Job Title: NPO Technical Manager
Contract Type: 6-Month Contract (Outside IR35)
Location: Hybrid – Remote with occasional travel to Berkshire (UK)
Overview
We are looking for an experienced NPO Technical Manager to lead Network Planning and Optimization (NPO) activities for a major telecommunications project. This is a contract role outside IR35, offering a mix of remote working and occasional on-site presence in Berkshire.
You will act as the primary technical authority for NPO performance, ensuring delivery excellence across quality, risk, and timelines while serving as the key technical interface for the customer.
Your Role
As the NPO Technical Manager, you will oversee all technical aspects of network performance and optimization within the project. Reporting to the NPO Project Manager, you will play a critical role in ensuring network quality, driving optimization strategies, and leading technical teams to deliver against contractual KPIs.
Key Responsibilities
* Serve as the primary technical contact and escalation point for all NPO-related matters
* Lead and coordinate NPO technical activities across:
* Planning
* Execution
* Acceptance phases
* Work closely with Project Management and engineering teams to ensure smooth delivery and operational continuity
* Conduct technical risk analysis, defining and implementing mitigation strategies
* Validate workload, resource requirements, and expertise needed for NPO tasks
* Support project planning, delivery acceptance, and handover to operations
* Drive network performance optimization, focusing on:
* Stability
* Throughput (DL/UL)
* Coverage
* Latency
* Analyse drive test data (single site and cluster level) and correlate with contractual KPIs
* Coordinate with field teams (Drive Test teams) and local stakeholders to implement improvements
* Organise and lead network audits (features, licenses, neighbour relations) using Nokia tools
* Ensure radio network design, databuild, and optimization meet customer expectations
* Define and monitor end-user performance criteria
* Lead NPO teams to achieve cluster and site acceptance and secure final E2E solution approval
* Build strong customer relationships and manage stakeholder communication, risks, and issues
* Identify opportunities to expand NPO scope and enhance customer solutions
Required Skills & Experience
* Degree in Engineering or Telecommunications
* 5+ years of hands-on experience in radio network performance and optimization (end-to-end delivery to external customers)
* 3+ years in a technical leadership role (project management, team leadership, or solution consulting within NPO)
* Strong expertise in Nokia RAN technologies, including:
* 2G / 3G / 4G / 5G
* CRAN / ORAN
* Solid knowledge of Nokia parameters, protocols, and NPO tools/processes
* Experience with Nokia RAN portfolio, including:
* NetAct
* SRAN
* MRBTS
* AirScale BTS
* Controllers
* NPO services
* Strong analytical skills, particularly in drive test analysis and performance optimization
* Excellent communication and presentation skills
* Proven ability to lead teams and collaborate across functions
* Fluent in English
Desirable Skills
- Additional language(s)- Broader experience across other areas of the Nokia portfolio
Work Model
- Hybrid role: primarily remote- Occasional travel required to Berkshire, UK