Senior Manager – UCC Platforms and Applications Technology Information at MTN

JOB DESCRIPTION
Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

• Formulate the strategy for Unified Communications and Collaboration platforms, applications and associated business processes to support Enterprise, Digital and Wholesale business units. Engage customers at executive level to develop customer strategy and business cases for UCC products. Provide strategic input in compiling the end-to-end fulfilment (FAB) for UCC products. Ensure development, implementation and maintenance of all policies related to UCC platforms and applications, including procurement, distribution, and asset management.

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.
• Unified Communications is one of the five Technology pillars of the Technology B2B Centre of Excellence.

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

Key Deliverables

Strategy Planning

• Translate the strategic intent of MTN SA into clear deliverables for the Unified Communications and Collaboration portfolio.
• Provide strategic direction and technical oversight pertaining to the implementation of new tools, technologies, solutions, and methodologies.
• Manage and provide oversight for the implementation of UCC platforms strategy.
• Ensure alignment to overarching strategies for execution.

Solutions Delivery

• Management of the planning department for UCC platforms (BroadWorks, Session Border Controllers, Call Recording, etc).
• Develop and manage the planning and budgeting for MTN’s UCC platforms and application to ensure that resources are used to provide best in class ICT services that are in line with organizational growth. Manage the transition to SDN and network virtualisation.
• Responsible for UCC governance and formal controls of all UCC platforms.
• Updating disaster recovery plans for all UCC platforms.
• Budget, project, strategic and network capacity planning.
• Liaise with platforms Service Providers and Vendors.
• Management of Service Level Agreements (SLA).
• Maintaining the standards for server installations and applications.
• Support, maintain and monitoring of all UCC application.
• Collaborate with technical product development team to ensure successful product development that uses UCC platforms.
• Serving as the interface between customer facing entities and the various technical areas for the implementation for new UCC products.
• Undertake Technical Regulation assessments to take solutions to clients.
• 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 timelines.
• Design and implement workaround solutions and out-of-the-box thinking to ensure speed to market.
• Develop bespoke SLAs that meets customer requirements.
• Develop innovative network solutions with a strong focus on converged products that differentiate MTN in the market.
• Ensure product integration management by defining an end-to-end network architecture to support converged approach.
• Provide consolidated technology-based innovation, concepts and roadmaps to satisfy business requirements and create new demand.
• Ensure vendor management of equipment and solution providers.
• Ensure business plan objectives are met for new UCC solutions.
• Drive implementation of solutions and inventory.
• Ensure solutions provide excellent customer experience for end subscribers.
• Match solution requirements to device capabilities during solution development process.
• Understand industry trends and adopt them in customer solutions.
• Provide input into the demand management of network and platform infrastructure for Fixed and Enterprise networks.
• Ensure the right forecasting and demand management processes to cater for capacity and growth.
• Ensure the right technological trends are incorporated into infrastructure planning to build a future proof network.
• Develop and grow long term relationships with key corporate customers, vendors, MTN Business, Wholesale stakeholders as well as the Digital team.
• Initiate required technology changes to ensure alignment with the strategic direction of the company.
• Define architectural requirements for converged solutions and required processes.
• Manage business analysis of customer demand correlated to existing and possible solution deployment.
• Develop integrated costing models and scenarios for requested solutions.

Profitable Growth

• Convert proposed solutions into sales through high quality solution documentation, presentations, client engagements.
• Ensure that MTN opco’s has infrastructure and platform plan for enterprise and fixed solution development.
• Provide input into the business cases for all solutions (Service on Demand) in the Enterprise, Wholesale and Fixed technology domain together with commercial units.
• Build inventory at the right cost structure for MTN Business, Wholesale and Digital team to achieve profitable revenue targets.

Operational Excellence

• Analyse and evaluate customer business and technical requirements for UCC products 
• Document, design, develop and support the management of UCC products for the Enterprise, Digital and Wholesale business units.
• Define and maintain standards, procedures and policies related to the UCC platform.
• Assess risk factors and limitations of current platforms and identify areas of opportunity for mitigation and improving team performance.
• Provide technical assessments of current and proposed methodologies for Enterprise and Wholesale Business Units.
• Perform analysis of alternative and market research studies that provide data which aid in the selection of tools, technologies, solutions, and methodologies.
• Interpret, implement, and adhere to applicable and/or prescribed level technology standards, policies, and directives.
• Collaborate with other technical leads, participate in problem-solving and root cause analysis efforts. 
• Articulate, in writing and verbally, the impact of architecturally significant change requests.
• Maintain knowledge of current and emerging tools, technologies, solutions, and methodologies.
• Provide subject matter expert support to Sales teams, Systems Engineers, Systems Architects, and application teams.
• Provide detailed development cost, resource, and technology estimates for proposed solutions.
• Ensure accurate and timely business and performance reporting process.
• Ensure that a process is in place for seamless handover between all divisions and client service.
• Effective budget management.
• Vendor Management
• Establish and maintain internal and external relationships.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with strategic and key ecosystem vendors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
• Lead the relevant supplier assessment process used to ensure that a supplier’s capability to support services to an agreed level/standards is accurately assessed and reported.

Governance and Risk Management

• Strictly follow and ensure team compliance of relevant policies and procedures.
• Ensure effective service level agreements 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 contract governance is in place and administered at all levels.
• Act in accordance with the Delegation of Authority.

Financial Management

• Ensure departmental budgets (CAPEX and OPEX) are optimised and aligned with business requirements.
• Ensure CAPEX governance on projects and prepare relevant documentation to present to steering committees and tender review forums. 
• Manage expenditure in line with agreed budget.
• Continuously strive to identify and eliminate non-contributory expenditure.
• People Leadership and Organisational Capability Building

Lead, develop and coach the UCC Planning team.

• Apply best team management practices throughout assigned projects and as required.
• Guide and enable the upskilling of the team throughout assigned projects.
• Act as an ambassador and role model for the Technology B2B CoE by living the brand values and vital behaviours.
• Improve the employee engagement through the GCA.
• Ensure a culture of continuous evaluation and improvement.
• Drive a culture of high performance, accountability, and consequence management.

Job Requirements (Education, Experience, and Competencies)

Education:

• Minimum of 4-year tertiary degree in Engineering or equivalent.
• An MBA or post graduate degree is advantageous.
• Related industry certifications in BroadWorks, Session Border Controller, Network Architecture, Enterprise Architecture are advantageous.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years’ experience in ICT converged environments with product and platform development.
• Management level track record of 5 years or more.
• Experience working in a global/multinational enterprise (understanding emerging markets is advantageous).
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies.

Competencies:

Head - Big Picture Focus (20)

• Conceptual Thinker - Executes tactical plans to achieve strategic requirements.
• Problem Solver - Has the mental agility to identify and solve relevant business challenges.
• Improvement Driver - Executes and identifies opportunities for commercial innovation and continuous improvement.

Heart – Emotionally Intelligent (30)

• Culture and Change Champion - Live the MTN values and vital behaviours for others to follow.
• Supportive People Manager - Is self-aware and supports team capability development through opportunity creation for realising potential.
• Relationship Manager - Builds professional networks across teams through collaboration and co-operation.

Hands – Results Focused (40)

• Results Achiever - Produces sustainable business results.
• Operationally Astute - Sets priorities, plans, organises and co-ordinates the work of others.  

Authorities

• As per delegation of authority.

Collaboration (Formal and Informal Relationships)

Responsibility towards: 

• Key customers: MTN OPCOs, Group Enterprise Product team, Pre-Sales.
• Key suppliers: Key Technology Partners (Microsoft, Cisco, Ribbon Communications), MTN SA Core Network Planning, MTN OPCOs Core Network Planning.