Manager, Managed Services & OPEX Tracking at T2 (Formerly 9Mobile)

Manage vendors activities, relationship, contract reviews and negotiations to ensure vendors deliver all contractual obligations and commitments based on agreements in the service level agreements (SLAs). Also, manage all operational expenditure and ensure that operational spend is within the budgetary provisions to achieve yearly OPEX savings targets.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Tactical

• Manage vendors, contract execution and strategic projects; ensuring vendors deliver all contractual obligations and commitments based on the service level agreements (SLAs) and management of operational expenditure within budgetary provisions.
• Streamline purchase requisition process for the procurement of all Network Operations service and product requirements to effectively maintain a controlled OPEX spend and minimize excesses.
• Capture and prepare annual operational budgetary requirements.
• Provide inputs to strategic contract and cost analysis for technical management decision making.
• Define plans, projects and service levels for achieving yearly OPEX savings targets.
• Foster the implementation of established internal processes using best practice standards to enable a stable and highly available platform for a vendor operating environment.
• Continuously review the unit/ team’s activities, make recommendations and seek approvals for implementation of improvement initiatives to ensure enhanced team. Performance.
• Establish and maintain relationship with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure synergy across the various departmental functions.
• Plan and manage the human and material resources of the team/ function to optimise performance, morale and enhance productivity.

Operational

• Periodic optimization and review of all Technical OPEX contracts to identify weak contracts/clauses and tightening all loopholes.
• Develop cost savings initiatives to achieve annual targets.
• Prepare inputs for technical monthly accruals with the Finance department
• Provide input on yearly budget estimates and review yearly operational business plan.
• Provide inputs for financial analysis that compares the benefits and risks of budding business decisions.
• Process, evaluate and validate vendor invoices to align with contract/ service availability and quality, recommending applicable penalties or bonuses.
• Prepare and defend business cases for the approval of the CAPEX and OPEX Review Board.
• Prepare board papers for management review.
• Review all GL expenditure entries with the finance team in tracking the OPEX budget effectively.
• Analyse each awarded RFP and identify the missing once to eliminate disputes once the contract is signed and executed.
• Coordinate with procurement, contract committee team and vendors to finalize all contracts on time according to the SLAs.
• Manage and analyse RFP evaluation report clarifications and requirements before endorsement by CxOs and top management.
• Draft and finalize the technical requirements of the contracts, addendums, MOUs, and other agreements.
• Partner with vendors and suppliers to resolve all the disputes related to technical contract clauses.
• Build/maintain a valid, systematic and updated automated database and documentation for all invoices, performance evaluations, vendor contact information, vendor certificates, payments information, purchase requisition, business justification records, financial analysis, contracts, MOUs, amendments, renewals, etc.
• Keep records of all the lessons learned, management instructions and advices and apply same on all upcoming technical contracts.
• Organise monthly, quarterly and yearly vendor evaluation for all operational vendors, identify reasons for poor vendor performance and advice measures for improvements.
• Prepare monthly report to management on contract’ issuance status to check progress and identify areas of concern and support needed.
• Liaise with the Operations unit to arrive at lessons learnt from contract implementation.
• Organize periodic vendor award programmes to reward vendor performance.
• Develop mechanism to proactively monitor and ensure that PO cycle is achieved to avoid project delays and gaps.
• Create competitive environment for vendor efficiency.
• Review and implement recommendations from internal audit relating to vendor and contract management.
• Prepare/compile agreed periodic activity and performance reports to communicate the progress of the unit to the Director, Operations.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• First degree in any relevant discipline.
• Minimum of Six (6) to Eight (8) years’ work experience with at least three (3) years exposure in OPEX expenditure management, budget provisioning, contracts and vendor management in a telecommunication’s Technical environment.

REQUIRED CAPABILITIES

Knowledge

• Business Application Knowledge & Telecommunications fundamentals
• Service Continuity Management, Monitoring and Control
• Project Management, Vendor & Contract Management
• Knowledge of Financial Management & General Ledger understanding

Skills

• Change Management, Communication, Negotiation & Problem-solving skills
• Emotional and Relationship Intelligence
• Leadership and People Management