Network Operations Senior Advisor

**Position Objective:**The Senior Advisor serves as the principal strategic and technical sounding board to the VP of Network Operations. Orchestrating operational excellence across all network domains and drive the transition from a complex legacy infrastructure to a future\-state, zero\-touch architecture – targeting TM Forum Autonomous Network Level 4 (ANL 4\) maturity and a modernized, unified NOC. **Job Description \& Responsibilities:*** Act as the primary trusted advisor to the VP of Network Operations on long\-term strategy, operational risk management, and technology lifecycle investments. * Evaluate and translate emerging technological trends (e.g., 6G readiness, advanced edge computing, network slicing) into actionable, high\-yield operational roadmaps. * Advise on the governance of operational frameworks across the entirety of the operator’s footprint to ensure alignment with global standards and corporate KPIs. * Provide strategic direction and operational efficiency oversight across eight core domains: * Mobile Network: Next\-gen RAN, vRAN, OpenRAN, and multi\-generation (4G/5G/5G\-Advanced) core alignment. * Fixed Network: FTTx, GPON, and next\-generation fixed access operations. * Transport Network: IP/MPLS, Optical (DWDM), Segment Routing, and microwave backhaul optimization. * Core \& Cloud Network: Cloud\-native network functions (CNFs/VNFs), telco cloud infrastructure (OpenStack, Kubernetes), and hybrid\-cloud operational paradigms. * IT Operations: Alignment of corporate IT infrastructure, workplace tech, and data center operations with network functions. * Cybersecurity: Embedding DevSecOps into network operations, ensuring infrastructure resilience, threat mitigation, and strict regulatory compliance. * OSS/BSS: Transforming legacy Operations and Business Support Systems into agile, microservices\-driven architectures. * AIOps Strategy Formulation: Define the overarching AI/ML roadmap for Network Operations to move toward predictive, generative, and closed\-loop autonomous operations. * AIOps Implementation: Drive the deployment of Artificial Intelligence for AI Operations (AIOps) platforms to ingest vast streams of telemetry data across Fixed, Mobile, and Cloud networks for real\-time anomaly detection and predictive scaling. * Generative AI \& LLMs in Ops: Evaluate and pilot Generative AI applications (such as LLM\-powered network assistants) to accelerate Tier\-1/Tier\-2 engineering troubleshooting, synthesize complex RCA (Root Cause Analysis) logs, and automate routine configuration scripts safely. * Data Governance for Networks: Collaborate with Chief Data Officers/IT to establish robust data pipelines, ensuring clean, structured, and real\-time network telemetry data is available to train and mature AI models. * AI Governance \& Explainability: Ensure AI/ML and closed\-loop automation decisions remain auditable and explainable (XAI), preserving engineer trust and regulatory compliance as autonomy increases. * AI Capability Upskilling: Act as a change agent to foster an AI\-first mindset across the engineering workforce, advising the VP on the talent and skills gap required to operate a cognitive network. * Lead the transformation of the NOC from siloed, domain\-specific monitoring into a unified command center, consolidating EMS/NMS, service assurance, and orchestration tooling across Fixed, Mobile, Transport, Core, Cloud, and IT domains. * Define and continuously optimize the NOC’s tiered support structure (Tier 0 automated remediation through Tier 3 specialist escalation), shifting resolution through automation, runbooks, and AI\-assisted diagnostics. * Drive AI/ML\-based event correlation, event de\-duplication, and noise reduction, ensuring NOC engineers focus exclusively on actionable, service\-impacting events. * Own the end\-to\-end Major Incident Management process, including rapid triage, cross\-domain war\-room coordination, executive communication, and post\-incident root\-cause and problem management. * Ensure 24/7 operational resilience through effective staffing model, shift patterns, and escalation matrices that sustain continuous, around\-the\-clock network assurance aligned with contractual SLA commitments. * NOC\-SOC Integration: Partner with the Cybersecurity function to align NOC monitoring and incident\-response workflows with Security Operations Center (SOC) processes, ensuring unified visibility into service\-impacting and security\-impacting events. * Progress the NOC toward TM Forum Autonomous Network Level 4 (ANL 4\) — highly autonomous, closed\-loop operations — with measurable maturity targets across priority domains. * ANL Level 4 Transition: Architect and drive the migration from manual/reactive troubleshooting to Autonomous Advanced Operations Model Level 4 (Intent\-driven, highly autonomous closed\-loop operations). * Zero\-Touch Self\-Healing: Recommend, design, and champion AI/ML\-driven initiatives to achieve predictive maintenance, automated anomaly detection, and automated root\-cause analysis (RCA) to enable a self\-healing infrastructure. * OPEX Optimization: Identify structural inefficiencies across domains and execute modernization programs that significantly reduce operational costs while boosting Network Quality of Experience (QoE). * Energy \& Sustainability Optimization: Drive AI\-based optimization of RAN and site power usage to cut energy cost, reduce emissions, and improve operational efficiency. * Align all operational transformation workflows, information models, and open APIs with TM Forum Open Digital Architecture (ODA) \- including eTOM, SID, and the Functional Framework to enable vendor\-agnostic interoperability and support zero\-touch, AI\-ready operations. Enforce and mature the FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Accounting, Performance, Security) model through modern, automated tooling. * **Qualifications \& Experience:*** Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Computer Science, or a strictly related technical field is required. * A Master’s Degree (M.Sc. or MBA) is highly preferred * Minimum of 20 years of progressive experience within the Telecommunications or closely related ICT sector. * At least 5 years in a similar executive advisory capacity, or a senior management role within a Tier\-1 telecom operator. * Documented history of leading large\-scale network transformation, automation, or modernization initiatives that yielded measurable OPEX savings or reliability gains. * Deep understanding of complex network ecosystems (Fixed, Mobile, Transport, Core, IT, Cyber). * Demonstrated experience leading or transforming a large\-scale, 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC), including tiered escalation models, major incident management, and modern NOC tooling (EMS/NMS, ITSM/ticketing, alarm correlation, AIOps platforms). * Comprehensive knowledge of TM Forum Open Digital Architecture (ODA) — including eTOM, SID, and the Functional Frameworkand traditional FCAPS infrastructure management. * Comprehensive knowledge of AI/ML applications in telecom operations (AIOps), network virtualization (NFV/SDN), and orchestration engines. * Industry certifications and memberships (e.g., PMP, ITIL, TOGAF, CCIE, or equivalent) are considered a plus * Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills with the ability to distill highly technical, fragmented architectural issues into clear, risk\-managed business cases for C\-suite executives and cross\-functional teams. * Ability to balance immediate operational fire\-fighting with the long\-term vision of proactive and zero\-touch autonomy. * Strong adaptability and a drive for continual improvement. * Experience in time management and task prioritization. * Excellent verbal and written English; Arabic is an advantage. * Strong organizational skills and ability to perform under pressure without compromising quality.