The NOC Manager will lead and manage the Network Operations Center (NOC) to ensure uninterrupted telecom network operations, service availability, and SLA compliance. This role is responsible for overseeing NOC engineers, incident management, escalation processes, and coordination with internal teams, vendors, and customers.
Key Responsibilities
NOC Operations & Leadership
- Manage 247 NOC operations covering Core, Access, Transmission, IP/MPLS, and IT networks
- Lead, mentor, and supervise NOC engineers (L1/L2) across shifts
- Ensure adherence to operational procedures, SOPs, and SLAs
- Plan shift rosters, manpower utilization, and on-call coverage
Incident & Escalation Management
- Own major incidents, outages, and service-impacting events
- Ensure timely detection, analysis, escalation, and resolution of network issues
- Act as the primary escalation point for critical incidents
- Coordinate with RF, Transmission, Core, IT, and Field teams
- Interface with vendors (Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, Cisco, etc.) during outages
Monitoring & Performance Management
- Ensure effective use of NMS/EMS tools for proactive monitoring
- Track network KPIs, alarms, trends, and performance metrics
- Drive continuous improvement to reduce MTTR and recurring issues
Reporting & Governance
- Prepare and review daily, weekly, and monthly NOC performance reports
- Lead Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and post-incident reviews
- Present incident summaries and performance dashboards to management
- Ensure compliance with KSA telecom regulatory and audit requirements
Process Improvement & Automation
- Define and improve NOC workflows, escalation matrices, and SOPs
- Implement best practices aligned with ITIL/ISO standards
- Support automation, monitoring enhancements, and tool optimization
Technologies & Skills
- Strong understanding of Telecom Networks:
- Mobile: GSM, UMTS, LTE, 5G
- Core, Access, Transmission, IP/MPLS
- Experience with NMS/EMS tools (Huawei, Ericsson, Nokia, SolarWinds, Zabbix, etc.)
- Solid knowledge of IP networking, routing & switching fundamentals
- Familiarity with ITIL frameworks (Incident, Problem, Change, Service Management)
- Strong grasp of SLA, KPI, MTTR, MTBF management
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications, Electronics, Computer Engineering, or related field
- 812+ years of experience in Telecom Network Operations, including 35 years in a leadership role
- Relevant certifications are a plus:
- ITIL
- CCNA/CCNP
- Huawei / Nokia / Ericsson certifications
Soft Skills
- Strong leadership and decision-making skills
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management
- Ability to manage high-pressure, mission-critical environments
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
Preferred (Nice to Have)
- Experience working with Saudi telecom operators (STC, Mobily, Zain)
- Exposure to 5G operations and advanced analytics
- Experience in multi-vendor, large-scale telecom environments
