GM - Cluster Projects Head

Job Req ID:  46513
Location: 

Bangalore, IN

Function:  Technology/ IOT/Cloud
About: 

Vodafone Idea Limited is an Aditya Birla Group and Vodafone Group partnership. It is India’s leading telecom service provider. The Company provides pan India Voice and Data services across 2G, 3G and 4G platform. With the large spectrum portfolio to support the growing demand for data and voice, the company is committed to deliver delightful customer experiences and contribute towards creating a truly ‘Digital India’ by enabling millions of citizens to connect and build a better tomorrow. The Company is developing infrastructure to introduce newer and smarter technologies, making both retail and enterprise customers future ready with innovative offerings, conveniently accessible through an ecosystem of digital channels as well as extensive on-ground presence. The Company is listed on National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India.

 

We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer. At VIL, we know that diversity makes us stronger. We are committed to a collaborative, inclusive environment that encourages authenticity and fosters a sense of belonging. We strive for everyone to feel valued, connected and empowered to reach their potential and contribute their best.

 

VIL's goal is to build and maintain a workforce that is diverse in experience and background but uniform in reflecting our Values of Passion, Boldness, Trust, Speed and Digital. Consequently, our recruiting efforts are directed towards attracting and retaining best and brightest talents. Our endeavour is to be First Choice for prospective employees.

 

VIL ensures equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment based on race, colour, religion, creed, age, sex, sex stereotype, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, pregnancy, veteran or military service status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.

 

VIL is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversifying its workforce.

 

  1. Job Purpose (In one or two sentences)

Project vertical has ultimate responsibility to plan and execute, all assigned projects with professional project management principles, standard practices, tools & techniques, to lead project teams and control project schedule, cost & performance to meet business expectation. Project Head is responsible for the rollout of 2G, 3G, 4G, Core Nodes, OFC & MW Networks, Relationship Management, Core Infra deployment & Own site construction (if any) in vast geography of the circle, with stringent Quality norms. He is also responsible for the deployment of new technologies, Swapping & up-gradations of existing Network equipment, Redeployment of recovered equipment and Infrastructure Sharing with Telecom Infra Provider Companies for Network Rollout. He is also responsible for Network Consolidation Project.

 

  1. Key Accountabilities / Key Result Areas (Max 5)

PLANNING, ORGANIZING, IMPLEMENTATION, MONITORING AND CONTROLLING:

  • Determine & prepare project budget / CAPEX requirement of each project.
  • Develop execution plan of the planned network nodes roll-outs – 2G, 3G, 4G, OFC, MW, CORE, Swap, Core Infra and up gradations.
  • Splitting yearly targets into monthly targets based on the budget approvals, material deliveries projections, traffic projections and business plans.
  • Evaluation of detailed Project Plan, Define mile-stones, Project Performance Metrics & information flow management for Monitoring the Project Progress, ensure Project Sponsor should be in loop wherever deviation takes place.
  • Define installation quality norms for the deployment of all kind of equipment and transmission network.
  • Risk Forecasting - Identify and forecast the impact of Internal & External Dependencies and risk factors on planned / on-going Projects. Prepare Contingency Plans for Risk Management without impacting timelines and business requirements.
  • Identify, organize and placement of the resources required to execute each project and ensure cost effective optimum utilization of resources by best possible sharing among on-going projects.
  • Define formats and processes to maintain common standards during project execution thru-out the circle.
  • Prepare swap plan to deploy new technically upgraded equipment with old equipment’s to provide world class network services for subscribers.
  • Regular Review of Rollout Progress, set timeline targets, cost and resource utilization.
  • Record all expenses of project to ensure its compliance within scheduled budget.
  • Synergize all the project teams, planning, operations and business to execute the roll-outs timely, so that same can be converted in revue at the earliest. 
  • Exploring/Suggesting cost-effective work around solutions and new contingency plans to meet critical business requirements with minimum impact of schedule and budget.
  • Risk Management – implement Contingency Plans keeping all stake-holders in loop to meet the schedule targets.
  • Accommodate last minute changes without affecting the plans and project cost.  
  • Ensure minimum pilferage losses by defining best installation practices and forward & reverse logistics processes.
  • Quality assurance of end product/services by third party Audits of Network Rollout.
  • Material management includes evaluating, ordering, budgeting & tracking of material consumed, requirement and deliveries.
  • Vendor Management includes ensuring timely deployment of required resources, Acceptance Testing, Invoice verification, timely Invoice processing, PO closure & performance evaluation.
  • Work collaboratively with development staff and support staff to maintain thorough knowledge of product capabilities, and to ensure that all communications between Accelerant and its stakeholders are precise.

ROLLOUTS

  • Responsible to implement planned number of 2G BTS’s, 3G Node-B’s & 4G e-Nodes as per schedule to generate incremental revenue by sales and to improve Network CXX.
  • To improve NW Availability/Quality by acquiring and deployment of In-building solutions (IBS)/ COW’s at critical business locations, to boost network quality.
  • To ensure Customer Acceptance and handover of Final Deliverables is as per Product requirements.
  •  Electrical and infra up-gradations to accommodate new equipment in existing own and bilateral shared sites to meet the roll-out targets.
  • Ensure proper deployment recovered BTSs, Node-Bs and e-Nodes at sites with standard quality norms.

MW TRANSMISSION

  • Implementation of MW Traffic Nodes, SDH & XPIC links to provide bandwidth to new and existing nodes.
  • Dismantling, reverse logistic and redeployment of existing MW links as per plan with minimum maximum utilization of recovered material.
  • DCN Implementation as per plan includes ensuring integration of every deployed nodes up to SOEM server.
  • Commencing & timely closure of Site Acceptance Testing includes coordination with O&M and I&C vendors.

CORE NODE DEPLOYMENTS

  • Ensure deployment of Core nodes, BSCs, RNCs, VGW with zero/minimum deviation and ensure smooth handovers to operations and meet financial & planning expectations.
  • Prioritize the deployment of Nodes based on the traffic projections and the capacity augmentation requirements, to avoid congestion and revenue loss.

DEPLOYING NEW TECHNOLOGIES and MULTILEVEL EQUIPMENT SWAP

  • Execute and control Multi-level equipment swap, ensure that the recovered equipment’s should be redeployed properly without impacting LIVE Radio Network Availability, Quality, Network KPI’s during/post Swap quality hygiene.
  • Ensure that Multi-level Equipment Swap Progress and its dependencies on Rollout Targets are completed within stipulated time frame to meet the complex planning and business requirements.
  • Ensure proper and safe reverse logistic of recovered equipment with minimum pilferage losses.

VIL OWN SITE ACQUISITION AND BUILT UP

  • Acquisition of sites at Critical Location where no Sharing/New Built sites are Feasible.
  • Ensure structural stability, Agreement Completion, Regulatory Clearances from Local authorities of the acquired sites.
  • Responsible to execute Civil, Electrical and Telecom infra Work at acquired location.
  • Responsible for acquiring SEB Power connection and line extension resulting in minimum DG RUN and OPEX Saving.
  • Ensure proper Handover of active and passive infra & equipment of sites to O&M.

RELOCATION & EXIT OF SITES

  • To monitor the Dismantling, Packing, Indexing and Transportation of sites is done as required by business. Ordering of Material, PO for Services and Regulatory approval are in place for these activities.

CORE NODES AND VIL OWN SITES INFRASTRUCTURE

  • Responsible for Development of new MSC and BSCs Infrastructure including Power connection, DGs, ACs, Power plants, Battery bank etc.
  • Responsible for up-gradation / expansion of existing MSC’s, BSCs and VIL-owned sites infrastructures.
  • Finalizing suitable location for MSC & BSCs to meet planning requirement in coordination with legal and commercial department.
  • BOQ preparation for CAPEX and Indenting & issuing POs to vendors
  • Plan and prepare, Layouts and built up plans to maximize utilization of space considering future expansions and cost savings.
  • Supervision of day to day activities and Ensure that work should be executed as per plan and handed over to operations team within stipulated time frame.
  • Support to Operation team during issue persist during operation.

INFRASTRUCTURE SHARING WITH OTHER OPERATORS AND TOWER COMPANIES.

  • Responsible for obtaining 2G, 3G & 4G RFAI’s from the Infra Providers as per business plan.
  • Responsible to obtain all up-gradation RFAI including those of core nodes, OFC, etc.
  • Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for VIL Corporate, BOO Vendors and Infra Sharing Partners at Circle level on all project related matters
  • Ensuring that all defined documentations are maintained audit compliant at all times

SUPPORT NW VERTICALS

  • To monitor that Support to other Network Verticals is provided to meet Critical business requirements by Sector Addition, GSM Antenna Swaps, BTS Swap, Height increase/reduction is carried out as on need basis.
  • To monitor Material, Manpower and Logistics support is provided to O&M Team in natural calamities, Burnt, Flood and Theft cases for restoration of NW.
  • To monitor that support is provided to the other vertical teams in resolving IP issues, software upgrades, Capacity Upgrades, MW dependencies removal.

CAPEX MANAGEMENT, UTILIZATION AND COST SAVING

  • Projection of optimized yearly and half-yearly CAPEX with justifications required for all projects and rollouts, planned up-gradations & other activities.
  • Management & timely monitoring of CAPEX to maximum utilization of approved CAPEX and ensure maximum conversion to indents and POs and avoid Blockage of funds resulting in Savings and support business revenues (EBITA).
  • Timely utilization of CAPEX and ensuring raised POs are closed within prescribed timelines.
  • Ensure timely submission and processing of vendors invoices, payments & proper closer of budget.

RESPONSIBLE FOR INVENTORY UTILIZATION AND LIQUIDATION

  • Ensure Timely liquidation of available Inventory considering constraints of Warehouse Space and Ageing Parameters of Commercial.
  • Synchronize and alignment of Deliveries of Various equipment from different suppliers, for maximum utilization of resources.
  • Monitoring the utilization of Non Moving and SRN Inventories.
  • Controlled Inventory planning, management and movement with optimum stock.

ASSET CONTROL, LOSS PREVENTION & RECONCILIATION

  • Define check-points and ensure that process and procedures are followed during roll-outs and assets deployment.
  • Ensure reconciliation, verification and record keeping of ASSESSTS ORDERED V/S deployed, dismantled, handed-over, in-transit, stored in different WH & different locations.
  • Keep track of assets lost due to burnt/theft/damage to the Circle.
  • To Provide adequate support to the Circle Finance Teams in processing of the Insurance Claims and documentation for statutory audit compliances.
  • To ensure timely write-off of loss is done by Circle and Corporate Team through Initiation of Scrap Notes, to monitor the further disposal of scrap as per Note is done by Commercial as per process.
  • To ensure the loss of equipment/replenishment from WH/Spare Stock for NW up keeping are also removed from AMC and budgeted in new budgets.
  • Re-deployment of old recovered infra materials like Power plant, DG, AC, Tower etc after repairing
  • Execution of SRN/ATN in coordination with warehouse & finance team.

TEAM DEVELOPMENT & KNOWLEDGE IMPARTMENT

  • Responsible for team building.
  • Ensure team development by providing class-room and on job trainings on latest technologies.
  • Review the projects executions and share the learnings with team.
  • Monitor the performance of new products. Evaluate the KPIs and results/issues, and share the performance reports with all concerns.
  • To monitor the support provided to team by the Supplier on Issues related to equipment performance both during and post product implementation.
  • Conduct in-house training sessions to share the knowledge among team and create second line support.

VENDOR EVALUATION AND DEVELOPMENT

  • Develop local vendors for implementation services and accessories supplies to reduce the CAPEX cost, and ensure OEM Quality standards should be maintained.
  • Conduct trainings to local vendors, to increase the no. of skilled teams to expedite the roll-outs.
  • Conduct trainings on regular basis for vendors, on New Technologies so that Rollout Quality is improved and materials can be used efficiently.

INNOVATIONS,  EQUIPMENT REENGINEERING, PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS

  • Monitor the Obsolete/damaged/ Faulty and RNP equipments are put in use by Repair.
  • Validate the Cost Benefit Analysis for Solutions suggested by team for reduction of Scrap.
  • Develop new Product/Solutions for reducing the Circle Opex.
  • Provide Energy efficient GREEN SOLUTIONS on VIL Own Sites, BSC’s and Passive Sites to O&M/Core Teams.

DOCUMENTATION, INFORMATION & DATA MANAGEMENT

  • Define information flow process and sharing norms to share the information with all concerned stake-holders, corporate and teams.
  • Define inter-departmental process of Node integrations, up-gradations and swapping. Also regularize formats for site ATs to ensure smooth and proper handover of sites to operations.
  • Timely sharing of deviations and risks which impact the roll-out with all stake-holders.
  • Responsible to safe keeping of the site related documents like NOCs, Agreements etc. and maintain project repository to keep all processes and documents at one place for reference during execution and for future reference.

 

 

  1. Core Competencies, Knowledge, Experience, Technical / Professional Qualifications (Max 5)

 

  • Core Competencies required are Leadership, Teamwork, Delegation, Analytical, Problem Solving, Adaptability, Judgement, Customer Service and Quality.
  • Graduate in Engineering with Minimum 10+ years in handling Projects, Operations, Maintenance and Governance of Multi-vendor and Multi-Technology Network.
  • Quick learner, knowledge on change in technological trends.
  • Change Control Management

 

  1. Key Performance Indicators (Max 5)

 

  • RAN Rollout Plan Vs Actuals
  • OFC Rollout Plan Vs Actuals
  • Transport Project Plan Vs Actuals
  • Capex spend as per Plan
  • Inventory Utilization & Liquidation
  • Regulatory/EMF compliance

 

 

  1. Annual Budget Owned / Key Quantitative Parameters like Workforce managed etc.

 

Technology CAPEX controller for  the circle

 

 

  1. Risks, Challenges, Job Context (Short Description)

 

During roll-out project used to face many complex and at times repetitive issues, but same need to resolve at the earliest, keeping all actions within the company’s DoA, Policy and guidelines, without impacting the project budget, schedules and business targets.

 

Few challenges are –

  • Increased public sensitivity and Media trials on radiation issues over EMF Radiations affecting every activity in the field.
  • Resolving critical Acquisition issues like non availability of sites in critical areas, higher acquisition cost, influence of local land mafia.
  • Ambiguity in State Govt policies for permissions for Tower constructions thereby increasing the risk of roll out.
  • Statutory compliances on existing sites is extremely difficult due to local authorities issue & lack of support from state government. Resolving/avoiding site sealing due to such issues.
  • Network rollouts in extremely tough geographies like tribal areas, forest areas, Pattaya land issue areas, etc.
  • Ensure error free integrations of new nodes in LIVE Network without / minimum impacting services.
  • Redeployment of the recovered nodes after repairing within budgeted cost constraint.
  • Cumbersome ROW procedures for OFC Rollout. The guidelines adopted by the state is entirely different from the Central Government policies with requirement of free bandwidth and levies.
  • Road expansions, Local public, political bodies impacting OFC rollout.
  • Lengthy internal processes and efficiency of workforce from Infra providers affecting the Rollout.
  • Lack of support from state police / judicial system on severe threats though telecom services are covered under “Essential Services Act”.

 

  1. Job purpose of Direct Reports & Dotted Reports

In-Charge RAN Projects

Responsible for 2G, 3G, 4G & MW Rollout. Execute and control Multi-level equipment swap, ensure that the recovered equipment’s should be redeployed properly without impacting LIVE Radio Network Availability and Quality.

In-Charge OFC Projects

Responsible for Planning and execution of OFC Intracity / Intercity routes, “Right of Way (RoW)” Management & implementation and Readiness of Transport Network - OFC Link Lit-up, MUX/PTN Integration, DWDM upgrades and traffic migration.

In-Charge Relationship Management & MSA Administration

Responsible for obtaining 2G, 3G, 4G, MW, OFC RFAI’s & all up-gradation RFAI including those of core nodes from the Infra Providers as per business plan. Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Idea Corporate, BOO Vendors and Infra Sharing Partners at Circle level on all project related matters. All defined documentations are maintained audit compliant at all times.

In-Charge Consolidation Projects

Responsible for Dismantling, Packing, Indexing and Transportation of sites is done as required by business. Ordering of Material, PO for Services and Regulatory approval are in place for these activities.

Vodafone Idea Limited (formerly Idea Cellular Limited)
An Aditya Birla Group & Vodafone partnership