Job Title:
Manager - IT Operations (Smartflo)
Department:
Information Technology
Location:
Hyderabad, Telangana, India
Reports To:
Head of IT Operations / Senior Manager - IT
About Tata Teleservices / Tata Tele Business Services:
Tata Tele Business Services (TTBS) is a leading provider of connectivity and communication solutions for businesses in India. Our
Smartflo
platform offers a comprehensive suite of cloud communication services, including UCaaS, CPaaS, call recording, call management, and more, empowering enterprises with advanced voice, video, and messaging capabilities. We are committed to delivering cutting-edge, reliable, and secure communication solutions.
Job Summary:
The Manager - IT Operations (Smartflo) will be responsible for the end-to-end operational management, stability, performance, and continuous improvement of the Smartflo application platform. This role requires a strong blend of technical expertise in cloud telephony/UCaaS, IT infrastructure management, operational excellence, and leadership skills to ensure high availability and customer satisfaction for Smartflo services.
A key deliverable for this role is to assume full end-to-end ownership for resolving all operational issues related to Smartflo, acting as the primary single point of contact (SPOC).
Key Responsibilities
- End-to-End Ownership & Issue Resolution (KEY DELIVERABLE):
- Act as the definitive Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for all Smartflo operational incidents and problems.
- Take full end-to-end ownership of issues from identification through to resolution, driving efforts across all technical layers (from OS to application).
- Proactively coordinate and collaborate with all respective internal teams within TTL (e.g., Network, Security, Development, Database, Cloud/OnPrem Infrastructure Team, IT Solution, Product, Service Management) to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve issues efficiently.
- Lead incident bridges and problem-solving sessions, leveraging deep technical understanding of Linux, container, and orchestration layers, until a definitive resolution is achieved.
- Ensure timely Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is performed for critical issues, leading to the implementation of preventative measures and improved reliability.
- Provide clear, concise, and timely communication back to business stakeholders, service teams, and senior management regarding issue status, resolution, and RCA.
- Smartflo Platform Operations & Uptime:
- Lead and manage the daily operational activities for the Smartflo application, ensuring 24x7 availability, performance, and reliability.
- Proactively monitor Smartflo services, and its underlying infrastructure (built on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, and potentially OpenShift or OpenStack) to identify and resolve issues before they impact customers.
- Oversee incident management, problem management, and change management processes for the Smartflo platform, adhering to ITIL best practices.
- Containerization & Orchestration Management:
- Deep expertise in managing and troubleshooting containerized applications using Docker.
- Operational proficiency with Kubernetes clusters, including deployment, scaling, healing, and network policies.
- Experience with OpenShift (Red Hat's enterprise Kubernetes platform) is highly desirable, including cluster administration, application deployment, and platform features.
- Infrastructure & Cloud Platform Management:
- Strong operational knowledge of Linux operating systems (RHEL, Ubuntu, CentOS) including system administration, performance tuning, and troubleshooting.
- Oversee the operational aspects of Smartflo's cloud infrastructure (e.g., Azure), including IaaS (Virtual Machines, Networking, Storage) and PaaS services.
- Familiarity with OpenStack environments for managing private cloud infrastructure is a plus, particularly if Smartflo leverages on-premise components.
- Ensure optimal configuration, patching, and security across the entire infrastructure stack.
- Performance & Scalability Management:
- Monitor Smartflo's performance metrics and resource utilization across Linux hosts, Docker containers, and Kubernetes/OpenShift pods/nodes.
- Develop and implement strategies for capacity planning and scaling the Smartflo infrastructure.
- Optimize system configurations and processes for improved efficiency and cost-effectiveness within containerized and cloud-native environments.
- Process Improvement & Automation:
- Identify opportunities for process automation within IT operations, leveraging scripting (e.g., Python, Bash) and automation tools for managing Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, and OpenShift environments.
- Develop and maintain operational runbooks, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and documentation.
- Stakeholder & Vendor Management:
- Act as a primary point of contact for internal stakeholders regarding Smartflo operational status.
- Manage relationships with technology vendors and service providers related to Linux, cloud platforms, container technologies, and orchestration solutions.
- Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of IT Operations engineers and specialists, fostering expertise in cloud-native and container technologies.
- Ensure the team is adequately skilled and trained on Smartflo technologies and relevant operational tools (Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift, OpenStack).
- Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity:
- Develop, maintain, and regularly test Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Plans (BCP) for the Smartflo platform, considering the distributed nature of containerized applications and cloud infrastructure.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
- Minimum of 8-12 years of progressive experience in IT Operations, with at least 3-5 years in a managerial or lead role.
- Mandatory experience in managing and operating Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) or cloud telephony platforms. Experience with Smartflo or similar platforms (e.g., Cisco Webex Calling, Microsoft Teams Phone System, RingCentral, 8x8) is highly preferred.
- Extensive hands-on operational experience with:
- Linux administration (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu).
- Docker containerization.
- Kubernetes orchestration.
- OpenShift Container Platform.
- Cloud platforms (Microsoft Azure is preferred).
- Experience with OpenStack is a significant advantage.
- Strong understanding of telecommunications protocols (SIP, RTP, SMPP, SMPPs, SS7 concepts) and their operational implications.
- Solid understanding of IT infrastructure components: networking (TCP/IP, routing, firewalls, VPNs, load balancing, WAFs), storage, and databases (e.g., MySQL).
- Experience with monitoring tools (e.g., Prometheus, Grafana, ELK stack, Zabbix) and ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow).
- Knowledge of ITIL framework and practices (Incident, Problem, Change Management).
- Proficiency in scripting (e.g., Python, Bash, PowerShell) for automation.
- Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills, particularly in complex, distributed systems.
- Strong leadership, communication (written and verbal), and interpersonal skills, with the ability to coordinate across multiple technical teams and communicate effectively with business stakeholders.
- Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and lead during critical incidents, demonstrating end-to-end ownership.
Desired Skills
- Certifications in ITIL, Azure, Red Hat (RHCSA/RHCE, OpenShift), Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD).
- Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools (e.g., Terraform, Ansible).
- Experience with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI).
- Understanding of security best practices in cloud-native and container environments.
About Us
Transforming Businesses through Digitalization
Tata Tele Business Services (TTBS), belonging to the prestigious Tata Group of Companies, is the country’s leading enabler of connectivity and communication solutions for businesses. With services ranging from connectivity, collaboration, cloud, security, IoT, and marketing solutions, TTBS offers the largest portfolio of ICT services for businesses in India. With an unwavering focus on customer-centricity and innovation, TTBS continues to garner recognition from customers and peers alike.
Our People Shape Our Journey Ahead
We are India’s leading enabler of digital connectivity and technology solutions for businesses - a feat possible only because we are fueled by the dedication and passion of our people. We welcome the finest talent and believe in nurturing and mentoring them to rise into leadership roles, while standing tall on our ethics and values.
