Partner Technical Lead - Africa

Job description

AST SpaceMobile and our global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. Called SpaceMobile, this ultra-powerful network is being designed to provide connectivity at 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet – on land, at sea and in flight. Position Overview We are seeking a Partner Technical Lead – Africa to drive technical alignment, integration stability, and deployment readiness with mobile network operator (MNO) partners across Africa. This role leads partner‑facing technical operations across satellite radio access networks (RAN), core, gateway, and business process management systems, ensuring seamless integration and sustained operational health in diverse regulatory and network environments. The Partner Technical Lead coordinates internal engineering and operations teams, manages partner action items and escalations, and publishes readiness KPIs to support regional launches and expansion initiatives while maintaining alignment with global integration standards. Key Responsibilities Partner Technical Operations & Integration Management Lead partner technical operations and integration readiness across satellite RAN, core, gateway, and BPMS domains. Validate interface behavior, interoperability, configuration flows, and KPIs across diverse partner network environments. Oversee partner onboarding, interoperability testing, and pre‑launch technical readiness activities. Cross ‑ Functional Alignment & Issue Resolution Coordinate closely with engineering, service assurance, operations, deployment, and planning teams to align regional partner requirements. Drive closure of partner action items, ensuring timely resolution and transparent risk communication. Maintain structured reporting on integration progress, blockers, and dependencies across multiple markets. Readiness KPIs, Documentation & Reporting Define, track, and publish readiness KPIs aligned to regional market conditions and integration milestones. Maintain accurate integration documentation, interface specifications, and technical deliverables. Provide regular readiness and integration updates to leadership and regional stakeholder groups. Incident Escalation & Technical Support Act as the primary escalation point for partner‑related technical issues impacting integration stability or service readiness. Coordinate with partner network operations centers and internal engineering teams to resolve incidents efficiently. Support root cause analysis (RCA), corrective action tracking, and follow‑up for recurring issues. Regional Stakeholder & Partner Support Serve as a technical advisor during partner meetings, workshops, pilots, and technical discussions. Support strategic and pre‑sales conversations requiring technical clarity on integration approaches or KPIs. Participate in deployment sequencing, readiness reviews, and regional launch planning activities. Continuous Improvement & Partner Experience Recommend improvements to partner integration processes, readiness dashboards, documentation, and testing frameworks. Ensure consistent application of best practices while accommodating regional requirements. Contribute to enhancements that improve partner onboarding efficiency and operational outcomes. Qualifications Education Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field. Advanced degree or specialized telecom certifications are a plus. Experience A minimum of 5–8 years of experience in telecom integration, partner technical operations, solution engineering, or network deployment. Experience working with mobile network operators, telecom vendors, or network operators in Africa. Proven experience coordinating multi‑market technical readiness or integration programs. Preferred Qualifications Experience with satellite‑enabled network integrations. Exposure to multi‑vendor or multi‑operator environments. Familiarity with regional regulatory or deployment considerations in Africa. Soft Skills Strong interpersonal and stakeholder management skills across technical and leadership audiences. Proven ability to collaborate effectively within cross‑functional and geographically distributed teams. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in multicultural and multilingual environments. Structured problem‑solving skills with clear articulation of risks, mitigations, and technical decisions. Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy in documentation and readiness reporting. Technology Stack Telecom monitoring, diagnostics, and signaling analysis tools. ITSM and ticketing platforms (e.g., Jira, ServiceNow, or similar systems). KPI dashboards and data visualization tools (e.g., Grafana, Kibana, Power BI). Collaboration and documentation tools (e.g., Confluence, SharePoint). Basic familiarity with scripting or automation tools (e.g., Python, Bash) is a plus. Physical Requirements Ability to work in a standard office or remote environment and use a computer for extended periods. Ability to collaborate across time zones with stakeholders in Africa & US. Willingness to travel within the region for partner workshops, testing cycles, and integration reviews as needed. This job description may not be inclusive to the duties and responsibilities listed. Additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time or the scope of the job may change as needed by business demands . AST SpaceMobile is an Equal Opportunity, at will Employer; employment is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.