M.E.R., McDaniel Executive Recruiters
Search, Placement & Consulting Solutions
Director of Telecommunications
Omaha, Nebraska
About our Client:
Our client is a leading lodging company with more than 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 64 other countries and territories. They also operate and franchise hotels under a number of well known brand names. In addition, they develop and operate vacation ownership resorts under a number of well recognized brands. They also operate executive apartments, provide furnished corporate housing, and operate conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 128,000 employees. It is ranked as the lodging industry's most admired company and one of the best places to work for by Fortune? magazine. In fiscal year 2003, our client reported sales from continuing operations of $9 billion
About the Position:
This position has responsibility for all of our client's worldwide reservations telecommunications and associated network systems for 11 domestic and 2 international contact center locations, with over 40 million customer contacts, representing over $5 billion in annual revenue. The primary responsibility is for the prioritization, planning, engineering and coordination of the analysis, design, acquisition (including vendor negotiations and terms) and installation of voice telecommunications and associated network hardware, software and facilities. Responsible to provide expertise in all aspects of deployment including planning, setup, execution of installations, migrations, provisioning, security, alarming and other operations and maintenance duties. This position is also responsible for planning all telecommunications projects, appropriate resourcing and costing to set and manage within budgetary guidelines.
This position is also responsible for the telecommunication staff in Salt Lake City, supporting the unique needs of the business units in that location. This position will also support the needs of business units that are co-located in facilities with reservations offices and administrative and sales offices. It is critical that this person understand the individual needs for each line of business and is solutions oriented.
This position is also responsible for evaluating and analyzing emerging technology associated with delivery of voice calls and corresponding data, development of future plans and recommendations to executive management as to the best course of action for our client to sustain its' competitive advantage in contact center operations.
This position will impact the implementation of CTI, a major strategic initiative for GRS&CC, through the appropriate deployment of technology and programming that will support this business direction. This position will be a major contributor to how this project realizes the goals outlined in the business case.
Responsibilities:
Overall responsibility for telecommunications network for 13 call centers with multiple functions and business units
Influence of department budget as well as budgets for 13 call centers for maintenance contracts and capital required for all telecommunications systems
Plans and prioritizes projects of Telecom Analysts to accomplish immediate and long term business goals
Responsible for overall telecommunications network assessment to ensure customers can access our agents at all time, no capacity issues as well as appropriate redundancy exists across our centers
Oversees all aspects of Telecommunications department
- Telecom interfaces
- Voicemail
- Call Accounting Systems
- Intelligent Call Routing administration
- ACD/PBX Support
- Administers configurations, adds, moves, changes
- Software programming (i.e. vectors, trunking, MIS)
- Monitors health of telephony network ¨C alarms, stability, integrity
- Network Administration
- 800 number setup (currently we have over 2,000 toll free numbers)
- Routing logic from network down to agent desktop
- Troubleshooting all telecommunications systems and call center networks
- IP Telephony deployment for immediate use with Home Agents, later use to be defined
- Communication with sites and all levels of management
- This position also serves as consultant/contractor to many other business units in the area of telecommunication and network connectivity
- Provides functional expertise within department
- Maximizes efficiency by understanding business needs and coaching staff to execute against goals
- Works with Director and appropriate leaders to develop and implement departmental standards
- Interviews and hires hourly and management associates with appropriate skills to meet the business needs
- Oversees training of all new associates to ensure that each candidate can successfully perform their duties
- Communicates performance expectations in accordance with job description and monitors progress
- Administers performance appraisals for direct reports
- Recognizes contributions of team members
- Establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with associates and peers and ensures that associates do the same
- Manages progressive discipline and ensures that policies are administered fairly and consistently
- Ensures regular on-going communication is happening in all areas of responsibility to create awareness and set expectations
- Work with Director of Network Operations, Info Services, Telecom as well as Regional Controller and VP of N.A. Reservation to create and communicate a business unit and departmental vision and direction and lead department consistent with these goals
- Communication is essential and it will be imperative to this end to conduct regular meetings with the department, direct reports as well as recurring 1-1 development meetings to foster open communication, a sense of trust and teamwork and an empowered workforce
- Responsible for the direction, engineering, purchasing, billing, operations and management of all voice systems and adjuncts associated voice and data circuits, devices and supplemental equipment
- Responsible for strategic and financial planning, future enhancements and the overall direction of the technology for WWR voice systems
- Responsible for coordination, planning and execution of switch installations, upgrades, maintenance as well as monitoring switch capacity and redundancy
- Responsible for working with corporate Marketing on promotions and special toll free number assignment
- Communicate with senior level management to assist in problem resolutions and future direction
- Attend departmental and inter-departmental meetings to fully realize and anticipate telecom needs
- Manage day-to-day operations of the Telecom Department personnel to include hiring, team integration, motivation, direction, individual assessment and training
- Responsible for ensuring that the evaluation of network performance statistics and vendor offerings is performed, data is properly analyzed, and recommendations for network modifications and purchases are developed and implemented. Review, evaluate and repair network system failures to ensure satisfactory resolution
- Responsible for ensuring the cost effectiveness and efficiency of the design, engineering, implementation and maintenance of voice-devices and services, and voice data integration
- Responsible for budgeting and managing expenditures for WWR Telecom and participating centers, including all software and hardware contracts
- Develop and maintain an audit system for all centers' telephone bills to ensure accurate billings specifically related to usage and rates
- Must be able to do limited travel
- Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs
Job Specifications:
Ability to make decisions and solve problems in accordance with diverse and complex procedures requiring interpretation
Ability to make decisions based on fact and has real work experience that demonstrates this skill; can choose a course of action amongst options involving uncertainty or risk
Proven knowledge of network routing features
Proven knowledge of ACD (Automatic Call Distributors) hardware and software
Proven mathematical and analytical skills
Excellent oral and written communication skills
Ability to manage and balance multiple priorities
Excellent time management skills
Strong problem solving skills; encourage new innovative solutions when appropriate
Ability to influence others
Strong organizational skills
Effective coaching and development skills
Financial management skills
Ability to creatively execute against the strategy and drive results; can originate and invent new processes to maximize revenue and minimize costs
Ability to toke constructive action without relying on direction from others
Ability to exercise flexibility, rather than rigid adherence to procedures, to accomplish goals
Strong consensus building skills
Effective negotiation skills
Effective conflict management skills
Ability to develop and maintain relationships
Ability to communicate effectively and professionally at all levels of the organization
Ability to effectively manage labor productivity
Strategic planning skills
Ability to evaluate business trends, determine applicability and modify business strategy accordingly
Effective change management skills
Strong associate relations skills
In-depth knowledge of the following telecom adjuncts and applications: AT&T Resource Manager, IEX, Call Management Systems, EAS w/ PHD, and Octel, Intuity and Definity Audix Voice Mail.
Knowledge of infrastructure cabling and wiring (punch down blocks and demark point), T1 framing and line coding, fiber muxes and multiplexers, CO and DID lines, CO's, LEC's, and Long Distance carriers
Proficient on the Avaya Platform using EAS w/ PHD, Call Center Deluxe, Vectoring, and CMS Custom Reporting
Contact center operations experience a plus
Detailed understanding of data networks, data switching
Experience managing managers/exempt employees
Qualifications:
8 years telecommunications experience functioning in various elevated positions of responsibility.
Certification and 5 years experience on the Avaya ACD/PBX platform in a multi-site environment.
5 years experience with 800 enhanced networks, using AT&T's applications: ROUTE IT, TRACK IT, and NETWORK MONITOR, and various telephony companies.
5 years management experience.
Previous experience installing and upgrading Avaya switching systems and adjuncts.
B.S. Degree required
Compensation:
Base: 90 ¨C 100 K range plus 20% bonus potential and options
Relocation Assistance: Yes
To be considered for this opportunity, please complete the questionnaire and return it to Jeri Cande, , with a word version of your resume.
Why the Questionnaire:
Our clients say that the Questionnaire is a valuable tool that helps them specifically identify the strengths of the candidate and ensure that nothing is missed in just reviewing a resume.
Our candidates have commented that the Questionnaire process helped them articulate thoroughly their strengths, and was a valuable use of their time in understanding the position and ensuring interest with the position.
Our goal is to ensure that we secure an interview for you, and your time and attention to this process is invaluable.
We would ask that you complete and return the questionnaire back to our office within 24 hours.
Please answer all questions to the best of your ability and do not answer with "Refer to resume", "See attached", or "Will be provided at a later date".
Information Accuracy:
Please be aware all information you provide on your resume and the Questionnaire will be subject to further verification by either a client or an M.E.R. representative.
Please ensure all contact information and time frames on your employment history; information regarding your roles and responsibilities including sales histories (if relevant); and related information such as whether you are obligated by a Non-Compete clause is current and accurate. Any discovery of inaccuracies or discrepancies may result in the withdrawal of your candidacy for current and future opportunities.
It is recommended that you also check your spelling and grammar.
M.E.R. would like to thank all applicants for applying. However, due to the volume of inquiries we receive, we ask that you do not call us. We will be in contact to schedule a phone interview with those candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements. Applications are kept on file for future opportunities.
M.E.R., McDaniel Executive Recruiters
Search, Placement & Consulting Solutions
Questionnaire ¨CDirector of Telecommunications ¨C Omaha, Nebraska (cut and paste into Word document and send via e-mail to ).
Name: _______________________
Date: _______________________
Please answer the following questions:
Describe your leadership / management style.
How you do you motivate and drive performance?
Based on your understanding of this position, how will you bring value to the opportunity? Why do you have the experience to succeed in this position?
Do you have a degree? Describe your post-secondary education and all professional certifications you possess.
Please list your relevant technical and telecom expertise using a matrix rating from 1 (low) to 5 (very proficient) plus indicate years of experience
Technology
Proficiency Rating
Years of Experience
Avaya ACD/PBX in a multi site environment
In-depth knowledge of the following telecom adjuncts and applications: AT&T Resource Manager, IEX, Call Management Systems, EAS w/ PHD, and Octel, Intuity and Definity Audix Voice Mail.
Knowledge of infrastructure cabling and wiring (punch down blocks and demark point), T1 framing and line coding, fiber muxes and multiplexers, CO and DID lines, CO's, LEC's, and Long Distance carriers
Proficient on the Avaya Platform using EAS w/ PHD, Call Center Deluxe, Vectoring, and CMS Custom Reporting
Contact center operations experience a plus
Detailed understanding of data networks, data switching
Experience installing and upgrading Avaya switching systems and adjuncts
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