Programme Manager at QES

Programme Manager: Subsea Cable Landing & Global Capacity Delivery
Location: Midrand, Gauteng
Travel: Required to cable landing sites and supplier locations (Durban)
Employment Type: Contract - 12 months

Job Purpose
An exciting opportunity exists for an experienced Programme Manager to lead the end-to-end delivery of submarine cable landing programmes and associated global telecommunications capacity infrastructure.

The role will be responsible for managing complex, multi-disciplinary infrastructure programmes, from initial feasibility, permitting and supplier mobilisation through to cable landing, infrastructure installation, network integration, testing, commissioning and operational handover.

The successful candidate will ensure that all programme deliverables are achieved safely, within approved budgets and timelines, and in accordance with technical, regulatory, environmental and commercial requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-End Programme Management
• Take overall responsibility for the integrated programme plan, delivery milestones and critical path across submarine cable landing and global capacity infrastructure projects.
• Manage programme activities from landing-site readiness and cable landing through installation, testing, acceptance and operational handover.
• Define programme milestones, dependencies, resource requirements, governance structures and recovery plans.
• Monitor delivery progress and proactively address risks, delays and interdependencies across multiple workstreams.
• Cable Landing Station and Infrastructure Readiness
• Oversee site surveys, land-route design and associated civil infrastructure, including headwalls, beach manholes, ducts, pulling manholes and terrestrial connectivity.
• Coordinate Cable Landing Station (CLS) infrastructure readiness, including facilities, power, HVAC, fire protection, security and environmental requirements.
• Ensure readiness of critical infrastructure, including AC/DC power systems, UPS, batteries, generators, grounding and secure technical facilities.
• Coordinate infrastructure requirements to ensure facilities are ready for equipment installation and commissioning.
• Permits, Suppliers and Commercial Management
• Coordinate the acquisition of relevant municipal, provincial, national, coastal, environmental and regulatory permits.
• Manage engagement with government authorities, municipalities, landowners, utilities and other external stakeholders.
• Manage international system suppliers, civil contractors, facilities providers and specialist service providers.
• Oversee supplier contracts, budgets, scope, deliverables, milestones, variations and acceptance criteria.
• Monitor programme expenditure, forecasts and supplier payments against approved budgets and verified deliverables.
• Network Integration and Global Capacity Delivery
• Coordinate multiple technical workstreams, including Facilities, Power, Transmission, Core Networks, IP, Capacity Engineering, Security, Property, Procurement, Finance, Legal, Regulatory, Health and Safety, and Operations.
• Oversee the integration of terminal equipment, power feeding equipment, optical distribution frames, backhaul infrastructure and network cross-connects.
• Coordinate transmission activation, network turn-up, monitoring and end-to-end capacity testing and acceptance.
• Ensure successful integration of subsea infrastructure with terrestrial networks and associated global connectivity infrastructure.
• Governance, Risk and Operational Handover
• Lead programme governance forums and provide regular progress reports to executive management and key stakeholders.
• Maintain programme risk, issue, dependency, decision and change-control registers.
• Ensure compliance with engineering standards, contractual obligations, health and safety requirements, environmental legislation and applicable regulatory frameworks.
• Oversee quality assurance, defect resolution, technical documentation and final acceptance.
• Ensure complete operational handover, including as-built documentation, training, spares, warranties, technical manuals and acceptance certificates.
• Facilitate the transition of completed infrastructure into 24/7 operational support environments.

Minimum Requirements
Qualifications

• Relevant four-year degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Technology, Construction Management, Infrastructure Management or a related discipline.
• A recognised Programme or Project Management qualification will be highly advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum of 10 years' relevant experience within the telecommunications or digital infrastructure industry.
• At least 5 years' experience managing complex, multi-workstream infrastructure programmes.
• Direct experience in submarine cable landing projects, Cable Landing Stations (CLS) or global telecommunications capacity delivery is essential.
• Proven experience managing large-scale telecommunications infrastructure projects involving multiple suppliers, contractors and technical stakeholders.
• Experience managing international system suppliers, consortium partners or hyperscale infrastructure delivery environments will be advantageous.
• Demonstrated experience in programme CAPEX/OPEX management, commercial governance, contract management and financial forecasting.
• Experience dealing with permitting authorities, regulatory bodies, environmental stakeholders and infrastructure partners.

Technical Knowledge and Competencies

The successful candidate should demonstrate:

• Strong understanding of submarine cable systems, subsea infrastructure and international telecommunications capacity.
• Knowledge of Cable Landing Station infrastructure, landfall civil works and terrestrial backhaul connectivity.
• Understanding of carrier-grade transmission infrastructure, network integration and global capacity delivery.
• Knowledge of facilities infrastructure, electrical systems, resilient power and critical infrastructure readiness.
• Strong programme planning, scheduling, governance and critical-path management capabilities.
• Commercial and contractual management experience involving international suppliers and construction contractors.
• Strong risk, issue, dependency and change-control management capabilities.
• Understanding of telecommunications regulatory, environmental, health and safety requirements.

Core Competencies

• Strategic programme leadership and end-to-end delivery ownership.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and executive-level communication.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing and relationship management skills.
• Strong commercial and financial management capabilities.
• Analytical thinking and complex problem-solving ability.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and resolve complex programme dependencies.
• Strong decision-making and risk-management capabilities.
• Ability to operate effectively within multinational, cross-functional and matrix environments.
• High levels of accountability, organisational ability and attention to detail.

Key Performance Indicators

• Achievement of approved programme milestones, including permitting, construction, site readiness, equipment installation, testing, acceptance and operational handover.
• Delivery within approved budgets, scope and agreed timelines.
• Effective management of supplier performance, programme expenditure and contractual obligations.
• Proactive identification and mitigation of programme risks and critical-path dependencies.
• Compliance with applicable safety, environmental, regulatory and engineering requirements.
• Successful completion of infrastructure acceptance and handover, with all critical defects resolved and operational documentation finalised.

Desired Skills:

• Project Governance
• Programme Delivery
• Programme Office Management

Desired Work Experience:

• 5 to 10 years

Desired Qualification Level:

• Grade 12 / Matric