Chapter Lead – VAS Systems Engineering at Safaricom Kenya

DESCRIPTION

Reporting to VAS Solutions Tech lead, the position holder wil provide technical leadership for the development and integration of VAS Products & Services offered to Safaricom customers with the goal of delivering high quality solutions within approved schedules. VAS Solutions comprise of all Value Added Services which include, but not limited to, Messaging, USSD, Content delivery, Voice (RBT, IVR & Media exchange), Video, Device management and IOT solutions.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership in the development, configuration and integration of all VAS solutions/systems in line with the Digital IT strategy execution plan.
• Actively participate in defining strategy, roadmaps and architecture design for the VAS products.
• Drive the delivery of new ways of working in VAS domain with the goal of ensuring 50% of VAS projects are delivered through agile methodology.
• Timely delivery of projects assigned with the goal of ensuring high quality standards are met and solutions are operationally viable. Responsible for ensuring First Time Right delivery of all solutions developed.
• Enhance processes and DevOps to improve delivery and increase efficiency by focusing on continuous improvement.
• Ensure all delivered products are accurately documented and following the DevOps cycle.
• Responsible for ensuring solutions once deployed in production are well handed over to operations for support.
• People management: Lead, mentor and help develop VAS Systems/Software Engineers to deliver high quality solutions and demonstrate Industry best development practices.
• Provide technical leadership in the solution development by translating the business requirements into technical solutions in line with the designed architecture.
• Actively participate in defining strategy, roadmaps and architecture design for the VAS
• Timely delivery of projects assigned with the goal of ensuring high quality standards are met and solutions are operationally viable. Responsible for ensuring First Time Right delivery of all solutions developed.
• In collaboration with support, oversee the deployment of products.
• Ensure successful end to end configuration and integration is done in line with the change management process.
• Drive the delivery of new VAS solutions to ensure 50% are delivered though agile methodology.
• Actively contribute to the management of the projects by ensuring timely delivery of projects assigned with the goal of ensuring high quality standards are met and solutions are operationally viable.
• Manage engagement with respective products owners and Business stakeholders.
• Lead, mentor and help develop VAS Systems/Software Engineers to deliver high quality solutions and demonstrate Industry best development practices.
• Build the skillset according to the fit for future program.
• Regular team and one-on-one engagements.
• Actively participate and contribute to CAPEX & OPEX budgeting.
• Operate within approved CAPEX & OPEX expenditure for the domain to meet sectional objectives.

QUALIFICATIONS

• BSc. Degree in Telecommunication Engineering/Electrical & Electronics engineering/Computer Science/IT.
• 5 years’ experience, 2 years of which leading a team of Engineers in a busy telecommunication/ IT environment or Software Engineering with good knowledge in development for VAS solutions including Messaging, Voice, Video & IOT.
• Software Engineering methodologies including Agile-oriented development.
• Proficiency in networking protocols – TCP/IP, DNS and load balancing.
• Working knowledge in Unix systems and Databases – Oracle, MySQL.
• Working knowledge of security encryption solutions – SSL, firewalls, VPN, IPsec
• Strong experience in programming/scripting language(s) – Python, Perl , Shell  or equivalent.
• 3rd Party RESTful API integration, PHP, MySQL, SQL server, web service working knowledge preferred.