Telecom Program Manager at Trident Consulting in Mumbai, Maharashtra

Job description

• Trident Consulting is seeking a "Telecom Program Manager – Contract & Vendor Management” for one of our clients in "India - Remote” — a global leader in Medical devices industry.
• Job Title: Telecom Program Manager – Contract & Vendor Management
• Location: India - Remote
• Type: Direct Hire/Fulltime
• We are looking for an experienced Program Manager to support a strategic client engagement.
• The ideal candidate combines program management discipline with deep expertise in telecom contract lifecycle management, vendor management, and telecom expense management (TEM).
• Own contracts, billing, inventory, and vendor relationships across a large, complex telecom environment.
• Prior experience managing enterprise telecom contracts, carrier relationships, and spend optimization programs is a strong advantage.

Responsibilities

• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)
• Own end-to-end contract lifecycle management for telecom vendor and carrier agreements, from drafting through negotiation, execution, renewal, and closeout.
• Lead contract negotiations with telecom vendors and carriers to secure favorable commercial terms, pricing, and SLAs.
• Manage contract renewals proactively, tracking key dates, obligations, and renegotiation windows to avoid lapses or unfavorable auto-renewals.
• Maintain a centralized repository of contracts, amendments, and related documentation with clear audit trails.
• Telecom Expense Management (TEM) & Billing
• Oversee Telecom Expense Management (TEM) processes, ensuring accurate tracking, allocation, and forecasting of telecom spend.
• Manage AP/AR (Accounts Payable / Accounts Receivable) activity tied to telecom billing and vendor payments.
• Manage billing and invoice management workflows, validating invoices against contracted rates and resolving discrepancies.
• Conduct regular spend analysis to identify cost trends, anomalies, and optimization opportunities across the telecom portfolio.
• Drive cost optimization initiatives, including rate renegotiation, service consolidation, and elimination of unused or duplicate services.
• Inventory & Vendor Management
• Maintain accurate inventory management of telecom assets, services, and circuits across the organization.
• Manage relationships with telecom vendors and carriers, holding them accountable to contractual and SLA commitments.
• Lead SLA management, tracking vendor performance against defined service levels and driving corrective action where needed.
• Serve as the primary point of escalation for vendor performance issues and service disruptions.
• Dispute Resolution & Governance
• Lead dispute resolution efforts with telecom vendors, including billing discrepancies, service credits, and contractual disagreements.
• Establish governance frameworks, reporting cadences, and escalation paths for contract and vendor performance.
• Partner with legal, procurement, and finance teams to ensure compliance with contractual and regulatory requirements.
• Provide executive-level reporting on contract status, vendor performance, spend trends, and risk exposure.

Requirements

• 8+ years in Program Management, Contract Management, Telecom Expense Management, or Vendor Management roles.
• Proven experience with Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM), including contract negotiations and renewals.
• Strong background in Telecom Expense Management (TEM), billing and invoice management, and spend analysis.
• Experience with inventory management of telecom assets and services.
• Demonstrated success in dispute resolution and vendor management, including SLA management.
• Track record of driving cost optimization across large telecom portfolios.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work cross-functionally with legal, procurement, finance, and technology teams.
• Experience with TEM platforms/tools (e.g., Asignet, Tangoe, Calero, MOBI, Cass Information Systems, or similar).
• Familiarity with telecom carrier ecosystems, BSS/OSS systems, and network services.
• Experience working with enterprise-scale, multi-vendor telecom environments.
• PMP or similar program/contract management certification.
• Prior experience supporting Fortune 500 or hyperscale client engagements.

Skills

Required

• Program Management
• Contract Management
• Telecom Expense Management (TEM)
• Vendor Management
• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)
• Contract Negotiation
• Billing and Invoice Management
• Spend Analysis
• Inventory Management
• Dispute Resolution
• SLA Management
• Cost Optimization

Preferred

• Telecom carrier ecosystems
• BSS/OSS systems
• Network services
• PMP or similar certification