Project Manager -Optus(Telcos)

Ceragon is seeking a Project Manager for Optus (Telcos) to lead and execute telecommunications projects. This role involves promoting safety, managing project planning and execution, overseeing hardware logistics, and maintaining strong customer and subcontractor relationships. The Project Manager will also be responsible for financial management, communication, and comprehensive reporting, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to high-quality standards while fostering team well-being and development.

Must Have

• Promote and enforce a strong safety culture and HSE compliance.
• Manage daily performance and workloads of build teams and subcontractors.
• Ensure build tracker, Inside milestones, and commentary are updated daily.
• Prepare annual and quarterly build forecasts for clients and subcontractors.
• Collect EO approvals and initiate BOM preparation for hardware ordering.
• Manage customer follow-up for hardware POs and trigger fabrication.
• Own and drive all project objectives as agreed with the customer.
• Act as first point of contact for escalations across various teams.
• Release complete design packs at least 4 weeks before planned cutover.
• Manage all subcontractor resources per build schedule and forecast.
• Record all SBOQs and customer submissions in financial tracker.
• Create, submit, approve, and manage project budgets in Inside tool.
• Maintain clear and structured communication across all stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate project trackers for build progress, hardware, financials, risks.
• Submit daily, weekly, and monthly progress reports to stakeholders.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, IT, or Project Management.
• 10+ years' experience in project management within the telecommunications sector.
• Strong technical understanding of telecom delivery lifecycle.
• Ability to interpret SOWs, BOMs, design packs, and as-builts.
• Knowledge of Australian WHS legislation and site safety processes.
• Proficiency with project management and productivity tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, MS Office).
• Valid Australian working rights and a current driver license.

Good to Have

• Professional certifications (PMP®, Agile/Scrum certification).
• Experience working with Australian CSPs, government authorities, councils, land access processes, or mining/oil & gas clients.

Open Position

• Home
• About Us
• Careers
• Open Position

Project Manager -Optus(Telcos)

Job Description

1. HSE & Team Well-Being

• Promote and enforce a strong safety culture across all project and field teams.
• Encourage open feedback and continuous improvement in health and safety practices.
• Ensure full HSE compliance in all planning, execution, and site activities.
• Ensure weekly activity planner is shared with HSE Manager every Thursday and discussed for approval on Friday.
• Maintain clear procedures for incident reporting, investigation, and closure.
• Manage daily performance and workloads of build teams and subcontractors.
• Ensure team well being by maintaining balanced approach in resourcing and performance monitoring.
• Enforce deliberate self-checks and quality validation by team members.
• Promote ongoing skill development and self-learning.
• Ensure all build prerequisites (PTW, access, design review, long-lead item ordering) are completed ahead of build schedules.
• Maintain leave plans and approval records for all team members.
• Hold team members accountable for performance, deadlines, and quality standards.

2. Project Planning & Execution

• Ensure build tracker, Inside milestones, and commentary are updated daily by PEs.
• Lead interlock meetings with SAED to resolve open issues and align build inputs.
• Enforce data entry discipline using correct date formats and standard naming conventions.
• Prepare annual and quarterly build forecasts for clients and subcontractors.
• Align subcontractor resource plans to forecast build volumes.
• Develop and maintain all required project documentation, scopes, objectives, and task assignments.

3. Hardware Management (End-to-End)

• Collect EO approvals from SAED once hardware is ready to order.
• Initiate BOM preparation and coordinate with Planning Manager for submission.
• Follow up with planning and sales teams for timely BOM submission to customer.
• Manage customer follow-up for hardware POs.
• Trigger sales operations to start hardware fabrication and warehouse deliveries.
• Update sales operations on warehouse changes and hardware requirement updates.
• Attend change request forums, take actions, and provide build impact assessments.
• Follow up across Ceragon teams and customer for additional hardware as per CR outcomes.
• Develop hardware contingency plans when items are delayed or missed.
• Maintain accurate trackers when borrowing hardware from future links and ensure replacements are arranged.

4. Customer Management

• Own and drive all project objectives as agreed with the customer.
• Act as first point of contact for escalations across planning, design, deployment, GDC, FOPs, SRPQ teams.
• Attend MW Get-Well forums with customer planning and field operations.
• Ensure Build HOPs are submitted in Helix within the month of delivery.
• Prepare and present weekly client updates and monthly governance slide packs.
• Attend design and provisioning meetings with PEs.
• Drive closure of acceptance actions by coordinating with planning, design and provisioning teams.

5. Subcontractor Management

• Release complete design packs at least 4 weeks before planned cutover.
• Manage all subcontractor resources per build schedule and forecast.
• Assign next 12 months’ link list to subcontractors for early planning.
• Send completed SAED site lists twice a month to ensure BOQ submissions are on time.
• Maintain and manage a 3-month rollout plan jointly with subcontractor PMs.
• Share 3-month rolling forecast to align subcontractor manpower.
• Ensure suppliers follow the 21-day plan; proactively address exceptions.
• Conduct daily/weekly LBLs/monthly governance reviews with suppliers and Project teams.
• Ensure PEs issue and distribute meeting minutes after every session.
• Ensure quotes are chased 4 weeks ahead, with timely pre-approvals and POs to subcontractors.

6. Financial Management

• Record all SBOQs and customer submissions in financial tracker.
• Ensure timely submission of PE charges and variation costs to customer PM.
• Issue subcontractor POs immediately upon receiving customer email approvals.
• Create, submit, approve, and manage project budgets in Inside tool.
• Ensure POs are raised against correct project IDs.
• Review and approve subcontractor quotes/PRs via email and Inside tool.
• Ensure main build BOQs have approved POs before work commences.
• Track subcontractor PR/PO/WCC in a structured manner.
• Issue WCCs upon timely completion of subcontractor work.

7. Communication Management

• Maintain clear and structured communication across contractors, clients, and internal teams.
• Ensure communication frequency and SLAs are adhered to for all stakeholders.
• Share agendas before meetings and distribute minutes promptly afterward.

8. Reporting Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate project trackers for build progress, hardware, subcontractor status, financials, risks, and dependencies.
• Ensure daily, weekly, and monthly progress reports are submitted to internal and external stakeholders on time.
• Provide concise dashboards summarising status, risk, mitigation plans, and delivery outlook.
• Keep Inside tool continuously updated for milestones, budgets, POs, approvals, and variations.
• Validate all reporting data for quality, correctness, and consistency.
• Provide reporting input for governance forums, executive reviews, and escalations.
• Ensure subcontractors provide timely and accurate reports; escalate delays or inaccuracies.
• Maintain audit-ready records of approvals, documents, change requests, and communication logs.
• Track and report monthly delivery versus forecast and highlight gaps and recovery plans.
• Improve reporting structure and cadence in alignment with Ceragon PMO guidelines.

Strong Stakeholder Management

Demonstrated ability to engage and manage expectations with customers, subcontractors, councils, internal delivery teams, and external partners. Able to build trust-based, long-term relationships.

Effective Communication

Clear, concise, and confident verbal and written communication, aligned with Australian business norms. Able to present project updates, risks, and decisions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking

Able to assess issues quickly, interpret incomplete information, and recommend practical solutions to keep delivery on track.

Negotiation & Influence

Skilled at negotiating timelines, dependencies, variations, and deliverables with subcontractors, customers, and internal teams. Able to influence without direct authority.

Customer-Centric Approach

Committed to understanding customer requirements and delivering high-quality outcomes. Able to manage escalations with professionalism and maturity.

Time Management & Prioritisation

Able to manage multiple parallel workstreams, shifting priorities, and tight project milestones typical of telecom deployments.

Team Collaboration & Cultural Awareness

Collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across diverse teams, including offshore engineering groups and nationwide field resources.

Adaptability & Resilience

Comfortable operating in fast-paced and dynamic telecom environments, adjusting plans in response to network outages, weather impacts, or customer-driven changes.

Risk Awareness & Proactive Planning

Capable of identifying risks early, developing mitigation strategies, and escalating issues appropriately to protect delivery timelines and commercial outcomes.

Conflict Resolution

Ability to manage disagreements constructively, resolve delivery challenges, and maintain positive working relationships with vendors and stakeholders.

Leadership, People Management & Team Development

Demonstrated ability to motivate cross-functional teams and drive accountability.

Includes managing direct reports, conducting performance discussions, providing coaching and guidance, and fostering a high-performance culture.

Commercial Acumen

Understanding of the commercial impacts of delays, rework, variations, SLAs, and contractual commitments within telecom delivery.

Attention to Detail

Strong focus on accuracy when reviewing designs, SOWs, BOMs, deployment checklists, and acceptance documentation.

Safety & Compliance Mindset

Commitment to Australian WHS standards and safe delivery practices. Ensures adherence to site safety requirements, inductions, and risk assessment processes.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Information Technology, Project Management, or a related discipline.

Equivalent industry experience may be accepted in lieu of formal education.

• Professional certifications (highly regarded): PMP®, Agile/Scrum certification (desirable)

• 10+ years' experience in project management within the telecommunications sector, including successful delivery of projects involving: Microwave, Mobile/RAN (3G/4G/5G), Private LTE/5G, Fibre/backhaul/transmission infrastructure

• Field construction and site build activities

• Strong technical understanding of the telecom delivery lifecycle, including design, logistics, site build, integration, testing, and acceptance.

• Ability to interpret and work with SOWs, BOMs, design packs, as-builts, and other technical documentation.

• Knowledge of Australian WHS legislation, site safety processes, PTW systems, rigging safety, and industry compliance requirements.

• Proficiency with project management and productivity tools, including MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Monday.com, and MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint).

• Experience working with Australian CSPs, government authorities, councils, land access processes, or mining/oil & gas clients (highly desirable).

• Valid Australian working rights (Citizen/PR/valid visa) and a current driver license to undertake site visits as required.