Network Operations Associate Director

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Role Purpose
The Director of Network Operations will be responsible for overseeing the end-to-end operations of EXA's global network infrastructure, ensuring service excellence, operational efficiency, and strategic alignment with business objectives. This role will provide leadership and direction to the Network Operations team, including Senior Managers, Supervisors, Tier 1 & 2 Engineers, Change Management, and Service Assurance team. They will ensure operational performance, network resilience, and continuous improvement while maintaining compliance with contractual service levels (SLAs) and enhancing customer satisfaction.

This individual will collaborate with cross-functional teams, external vendors, and senior leadership to ensure seamless network operations, rapid incident resolution, and strategic planning for future network enhancements.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operational Management:
   1. Ensure 24/7 operational support and network availability, managing a multi-platform global network including DWDM, OTN, submarine systems, switched Ethernet, and time services.
   2. Drive incident, problem, and change management processes to minimize downtime and service disruptions.
   3. Act as the senior escalation point for network outages and critical customer incidents, ensuring rapid resolution and effective communication.
   4. Optimize and enforce SLA compliance, ensuring adherence to performance standards for internal teams and external vendors.
   5. Lead efforts to improve automation, network monitoring, and proactive issue detection.
2. Incident & Problem Management:
   1. Directly oversee network outage management, root cause analysis (RFOs), and service restoration efforts.
   2. Implement proactive measures to identify and address recurring technical issues.
   3. Drive service improvement initiatives by leveraging historical data, customer feedback, and industry best practices.
3. Change & Maintenance Management:
   1. Ensure effective coordination and approval of all planned network maintenance and change requests.
   2. Maintain rigorous oversight of vendor and internal change management processes to minimize customer impact.
   3. Work closely with customers and vendors to align maintenance schedules with business priorities.
4. Vendor & Customer Relationship Management:
   1. Monitor vendor performance, conduct regular service review meetings, and drive accountability for SLA adherence.
   2. Establish and maintain strong relationships with premier customers, ensuring high levels of service satisfaction.
   3. Represent the company in customer service reviews, quarterly business reviews (QBRs), and escalations.
5. Leadership & Strategy:
   1. Provide strategic direction for the Network Operations function, aligning with overall business objectives.
   2. Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of accountability, efficiency, and innovation.
   3. Collaborate with executive leadership to define key performance indicators (KPIs) and drive operational excellence.
   4. Oversee budget planning and cost management to optimize operational expenses while maintaining service quality.
6. Performance Reporting & Continuous Improvement:
   1. Develop and present regular performance reports covering network uptime, SLA adherence, and operational efficiency.
   2. Identify trends, risks, and opportunities for operational improvements based on network data and analytics.
   3. Champion process improvements and automation initiatives to enhance efficiency and service quality.

Individual Profile
• Bachelor's Degree (minimum) or higher preferred
• Experience in a medium to large scale telco environment
• Professional, structured and proactive approach
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Leadership and Managerial skills
• Budget management, cost optimization and CAPEX/OPEX planning skills
• Proven expert in managing multiple stakeholders at all levels of the organization, specifically at senior management level.
• Track record of building and maintaining strong internal and external relationships
• Strong understanding of sales, commercial & product aspects and bringing the best combined solutions to meet the customer needs.