The Senior Manager: Network and Communication Services position is part of the DigiTech Team reporting to the Senior Manager: IT: Applications, Infrastructure and Support.

The role is to assist in providing strategic direction, alignment, convergence and solutions as the subject matter expert through a consultative approach with the DigiTech customer base and strategic partnerships covering the functional environments of:-

• Network Management and;

• Telecommunications including Telephone Exchanges and associated Call Centre support requirements

• Video conferencing (MS Teams and Zoom technology set).

The role further extends to managing and directing a team of specialist within a smart-source environment to optimize efficiencies and cost to deliver a 24 x 7 x 365 service at appropriate service levels as required by the environment and customer.

In order to deliver against these objectives, the full management function of planning (Analysis, business cases, budget cycle management and projects), organizing (procurement and contract management), directing (Project Management) and controlling (service delivery management) to ensure a value-added contribution to customer base must be undertaken.

The establishment and maintenance of a dynamic and high-performance environment to ensure a solution delivery orientated team, is key to the success of this position to not only retain skills, but also to challenge and grow the individual team members.

The responsibilities of this role is to manage, converge and optimise these two functional environments through: -

• Assisting to design and implement short- and long-term strategic plans to make certain network capacity meets existing and future requirements

• The establishment, implementation and control of the required delivery chain to meet the set delivery objectives.

• The adoption and implementation of project management principles to deliver on agreed initiatives with measurable end results (price, time and quality)

• Establish team structures with clear and concise Job Descriptions, Personal Development Plans and Performance matrices that will establish a dynamic, fair and trusted environment.

• Pro-active value add initiatives to be investigated and presented through Business Cases to customer base and stake holders, providing thought leadership and innovative initiatives.

• Ensure that applicable policy, standards and operational processes are in place and enforced.

• Budgeting

• Resource planning

The operational role is as follows: -

• The effective management and optimisation of the Wireless, Wide Area Network (WAN), Campus Area Network (CAN) and Local Area Network (LAN) including traffic flows.

• Plan, acquire, and coordinate installations within the environments.

• Develop, implement, and maintain policies, procedures administration and appropriate use.

• Develop and deploy methodologies for testing performance and providing performance statistics and reports.

• Manage and ensure effectiveness of infrastructure and their associated operating systems and software.
• Manage and ensure optimal operation of all hardware and equipment, including routers, switches, hubs, UPSs, and so on.
• Manage and ensure effectiveness of security solutions, including firewalls, anti-virus solutions, and intrusion detection systems.
• Conduct research and make recommendations on products, services, protocols, and standards in support of this environment
• Negotiate with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure appropriate products and services.
• Assess, approve, and administer all equipment, hardware, and software upgrades.
• Establish best practices and policies for installing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting hardware, software, and peripheral devices.
• Establish and maintain regular written and in-person communications with the organization’s executives, decision-makers, stakeholders, department heads, and end users regarding pertinent activities.
• Practice network asset management, including maintenance of network component inventory and related documentation.
• Establish service level agreements with end users.
• Approve and administer user accounts, permissions, and access rights.
• Direct and administrate a contingent of network analysts and technicians, and where necessary, conduct performance reviews and corrective action.
• Any other task as may be assigned from time to time.
• Report to the Senior Manager: IT on major initiatives, plans, delivery and overall performance

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

Academic qualifications
Essential:

• CCNP
• NSE4 (Fortinet)
• B Degree in Information Systems / Information Technology or equivalent at NQF level 6
• Appropriate Industry Certification in Service Management /Information Technology
• Appropriate ITIL certification
• Project Management Certification
• Appropriate Microsoft Certification
Advantageous
• CCIE
• NSE7 (Fortinet)
• MSCE

Work experience
Essential:

• Five years’ experience in managing and/or directing technological operations
• Seven years’ experience working in the network and telecommunications industry.
• Experience in operations, applicable standards, governance structures and frameworks.
• Excellent knowledge of technology environments, including telecommunications, security, networks and wireless.
• Solid understanding of related systems characteristics, features, and integration capabilities.
• Extensive knowledge of data flows, hardware, platforms, enterprise software applications and outsourced systems, including the communications environment.
• Exposure to business theory, business processes, management, budgeting, and business office operations.
• Excellent understanding and use of project management principles.
• Proven experience in planning, organization, and development.

Skills

Essential:

• Strong Customer focus
• Demonstrated ability to apply technology solutions to business problems.
• Superior analytical, evaluative, and problem-solving abilities
• Exceptional service orientation.
• Ability to articulate ideas to both technical and non-technical addressees.
• Ability to motivate in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
• Proven leadership ability
• Excellent technical knowledge of the IT Services technology stack with IT trends for:-
• Managed and Hosted Services, Virtualization, Cloud;
• Collaboration, Value Added Services, Managed LAN/WAN/Security, CAN IT Operations and Security Services
• Communications environment
• Ability to set and manage priorities judiciously.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• Strong tactical skills.
• Exceptionally self-motivated and directed.
• Excellent negotiation skills 

Attributes
Essential:
• Teamwork
• Results driven
• Friendly disposition
• Delivery orientated
• Good interpersonal relationships
• Ability to work under pressure
• Team player
• Proven leadership ability.