Technical Program Manager
About this role
Summary:
Duties & Responsibilities:
VIAVI Solutions – Technical Program Manager, Location: Chennai; reports to: Head of Global Project Management Office
Company Overview
VIAVI (NASDAQ: VIAV) has a 90+ year history of technical innovations that have evolved to keep pace and address our customer’s most pressing business issues. We make equipment, software, and systems that help to plan, deploy, certify, monitor, and optimize all kinds of networks - like those for mobile phones, service providers, large businesses and data centers. VIAVI is also a leader in high performance thin film optical coatings and engineered diffusers, providing light management solutions to anti-counterfeiting, consumer electronics, automotive, defense and instrumentation markets. We are the people behind the products that help keep the world connected – at home, school, work, at play, and everywhere in between. VIAVI employees are fierce about supporting customer success and we welcome people who bring their best every day to the company - to question, to collaborate and to push for solutions that will delight our customers.
Role Summary
The role of a TPM is the end-to-end ownership of project delivery and services, from pre-sales planning through to ongoing customer satisfaction beyond acceptance. The delivery of VIAVI Solutions’ portfolio involves integration with customer IT infrastructure, connectivity with network elements or analysis of network traffic, plus provision of training and consulting activities with the end users of the system. Each project is delivered by several members of the Professional Services team including Deployment Engineers, Subject Matter Experts for consulting, and Onsite Consultants for post-acceptance. The TPM will oversee all activities within this team. The TPM will be the key point of contact for the customer for all project activities, therefore they shall be expected to manage and own all coordination activities within VIAVI Solutions and the Customer during each deployment, this includes the ownership of statements of work, project planning and reporting documentation. The TPM role will involve travel throughout the region.
Duties & Responsibilities
Project Planning & Execution
Monitor projects from initiation (kickoff) through delivery to customer acceptance.
Track progress on project plans, schedules, budgets, and deliverables.
Plan and identify required resources for successful project execution.
Manage multiple projects and reconcile interdependencies between them.
Utilize best-practice project management tools and methodologies Customer Engagement & Satisfaction.
Maintain high customer satisfaction (internal and external) through timely delivery and technical expertise.
Serve as the primary point of contact for deployment, training, and consulting activities.
Manage communication of project status, technical progress, and business impact with stakeholders.
Schedule and organize project review meetings Team Leadership & Collaboration.
Facilitate communication and coordination across cross-functional teams.
Lead cross-functional project meetings, document meeting minutes, and track actions.
Motivate and lead teams to deliver business results.
Work effectively and efficiently with others, consistently applying best practices Risk & Change Management.
Proactively manage project risks and issues through identification and mitigation strategies.
Track and manage project change controls.
Provide recommendations for continuous improvement.
Reporting & Documentation
Collect and report on project metrics and KPIs.
Manage important project documentation.
Forecast revenue and ensure forecast accuracy, considering revenue recognition impacts.
Support budget delivery of services, operational assistance, and consulting.
Education and Experience Pre-requisites
BTECH or MTECH in Computer Science, Electronics & Communications , or a related technical field.
Preference: Project Management Professional (PMP) or PRINCE2 certification Industry Experience.
10+ years in the Mobile Telecommunications Industry, with expertise in Network Planning and Optimization, Service Assurance and Customer Experience Management across GSM/UMTS/LTE/5G networks.
5+ years of project management experience in delivering and deploying software solutions for large organizations
Technical skills required
Strong understanding of Core CS (2G/3G), Core PS (2G–5G NSA/SA), and IMS networks.
Familiarity with industry tools such as Aircom Asset, Forsk Atoll, Actix Drive Test Post Processing, Tektronix Geoprobe (preferred but not essential).
Knowledge of RAN/Core Mobile Network Interfaces and vendor OSS (Ericsson, Nokia, Huawei) is an advantage.
Good understanding of Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) and Agile methodologies Project & Process Skills.
Significant experience with project management methodologies and techniques.
Knowledge of budgeting and resource allocation procedures.
Experience with quality management systems (ISO 9001).
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Project.
Experience with Atlassian tools (JIRA, Confluence)
Soft skills required
Strong leadership and team management capabilities.
Excellent analytical, quantitative, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work independently with minimal direction.
Effective communicator with excellent written and verbal skills in English.
Team player with the ability to clearly articulate technical results to customers.
Pre-Requisites / Skills / Experience Requirements: