Senior Director, Networks AI Products Full-time

At Optus, our vision is to become Australia’s most loved everyday brand with lasting customer relationships. For decades we’ve said yes when others have said no. This optimistic challenger spirit makes us who we are today.

We’ve been using AI to improve the lives of our customers for almost ten years. From understanding the root cause of customer issues and proactively resolving them, to using it to inform our investment decisions, AI is embedded into what we do.

With new cutting-edge tech at our fingertips, exciting partnerships under our belt and around every corner (Google and Samsung to name a couple), and a growing collective of talented people, we’re taking AI at Optus to the next level.

We’re bringing together the most curious-minded people to solve real problems, connect Australians like never before, and help shape the future of Optus while we’re at it. And your future too. We’re already on our way, and ahead of lots of the competition. Now’s the time to go bigger than ever.

To harness the potential of AI further, we are establishing a new Emerging AI function within our AI Division that will be focused on accelerating the adoption of AI across Optus. This new function will have the opportunity to design, build, deploy and scale new AI applications, models and systems across the organisation.

As we embark on this journey of growth, we are officially looking for a Senior Director of Networks AI Products to help lead the way forward. This person will be responsible for building and executing a portfolio of AI and emerging technology initiatives that will be focused on the automation, modernisation and optimisation of our networks and the experiences we can create for our customers from them.

This Senior Director will be a foundational role within the Emerging AI function, that will use their deep technical understanding of networks, coupled with their strong capabilities in AI, computer science and product management to enable Optus to design, build, deploy and scale the use of new and emerging AI products and platforms within its networks. As part of this role, the successful candidate will get the opportunity to build and lead a cross-functional team to drive the successful development, launch, and continuous improvement of a new set of AI-powered products and platforms in networks. You will also partner with key stakeholders and teams from across the networks division to scale up and propel Optus to the forefront of the application of AI in networks in Australia.

This is no ‘quick win’ – we’re in this for the long haul because we know the positive impact it can make on our customers, communities and colleagues. We’re committed to doing it responsibly and ethically and we want you to be a part of it. You’re invited to join the Optus AI division.

Big opportunities
We’re serious when we say we’re looking for people to define the future of AI at Optus. We’re rapidly scaling our AI capabilities and have cutting-edge tech at our fingertips. We’ve worked on world firsts with the world’s best thinkers like Google and Amazon. And have more exciting partnerships in the pipeline. Our leaders are investing in innovation in a big way and they’re backing our every move. It’s an exciting time to come aboard.

Your day in the life of at Optus

• Develop a pipeline of new AI powered products and platforms for our networks, that you and your team will get to design, build, validate and scale to deliver business and customer value
• Holistic ownership and prioritisation of an AI Product roadmap in networks, in-line with commercial, technical and customer targets. Including planning for all process, people and development activities to deliver on this roadmap
• Drive a thought leadership culture in networks, which creates an environment for the development of best-in-class AI powered experiences for Optus customers and employees, all whilst being the torch bearer of this vision.
• Be accountable for the end-to-end management and operations of existing AI products and experiences at scale. Optimise AI products to deliver new customer and commercial benefits, for Optus’s overall annual operating plan for AI

Your skills to pay the bills

• You have a tried and tested background in networks, product management, strategy and AI, where you have led impactful squads in an agile way to drive the development of products and platforms in networks automation, management and modernisation
• Ideally a Master’s degree or Tertiary Education in AI, Computer Science or Data Science, which enables you to bring a deep understanding of the power of AI in networks
• Core expertise, qualifications or background as a Network Engineer with the likes of Cisco, Juniper and/or Nokia. Allowing you to work optimally, with credibility alongside the Networks team
• Demonstrated success in driving product strategy, taking an idea to proof-of-concept and scale, resulting in revenue growth and/or cost-out for your organisation.
• You bring both strategy and operations experience in leading sophisticated projects from inception to production.

Perks we love at Optus

• Executive level Remuneration, including STI & LTI benefits
• Executive Leadership Development, including MBA level qualifications, mentoring and coaching
• Hybrid Ways of Working: 3 days in the office, 2 days remote!
• Inclusive paid parental leave, up to 14 weeks for the primary care giver.

Keen to see what it’s really like to work at Optus? Search #OptusLife on LinkedIn to go behind the scenes. #LI-LW1

At Optus, we are strengthened by others and that means valuing diversity and saying ‘yes’ to embracing individual differences. We are committed to ensuring that our application process provides an equal employment opportunity to all job seekers, including individuals from diverse gender, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, individuals with a disability, individuals identifying as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals who may have served in the armed forces or who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander. If you require any adjustments or accessibility support to participate fairly and equitably in the recruitment process, please email AccessibleRecruitment@optus.com.au along with your preferred method of contact, and we’ll be in touch.

For more information on Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging at Optus, please visit https://www.optus.com.au/about/inclusion-diversity.