Network Management Lead

THE JOB This role is responsible for leading the Planning function within Network Management, ensuring the successful delivery of planning activities across Rearrangements, Network Maintenance, Diversions, Wholesale Services and Network Expansion programmes. Lending support to the Senior Network Manager in the coordination, programming and governance of Network Management activities.

The Network Management Lead (Planning) will combine people leadership with technical expertise, providing governance, assurance and direction to the Planning team whilst maintaining responsibility for the quality, accuracy and timeliness of planning outputs. WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING? Lead, develop and manage a team of Admin, Planners and Senior Planners, ensuring delivery against operational and programme objectives .

Support the Senior Network Manager in the planning, coordination and governance of Network Management programmes. Coordinate planning activities across Rearrangements, Network Maintenance, Diversions, Wholesale Services, In-Life Build and Network Expansion programmes. Manage planning resource allocation, workload prioritisation and programme sequencing to ensure effective delivery.

Act as the senior technical escalation point for complex planning, design and network record issues. Ensure planning outputs are delivered to agreed quality, cost and timescale requirements. Review and authorise design changes, ensuring impacts are assessed, documented and communicated. Provide technical assurance and approval of planning outputs before issue to operational delivery teams.

Support reactive and proactive network maintenance activities through the provision of technical planning solutions. Ensure all maintenance and network changes are accurately captured within GIS and network record systems. Monitor programme milestones, risks, dependencies and constraints, escalating issues where appropriate .

Coordinate with Operations, NOC, Finance, PIA, contractors and external stakeholders to support efficient delivery. Ensure all planning activities comply with company standards, health and safety requirements, regulatory obligations and industry best practice. M aintain and develop planning processes, standards, governance controls and network data quality.

Support fault investigations and root cause analysis by providing planning expertise and network design insight. Provide regular reporting on planning performance, programme delivery, resource requirements and risks. Identify and implement opportunities for continuous improvement across planning, maintenance and operational activities.

Attend site visits, stakeholder meetings and contractor reviews as required . WHAT WILL YOU BRING? The ideal person will come from a telecoms background coupled with extensive planning experience. Previous experience working for a major UK telecoms company would be an advantage. Significant FTTP planning experience and strong knowledge of passive network elements and optical budget limitations.

Demonstrable experience leading technical planning teams /projects . Experience supporting network maintenance, operational delivery and programme management activities. Strong understanding of fibre surveying, network design principles, PON architectures and fibre infrastructure deployment. Proven ability to design fit-for-purpose and cost-effective fibre networks including topology layouts, splice plans, duct infrastructure and cable routing.

Strong understanding of GIS governance, network records management and as-built processes. Detailed knowledge of UK and NI regulations relating to civil engineering works, streetworks , wayleaves , ESG, PIA and network infrastructure. Demonstrable experience using GIS software . Strong stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills.

Experience managing programmes, workstreams and competing operational priorities. Strong leadership, coaching and performance management capability. Excellent analytical, problem-solving, reporting and forecasting skills. IT literate with the ability to produce standardised and ad-hoc reporting.