Technical Project Manager (Packet Core) at Nokia

Job Description:

We are looking for a Packet Core Technical Project manager with hands on engineering and design experience to deliver services in Middle East and Africa Region, The Technical Project Manager is responsible to coordinate all Technical topics end-to-end in the Project as defined in Customer contract in terms of quality, risk, and time from delivery approach preparation through deployment, Customer acceptance and Care phase. Acts as primary Technical interface and first Technical escalation point within the Customer project. Perform Engineering (deployment, Integration, and testing) and design (HLD/LLD development) activities on need basis.

Key Tasks

1. Technical contact and reference person for small, mid-sized and complex projects.
2. Working together with Project management and technical staff 
3. Manages all the Technical management activities defined in Customer contract with small /medium business volume and average complexity and risk probability, in terms of quality, risk and time from delivery approach preparation through deployment, customer acceptance and care phase. 
4. Acts as primary Technical interface and first Technical escalation point within the Customer project (*The term “Customer project” refers generally to all forms of Nokia customer contracts; projects with a definitive start and end; and, programs – collections of projects managed together for business benefits which may contain an ongoing operations business.)
5.  Ensures operational continuity and smooth execution as well as network availability by implementing proactively BG/BL guidelines and PM Methodology. 
6. Supports Project Execution Owner (PEO) in project planning and delivery Acceptance. 
7. Validates the workload involved and expertise needed related to technical tasks. Ensures resource management related to technical tasks regarding allocation, induction, release and expertise needed. 
8. Leads technical activities during execution and care phase, for instance Core Network Implementation, System Acceptance, Multi-Vendor Interface Verification, Fault and Technical Escalation Management, Preventive Care and HW/SW update and upgrade. 
9. Performs a Technical Risk Analysis. Proposes and implements risk mitigation actions. 
10. Supports Project Execution Owner (PEO) to ensure delivery handover to regular operations and to assure actions have been successfully implemented. 
11.  Ensures network availability with Care project team.
12.  Identifies new technical management related opportunities to expand contracts with the customer (e.g. network expansion, new features, software corrections implementations). 
13. Deployment and vertical integration of Cloud Packet Core nodes (CMM/CMG/NRD)
14. Horizontal integration of Cloud Packet Core nodes with other network elements (e.g. Radio, PCRF, SDM) and solutions… (VoLTE, VoWiFi).
15. Execute Testing for PoCs, Trials and Commercial Projects
16. Deliver Cloud Packet Core HLDs and LLDs
17. When applicable supports Solution Managers to review adopted solutions and assumptions

Technical Skills

1. Strong understanding of 3gpp call flows, protocol stacks and good hands-on experience in Evolved Packet Core solutions from one or more vendors (MME, SGSN, SPGW, TWAG, ePDG). It will be an added advantage to have experience & competency to handle Nokia Cloud Core Nokia Evolve Packet Core (EPC) and Cloud Packet Core (CPC) solutions like FNS, FNG, CMM, CMG etc
2. Hands on experience on Packet core projects including engineering and design responsibilities
3. Knowledge and experience on the 3G/4G/5G, VoLTE and VoWiFi Technologies.
4. Strong knowledge of 4G/5G architecture, Cloud Infrastructure, and Cloud Native architecture
5. Good working experience on EPC solution design, platform, and application deployment (on VMware, openstack, kubernates), system configuration, integration with 3gpp peer nodes, LTE call flow testing, troubleshooting, supporting system go-live and software upgrades
6. Knowledge of all or part of the set of protocols for IP/MPLS: IGP, BGP, RSVP, LDP, etc…
7. Experience of deployment in Cloud environment like VMware, CBIS, CMM, openstack and Cloud Infrastructure – Compute, Network, Storage & Back-up. Certification will have added advantage.
8. Knowledge in domains like SS7, Diameter, Linux, Shell scripting, Yaml files.
9. IP certifications in one or more suppliers (Nokia SRC, Cisco, Juniper) are highly recommended, priority given to Nokia SRC certification.
10. Experience with planning and deployment on VMWare/NFV/Cloud based Data Centres
11. Experience with Packet Core SW upgrades and related procedures
12. Experience with 3rd Party Service and application providers for cloud based and VoLTE projects.
13. Ability to quickly understand critical technical topics and issues
14. Ability to predict and understand the technical risks and challenges for Packet Core deployment projects
15. Project Management experience beneficial
16. PMP certification beneficial
17. Have a degree in Engineering or Telecom

Soft Skills

1. Highly driven and able to work independently
2. Team player with the ability to work independently
3. Willingness to share knowledge
4. Customer oriented mindset
5. Networking / collaborative teamwork skills to work in a multicultural team
6. Ability to think out of the box and analyse complex processes, quick learner
7. Reliable working results even under high workload, stress tolerance
8. Highly self-motivated, acting on own initiative / driver capability, structured working mode
9. Good presentation and negotiation skill
10. Fluent in written and spoken English
11. Availability to travel for short/medium period of time
12. Ensures self-development as per evolving Nokia portfolio and maintains awareness of new products and releases through regular updates.