Gm, Operational Automation Engineering

Optus; New South Wales; Hybrid; AUD 260,000 - 380,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remuneration & discounts

Flexible work

Generous leave

Parental leave

Career development

Diversity networks

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Optus seeks a Senior Director of Operational Automation Engineering to lead automation, orchestration and AI platform capabilities for Network Operations. You will drive scalable automation, ensure governance, and partner across technology, operations and strategic vendors to improve service outcomes.

You will define the operating model, transition to autonomous execution, and oversee responsible AI platform engineering, FinOps and risk management in a large-scale telecom environment.

Qualifications

• Extensive executive leadership experience across telecommunications, Network Operations, automation, orchestration, AI platforms or large-scale technology environments.
• Proven ability to lead enterprise-scale automation, orchestration, closed-loop operations, autonomous systems or AI platform capabilities.
• Strong understanding of automation engineering, event-driven architectures, workflow orchestration, AI-assisted decisioning, control loops and AI runtime platforms.
• Proven capability in governance, risk management, cyber security, resilience and FinOps for highly automated systems.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the automation, orchestration and AI platform strategy, roadmap and maturity journey for Network Operations.
• Define the target operating model and drive the transition from assisted operations to closed-loop and autonomous execution.
• Lead the engineering of scalable automation frameworks, workflows, APIs and standards to improve efficiency, reliability and governance.
• Develop cross-domain orchestration and autonomous operational capabilities with appropriate controls, oversight, escalation and risk management.
• Oversee AI platform engineering, governance and FinOps to ensure secure, resilient, cost-effective and scalable AI services.
• Establish performance metrics, governance frameworks and value-realisation measures, including automation adoption, MTTR reduction and cost efficiency.
• Lead senior stakeholders, strategic partners and multidisciplinary teams while building a culture of engineering excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

Skills

Executive leadership

Automation engineering

AI platforms

Network Operations

Governance

Risk management

Vendor management

Education

Engineering qualification

Telecommunications background

Computer Science

AI-related certification

Tools

APIs

AI runtimes

Cloud platforms

Job description

Every day, millions of Australians connect, work, stream, and stay in touch on the Optus network. When it works seamlessly, it's easy to take for granted. But behind it is a team making thousands of decisions every day - decisions that keep people, businesses and communities connected.

Right now, Optus is passionate about getting the fundamentals right - simplifying how we work, lifting standards, and building a more reliable, resilient experience for our customers. It's not about surface-level change. It's about how we make decisions, how we work together, and how we deliver.

The Senior Director, Operational Automation Engineering leads the automation, orchestration and AI platform capabilities that enable Optus Network Operations to evolve from manual processes to governed, autonomous operations. The role is responsible for ensuring automation is scalable, secure, auditable and commercially sustainable while delivering improved operational efficiency, faster service restoration and better customer outcomes through collaboration across technology, operations and strategic partners.

WhatYou’llDo

• Own and deliver the automation, orchestration and AI platform strategy, roadmap and maturity journey for Network Operations.
• Define the target operating model and drive the transition from assisted operations to closed-loop and autonomous execution.
• Lead the engineering of scalable automation frameworks, workflows, APIs and standards to improve efficiency, reliability and governance.
• Develop cross-domain orchestration and autonomous operational capabilities with appropriate controls, oversight, escalation and risk management.
• Oversee AI platform engineering, governance and FinOps to ensure secure, resilient, cost-effective and scalable AI services.
• Establish performance metrics, governance frameworks and value-realisation measures, including automation adoption, MTTR reduction and cost efficiency.
• Lead senior stakeholders, strategic partners and multidisciplinary teams while building a culture of engineering excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

WhatYou’llBring

Extensive executive leadership experience across telecommunications, Network Operations, automation, orchestration, AI platforms or large-scale technology environments.

• Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-scale automation, orchestration, closed-loop operations, autonomous systems or AI platform capabilities.
• Strong understanding of automation engineering, event-driven architectures, workflow orchestration, AI-assisted decisioning, control loops and AI runtime platforms.
• Proven ability to define automation and autonomy strategy, governance, engineering standards and maturity pathways for production environments.
• Strong understanding of operational risk, production assurance, cyber security, resilience, AI governance and FinOps for highly automated systems.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and influence senior stakeholders across Operations, Engineering, Architecture, Security and Technology.
• Strong commercial, financial and vendor management capability, including investment prioritisation, platform economics and value realisation.
• Relevant tertiary qualifications in Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Science, AI, Technology or equivalent significant industry experience.

The good stuff …

• Competitiveremunerationand employee discounts. Make life easier (and more affordable) with $80 monthly credit and 25% off Optus products and unique shopping discounts with our retail partners.

• Flexible working arrangements with opportunities to work three days in the office, two days remote or home.

• Competitive leave policies, includingadditional'Connected’ days to focus on culture, family, health, community, orwhatever’simportant to you.

• We support growing families with inclusive, carer-neutral paid Parental Leave of up to 16 weeks.

• Direct your own development and build future-ready skills with Optus U’s industry-focused micro-credentials, developed with La Trobe and Macquarie Universities.

• Build meaningful connections through employee-led networks and diversity initiatives including Culture Connect, Elevate Women, Disability Network and Express Yourself (LGBTQIA+).

• Put your wellbeing first with free access to counselling and support services, 24/7 — in-person, by phone, SMS, or video.

At Optus, we are strengthened by others and that means valuing diversity and saying ‘yes’to embracing individual differences. We are committed to ensuring that our application process provides an equal employment opportunity to all job seekers, including individuals from diverse gender, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, individuals with a disability, individuals identifying as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals who may have served in the armed forces or who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

We also want to do our best to make our recruitment process inclusive. If yourequireany adjustments or accessibility support, please email [e-mail] call 1800 309 170.We’rehere to help. When you contact us, pleaseadviseyour preferred method of contact and we will be in touch within 48 hours. For more information on Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Optus, please visit https://www.optus.com.au/about/inclusion-diversity.