Executive Head of Department: Transmission Network Planning & Operations Full Time NEW

Role purpose:

• The EHOD will be responsible for the provision of expert knowledge and influences the Transmission strategy for planning, designing and optimizing the network and driving effectiveness and efficiency through cost efficiencies while ensuring harmonization and standardization.
• To provide oversight, governance and technical leadership to the transmission planning and operation and partners (EEU, EEP, Ethiotel, ISP providers, ECA, Public IP providers et all) while ensuring optimal performance and in response to business needs with alignment to the organizational strategy
• To focus upon the management of a team of transmission planning and operation professionals who deliver Network experience activities Management of Transport (both Transmission & IP) planning & optimization teams involved in modeling, planning, design, optimization and project management of reliable transport systems /networks to support the Business.

Role purpose:

• Management of planning and modeling of Transport systems/network and respective capacity planning and analysis. This includes local, regional and international connectivity requirements.
• Approval of transport designs and plans for required bandwidth.
• Ensure Network build with the agreed utilization and growth factors.
• Ensure monitoring of all network elements is achieved.
• Planning, contract negotiations and operationalization of partnerships for leasing of bandwidth capacities or other transport network infrastructure from third parties.
• Ensuring equipment space and power availability for planned systems by liaising with the relevant teams.
• Engagement [technical, logistics and legal aspects] of content infrastructure providers for local CDN/Cache deployments as well as traffic flow / source optimization.

• Project management of Transport projects from inception of plans, deployment and projects handover to Network & Service Operations.
• ·         Ensure projects are delivered to budget and time.
• ·         Liaison with Implementation department to ensure timely monthly rollout in accordance with timeframes set in roll out process.
• ·         Follow through to ensure design parameters are adhered to at implementation.
• ·         Ensure proper test gears are acquired to subject new equipment to full suite of compliance tests.
• ·         Management of transport systems / equipment / services suppliers and partners through continuous engagements that ensure a win-win partnership approach.
• ·         Ensure PO process is followed through, goods landed in time and RFI/S issued to right departments.
• ·         Ensure best buy in liaison with supply chain.
• ·         Ensure CAPEX and NOPEX savings by having optimal network plans / designs and choice of the required equipment and services.
• ·         Running of transport trials, equipment/system parameter checks and evaluation and subsequent recommendations for approval and adoption of new equipment, systems and technologies into the network.
• ·         Ensuring due diligence in products introduction to network.
• ·         Engagement with industry regulator [in liaison with the Safaricom regulatory team] and ensuring all the Transport Network related obligations e.g. payments, reporting etc. are met.
• ·         Engagement with IP resource providers. Ensure up to date resource records are maintained as per best practices.
• ·         Liaison with other Opco’s and regulators in ensuring market trends are maintained.
• ·         Staff Managemento    Staff Recruitment of agreed Headcount
• o    Development of staff to fully realize potential
• ·         Play an active role in planning and design review across multiple transmission technologies including Microwave, Fiber/DWDM/GPON/OTN, VSAT in liaison with Transmission Network Planning team.
• ·         Developing MOPs/SOPs for Active Transport Network Elements (Optical Transport, IP Transport, MW, OSP/ISP) for implementation.
• ·         Identify consistent and complex network service problems and recommend improvement initiatives including all IP, DWDM, MW, Fibre and dealing with the FLM vendor to reduce MTTR and 3rd parties’ issues.
• ·         Oversee overall TX local logs/trace route and analysis of log files.
• ·         Oversee the transmission network assurance to ensure network quality standards are adhered to and assure a continuous KPI improvement
• ·         Facilitate network testing and acceptance – in coordination with Regional Field Operations and Capex PMO teams for all transmission related network elements i.e., Optical Transport Network (DWDM), Routers, Microwave Systems, OSP/ISP fibre network.
• ·         Develop project plans to support network improvement opportunities with respect to transmission network i.e., DWDM, IP, MW, Fibre and Coordinate Network Improvement initiatives, in liaison with OEMs and Partners.
• ·         Performance analysis on the KPI degradation, utilization and packet loss and developing technical action plans for KPI improvement.
• ·         Track performance and meeting with suppliers monthly to improve on delivery, support & MTTR including 3rd Parties (Ethio Telecom, EEP, Fibre maintenance contractors)
• ·         Serve as High Level Support and 2nd Line escalation point for all critical transmission network issues and initiatives.
• ·         Tracking of EOL, EOS for all equipment and Software as part of life cycle management.
• ·         Must build a team of Level 2 experts in their respective domains reducing our dependency on Vendors for low and medium complexity changes
• ·         Maintain database accuracy & interact with other role players to ensure conformance to business & security principles.
• ·         Support Regional Field Operations team on transmission network for localization of performance network faults
• ·         Provide guidance to the Regional Field Operations on Best Practice preventative and corrective maintenance of all transport network elements.
• ·         Ensure all required operation and maintenance processes, procedures and routines are tracked and performed as per Service Level Agreements and ensure continuous operational efficiency improvement.
• ·         Key lead in the yearly budgeting exercise to ensure that transmission network operations requirements are fully catered for in line with the operational requirements.
• ·         Manage Vendors via governance meeting and follow ups to ensure performance standards are met.

Must have technical / professional qualifications and experience:

• Degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
• 7years experience with 3 years specialized role in a busy telecommunications environment –Involved in installations /commissioning and planning of major teleco   m projects especially in the transport field.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in managing a team within a Transport engineering environment.
• Knowledge of multiple transport network technologies.
• Knowledge in microwave & VSAT planning and design.
• Solid understanding of fibre networks and related technology and equipment.
• Solid understanding of IP and related technology and equipment.
• Industry / Vendor based Certifications in IP Networking e.g. CCNP, CCIE, HCNP, HCIE, NRSII etc. is preferred.
• Computer literacy: Data analysis, progress reporting, presentation skills.
• Project management and finance management skills & certifications.
• Solid understanding of the regulatory environment [impact of TX network].

How To Apply

If you feel that you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualification and experience, kindly proceed to update your candidate profile on the career portal and then Click on the apply button. Remember to attach your resume.

https://safaricom.bamboohr.com/careers/480

The closing date for receiving applications is Thursday, 13th March 2025, 5:30 pm.