Project Manager Telecoms

Linkfields Innovations (Pty) Ltd; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Linkfields Innovations is seeking Project Managers with BSS domain depth to run workstreams within a Telco transformation programme. The role requires ownership from the outset as the programme runs parallel phases against a compressed schedule and focuses on interrogating delivery status rather than simply reporting it.

You will manage schedules, dependencies, risk logs and governance forums, coordinating across vendors, operator and service providers to ensure on-time cutovers and successful

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years IT delivery project management with ownership of large multi-workstream programmes.
• BSS domain knowledge in telecommunications including billing, charging, order management and service management across prepaid, postpaid, mobile and fixed.
• Transformation delivery of migration or system replacement programmes to fixed cutover dates.
• Experience in multi-vendor environments with shared accountability across vendors and client.
• Familiarity with the Amdocs estate and its operational dependencies.
• Relevant degree or diploma; PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own schedule, scope, dependencies and delivery reporting for an assigned workstream across the Telco transformation program.
• Build and maintain integrated project plans covering requirements, design, build, migration, test and cutover.
• Manage delivery across a multi vendor environment spanning the prime vendor, the operator and third party service providers.
• Track progress against baseline, identify slippage early and drive recovery plans where project fall behind.
• Maintain the risk, assumption, issue and dependency log, and drive mitigation to closure.
• Coordinate test cycles, including system integration testing and UAT, in partnership with the test management team.
• Support cutover planning and rehearsal in partnership with the cutover manager.
• Run governance forums, prepare status reporting for programme and executive audiences, and manage escalation.
• Manage resource allocation and utilisation across the assigned workstream.
• Maintain delivery discipline against programme methodology, quality gates and documentation standards.

Skills

Project management

BSS domain

Multi-vendor mgmt

Agile & Waterfall

MS Project

Jira

Risk mgmt

Executive reporting

Stakeholder mgmt

Education

Relevant degree or diploma

PMP/PRINCE2 (preferred)

Tools

MS Project

Jira

Job description

Linkfields Innovations is recruiting Project Managers with BSS domain depth to run workstreams within a multi-phase Telco transformation programme.

The programme is running parallel phases against a compressed schedule and requires project managers who understand telecommunications BSS well enough to interrogate delivery status rather than report it. Programme management capacity has been identified as a gap, so the role carries real ownership from the outset.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Own schedule, scope, dependencies and delivery reporting for an assigned workstream across the Telco transformation program
• Build and maintain integrated project plans covering requirements, design, build, migration, test and cutover
• Manage delivery across a multi vendor environment spanning the prime vendor, the operator and third party service providers
• Track progress against baseline, identify slippage early and drive recovery plans where project fall behind
• Maintain the risk, assumption, issue and dependency log, and drive mitigation to closure
• Coordinate test cycles, including system integration testing and UAT, in partnership with the test management team
• Support cutover planning and rehearsal in partnership with the cutover manager
• Run governance forums, prepare status reporting for programme and executive audiences, and manage escalation
• Manage resource allocation and utilisation across the assigned workstream
• Maintain delivery discipline against programme methodology, quality gates and documentation standards

Desired Experience & Qualification

• Project management: Minimum 8 years managing IT delivery, with proven ownership of large scale multi workstream programmes
• BSS domain: Substantive knowledge of telecommunications BSS, including billing operations, charging, order management and service management across prepaid, postpaid, mobile and fixed
• Transformation delivery: Track record delivering migration or system replacement programmes to fixed cutover dates
• Multi vendor environments: Experience managing delivery where accountability is shared across vendors and the client
• Amdocs: Familiarity with the Amdocs estate and its operational dependencies
• Qualification: Relevant degree or diploma. PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent certification is preferred.

Technical Skills and Competencies

• Advanced planning and scheduling, including critical path and dependency management, using MS Project, Jira or equivalent
• Risk and issue management with demonstrable recovery of at risk delivery
• Financial tracking, forecasting and resource management
• Executive reporting and stakeholder management at senior and C level
• Decision making under schedule pressure and incomplete information
• Change control and disciplined scope management

Advantageous

• Experience implementing a vendor BSS platform as a replacement for a legacy estate
• Cutover management experience on a high volume subscriber migration
• Agile and waterfall hybrid delivery experience
• Prior delivery experience within a South African telecommunications operator
• Work model: Five days per week on site. Core hours 09:00 to 17:00