Analytical Thinker -   Manages the alignment and execution of tactical activities
• Problem Solver  -  Assists in solving business challenges but looks to others for advice and guidance
• Operational Value Creator -  Executes on innovative commercial practices and identifies areas for continuous improvement