Managed Services (MS) Project Director

About the role

The Managed Services Project Director leads the strategic, operational, financial and contractual performance of a telecommunications managed services project. The role ensures network availability, service quality, compliance with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and achievement of customer and business objectives, while leading multidisciplinary technical and operational teams, managing executive-level customer relationships and coordinating subcontractors and technology partners.

Key responsibilities

• Project leadership and governance: set direction for Operations Directors, NOC, back office, field and network optimization managers; establish governance, escalation procedures and recovery plans for underperforming KPIs.
• Operational performance and SLAs: ensure network availability, MTTR, incident resolution and service quality; oversee incident, problem and change management; run performance dashboards and recovery initiatives.
• Customer and contract management: act as the main point of accountability for the customer, lead governance meetings and monthly reviews, manage escalations and monitor SLA exposure and service credits.
• Financial management: own the project budget, operating costs and profitability; monitor subcontracting costs and budget variances; lead forecasting, cost optimization and commercial negotiations.
• People and subcontractor management: lead and develop technical managers, engineers, NOC and field teams and subcontractors; define roles, performance objectives and accountability; oversee supplier performance and corrective actions.
• Continuous improvement: drive automation, digitalization, predictive maintenance and standardization of processes; lead transformation initiatives.
• Risk, safety and compliance: ensure compliance with regulations, health, safety and environmental requirements, and maintain business continuity and audit readiness.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science or a related field; a Master's degree or MBA is an advantage.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in telecommunications operations, managed services or network infrastructure.
• Significant experience in senior operational management, large-scale project leadership and Managed Services delivery.
• Proven experience managing multidisciplinary teams, subcontractors, customer relationships and SLAs.
• Demonstrated experience in financial management, budget control, profitability and complex customer escalations.

Required skills

• Understanding of RAN, Transmission, IP/MPLS, Core Network, power systems, NOC operations and field maintenance.
• SLA management, KPI monitoring, incident escalation and operational recovery.
• Budget planning, cost optimization, forecasting and profitability management.
• Customer governance, supplier negotiations and subcontractor oversight.
• Risk management, crisis management and strategic decision-making.