Manager - Access Strategy & Partnership

Job Family Descriptor
To be the highest level planner on offnet access, defining short-term (1 year) & long-term (3 years or beyond) strategic plans to ensure end-customers have the best experience delivering efficiently any type of Content or Application to any user or device anywhere in the world at competitive commercials in the market with minimum operational outage. This will ensure customer loyalty as well as enhance TCL competitiveness to win new businesses.

To be responsible for execution of the Network category and sourcing strategies in line with the Procurement Policy and align to company’s corporate objectives to maximize total cost of ownership savings and procurement value contribution. To optimize cost & identify cost-savings incurred on installed base via systematic audit algorithm (e.g. circuit grooming, geo-evaluation & consolidation, alternative access technologies, supplier migration, commercial negotiation etc.)

To support SCM ASP International in data mining, analysis activities, actively participating in initiatives to enhance offnet access inventory and achieve cost savings.

**Responsibilities**:
Responsible for the development and execution of the Network category strategy

To formulate geo-region / in-country access strategy, drilling down into micro aspects of supplier preference, access solutions (segment into industrial verticals e.g. BFSI, OTTs, Media, logistic etc.), designs, diversity, performance, solution portability, new technologies (e.g. 5G, TVWS, LEO satellites broadband), ease of service delivery and assurance etc.)

To manage competitive intelligence activities on the market & players, using the intelligence information to shape TCL access solutions to be ahead of competition e.g. price benchmarking, SLA benchmarking

Leads the analysis and sets the category spend baseline and development of the category profile, including risk assessment and Supplier Relationship Management strategy

To lead in selecting the best local access suppliers/ partners, negotiating MSAs/ JPAs during new international service launch & managing the high-level strategic relations (i.e. carrier relations)

To effectively qualify new offnet access suppliers & solutions, partner integration and launch internally within TCL

To negotiate for market competitive commercials & optimum operational commitments (e.g. SLA)

Leads the medium to complex supplier selection, identification of potential strategic partners and fact-based negotiations for networks and equipment if applicable.

To audit existing installed base, setup & configuration for cost-savings opportunities and lead team to derive cost savings in collaboration with internal stakeholders.

To provide recommendation on processes optimization relating to offnet access for Enablers to implement with aims to create efficient workflows, indirectly increasing win probability on sales

To support Enablers team on access processes during internal and external audits

To consolidate all access information essential to sales bid, and constantly channel to key SBUs of Products, Business Solutions, Solutions Engineering, Commercial Operations, Transport & Network Engineering

To assess the trend on offnet access from commercial & operations angle & adapt the access strategy appropriately to ensure TCL secures the best ground to compete

To constantly interface into key senior level stakeholders e.g. VP Sales, Head Sales Engineering, to understand the direction and align the access strategy accordingly

To lead discussions with suppliers on API availability and capabilities within region and facilitate between TCL stakeholders and supplier stakeholders during API implementation and testing for quoting, ordering and service management.

Liaise with supplier for On-net building list and rate card on a periodic basis to refresh data and coordinate with shared services to ensure the availability of relevant data in appropriate TCL systems.

Minimum qualification & experience

Bachelor of Engineering in any field Preferably with MBA but not necessary

About 5 years of relevant experience working in regional telecom providers.

About 5 years’ experience in the Category Management/Strategic Sourcing environment, focusing on network technology sourcing.

Experience in a network technology sourcing environment with large scale sourcing projects exposure.

Must have a good understanding of the ICT industry, with a focus on the Telecommunications market and trends.

**Special Added advantage**: Relevant working experience on local access management preferably with global telcos or regional telcos.

Technical

High level understanding of Global Networks & technologies

High level understanding of access technologies such as MPLS, Ethernet, Wireless BB, LTE/5G, Microwave, Satellite and other emerging Networking technologies and their commercial manifestations

Understanding of RESTful API capabilities and implementation, as well as related areas, e.g., HTML,