Network Planning Specialist

The Network Planning Specialist supports the planning of capacity and deployment of infrastructure platforms to deliver outstanding customer experience. This role requires a continuous learning mindset and strong analytical skills to build technical expertise in complex Network Planning environments, ensuring the largest and fastest network coverage and service for customers.

Must Have

• Develop and execute strategic capacity plan for the global IP backbone.
• Run abstract modelling and what-if scenarios to eliminate Single point of failure.
• Evaluate and recommend new hardware and software technologies.
• Proactively monitor network utilization and traffic trends.
• Utilize forecasting models to predict future capacity requirements.
• Consolidate hardware requirement to support capacity plan.
• Provide technical guidance for implementation of routing policies, including advanced BGP configurations.
• Solid understanding of Segment Routing (SR-MPLS/SRv6) architectures.
• Solid understanding of Quality of Service (QoS) to design differentiated services.
• Support operations team during complex network changes and troubleshooting escalations.
• Develop and maintain scripts (e.g., Python, Ansible) for automating network data collection and reporting tasks.
• Consolidate and visualize key network planning data into intuitive dashboards.
• Create and present regular reports on network health, growth, and strategic initiatives to leadership.
• Minimum of 5 years of direct experience in network planning and design.
• CCNA and JNCIA certifications are mandatory.
• Proven hands-on experience with Cisco and Juniper backbone router platforms.
• Expert-level knowledge of BGP and a strong understanding of ISIS.
• Practical experience with Segment Routing and a fundamental understanding of QoS principles.
• Demonstrated proficiency in a scripting language (Python preferred).
• Advance MS excel knowledge.

Good to Have

• CCNP and/or JNCIS-SP certifications (or higher).
• Some exposure to optical transmission networks (e.g., DWDM, OTN) and Packet over Optical architectures (e.g., IPoDWDM).
• Understanding of submarine cable systems, including their specific SLAs, diverse path planning, and capacity management.
• Thorough understanding of advanced QoS models, such as tricolor marking (RFC 2697, RFC 2698) within a Segment Routing environment.
• Expertise in PowerBI or similar data consolidation and visualization tools.
• Some understanding of AI/ML concepts and their application to network forecasting and anomaly detection.
• Experience with MPLS, IPv6, Network Disaggregation, or other service provider technologies.

Perks & Benefits

• Performance-related pay
• Access to thousands of learning programs so you can level-up
• Global presence across 22 countries; opportunities to work where we do business.
• Up to 26 weeks maternity leave provided to the birth mother with benefits for all child births
• Employees are entitled to 12 paid holidays per calendar year
• Eligible employees are entitled to 12 days of paid sick / casual leave per calendar year
• Receive insurance benefits such as medical, accidental and life insurances

Who We Are

Telstra is Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company spanning over a century with a footprint in over 20+ countries. In India, we’re building a platform for innovative delivery and engagement that will strengthen our position as an industry leader. We’ve grown quickly since our inception in 2019, now with offices in Pune and Bangalore

Focus of the Role

We are seeking a highly motivated and analytical Network Planning Specialist to join our global network team. In this critical role, you will be responsible for the strategic planning, design, and capacity management of our multi-vendor (Cisco & Juniper) backbone network. You will leverage your deep technical expertise and financial acumen to ensure our highly resilient network scales efficiently to supports growth, maintains minimum diversity requirements as articulated in our architectural guideline and delivers a superior quality of experience for our customers.

What We Offer

• Performance-related pay
• Access to thousands of learning programs so you can level-up
• Global presence across 22 countries; opportunities to work where we do business.
• Up to 26 weeks maternity leave provided to the birth mother with benefits for all child births
• Employees are entitled to 12 paid holidays per calendar year
• Eligible employees are entitled to 12 days of paid sick / casual leave per calendar year
• Receive insurance benefits such as medical, accidental and life insurances

What You’ll Do

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Network Planning & Design:

• Develop and execute the strategic capacity plan for the global IP backbone to support annual growth projections (Annual Operating Plan).
• Run abstract modelling and what-if scenarios to eliminate Single point of failure, impact to latency and packet delivery
• Evaluate and recommend new hardware and software technologies to enhance network performance and cost-effectiveness.

Capacity Management & Forecasting:

• Proactively monitor network utilization and traffic trends to identify potential bottlenecks.
• Utilize forecasting models, including basic AI/ML concepts, to predict future capacity requirements.
• Ability to consolidate hardware requirement to support capacity plan derived based on trend or forecast from sales and product.

Technical Expertise:

• Provide technical guidance for the implementation of routing policies, including advanced BGP configurations.
• Solid understanding of Segment Routing (SR-MPLS/SRv6) architectures for enhanced traffic engineering.
• Solid understanding of Quality of Service (QoS) to design differentiated services for premium products.
• Support the operations team during complex network changes and troubleshooting escalations.

Automation & Reporting:

• Develop and maintain scripts (e.g., Python, Ansible) to automate the collection and reporting of critical planning metrics (e.g., utilization, capacity, forecast accuracy).
• Consolidate and visualize key network planning data into intuitive dashboards. (PowerBI expertise is a significant advantage).
• Create and present regular reports on network health, growth, and strategic initiatives to leadership.

About You

. Mandatory Qualifications & Skills

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of direct experience in network planning and design within a large service provider environment.
• Certifications: CCNA and JNCIA are mandatory.
• Hardware Proficiency: Proven hands-on experience with Cisco and Juniper backbone router platforms (e.g., Cisco ASR9k, 8800, NCS, Juniper MX, PTX series).
• Routing Protocols: Expert-level knowledge of BGP and a strong understanding of ISIS
• Core Technologies: Practical experience with Segment Routing and a fundamental understanding of QoS principles.
• Automation: Demonstrated proficiency in a scripting language (Python preferred) for automating network data collection and reporting tasks resonated in TAN (Telstra Autonomous Network) or Connected30 strategy
• Advance MS excel knowledge

Soft Skills:

• Strong financial acumen for budgeting and cost-benefit analysis.
• A proven team player with excellent communication skills.
• Keen to learn quickly and adapt to new technologies.
• Ability to think creatively and "outside the box" to solve complex problems.
• Highly disciplined, punctual, and results oriented.

Desirable Qualifications

• Certifications: CCNP and/or JNCIS-SP (or higher) are highly desirable.
• Transport & Optical Expertise:
• Some exposure to optical transmission networks (e.g., DWDM, OTN) and Packet over Optical architectures (e.g., IPoDWDM).
• Understanding of submarine cable systems, including their specific SLAs, diverse path planning, and capacity management.
• Advanced QoS: Thorough understanding of advanced QoS models, such as tricolor marking (RFC 2697, RFC 2698) within a Segment Routing environment to provide differentiated services.
• Data Visualization: Expertise in PowerBI or similar data consolidation and visualization tools.
• Emerging Tech: Some understanding of AI/ML concepts and their application to network forecasting and anomaly detection.
• Other Skills: Experience with MPLS, IPv6, Network Disaggregation, or other service provider technologies.

If you are looking to take the next step in your career, we want to hear from you