Product Owner – Automation for Transport, Fiber

Job Title: Product Owner – Automation for Transport, Fiber & Workforce Management Location: PuneRole Summary: We are seeking an accomplished Product Owner to lead the automation-first roadmap for Transport, Fiber Networks, Workforce Management, and GIS-based Planning Tools. This role will focus on planning, designing and delivering automation-driven solutions that transform planning, operations, and field force efficiency, while selecting the right partners and tools to support these initiatives.Key Responsibilities: Automation-Driven Product Ownership Define and own the product vision, strategy, and roadmap with automation as the core enabler across Transport, Fiber, GIS, and Workforce domains. Identify and prioritize high-impact automation opportunities to streamline processes, improve SLAs, and reduce costs. Translate automation-focused initiatives into actionable backlogs and user stories with clear acceptance criteria.Transport & Fiber Automation: Lead initiatives for IP, Optical, and Fiber transport technologies (DWDM, OTN, GPON, xPON, FTTH, Metro Ethernet). Deliver automation frameworks for provisioning, traffic engineering, service activation, fault detection, and performance monitoring across transport and fiber networks. Integrate APIs between OSS/BSS, NMS/EMS, and field systems to enable closed-loop automation.Workforce Management Automation: Design and deliver automation solutions for field force scheduling, dispatching, and utilization for fiber rollout and maintenance. Automate job assignment, SLA tracking, KPI reporting, and compliance for contractors and internal teams. Enable mobile-first and self-service tools to improve first-time fix rates, reduce MTTR, and optimize partner/field resources.GIS Tools (Selection & Integration): Evaluate and recommend GIS-based design and planning tools to support automation in network build-out and inventory management. Integrate GIS tools with OSS/BSS, NMS/EMS, and workforce applications to create automated, location-aware workflows. Enable spatial analytics and digital twin capabilities for predictive route planning and automated as-built updates.Partner Identification (Support Activity): Identify and recommend automation-ready technology partners/vendors for GIS tools, fiber rollout, and workforce solutions. Collaborate with procurement and leadership to assess partner capabilities and ensure compatibility with automation strategy. Support onboarding and integration of selected partners to ensure smooth delivery of automation-led initiatives.Stakeholder Management Act as the primary liaison between business, operations, engineering, and technology teams to drive automation-first initiatives. Communicate product updates, risks, and performance metrics to senior leadership. Ensure alignment with KPIs, regulatory standards, and customer commitments.Qualifications & Skills: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Telecom, Computer Science, or related field (MBA preferred). 8+ years’ hands on experience in transport and fiber networks (IP/MPLS, Optical, OTN, DWDM, GPON, xPON, Metro Ethernet). Proven track record delivering automation frameworks across telecom domains. Strong understanding of GIS-based planning tools and their integration with OSS/BSS and automation platforms. Familiarity with Workforce Management Platforms (ServiceMax, Salesforce Field Service, ClickSoftware, etc.). Experience evaluating and recommending automation-friendly technology partners/vendors. Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.Preferred Attributes: Experience with 5G transport, SDN/NFV, cloud-native OSS/BSS, and AI/ML analytics for automation. Ability to build business cases and ROI models for automation initiatives. Certifications: SAFe POPM, CSPO, or equivalent.KPIs / Success Metrics: % of processes automated in Transport, Fiber, GIS, and Workforce Management. Reduction in build and maintenance cycle times through automation. Increased GIS and workforce tool adoption driven by automated workflows. Successful identification and onboarding of automation-aligned partners/vendors. On-time delivery of roadmap features with measurable business impact.