Engineering Department Head

About this role

Position Title: Engineering Department Head Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) / General Manager Department: Engineering (OSP, Tower & Civil Works, Maintenance & Operations, QA/QC) Duty Station: ICT Park, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (with frequent regional site travel) Employment Type: Full-time / Executive Management Posting Date: October 30, 2026 Closing Date: November 06, 2026 (5:00 PM EAT) COMPANY BACKGROUND & OVERVIEW Passion Technologies One Member PLC is a privately owned Ethiopian company established in July 2006. Originally founded as a trading enterprise, the company has progressively transformed into a premier, technology-driven organization operating across telecommunications infrastructure development (fiber optics and towers), telecom maintenance services, logistics and distribution, renewable energy infrastructure (including EV charging stations), technical support, and import-export operations. Headquartered at the Ethiopian ICT Park in Addis Ababa, Passion Technologies maintains strong nationwide site presence and strategic partnerships with key industry leaders including Safaricom Ethiopia and Huawei Technologies. The company is actively executing major high-profile projects, including nationwide fiber optic deployments, 400+ future tower site erections, and EV charging station rollouts. ROLE PURPOSE & POSITION SUMMARY The Engineering Department Head is a executive leadership position responsible for the overarching strategic, operational, commercial, and financial direction of all engineering functions across the organization. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and General Manager, the post holder provides end-to-end oversight across fiber optic deployment (OSP), greenfield/rooftop tower erection and civil works, 24/7 network maintenance and SLA operations, quality assurance (QA/QC), and renewable energy initiatives. Beyond technical direction, the incumbent plays a crucial management team role, driving operational efficiency, project profitability, contract compliance, subcontractor governance, and strategic business expansion. KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES A. Strategic Leadership & Executive Management Corporate Strategy: Serve as a key member of the Executive Management Team, shaping corporate strategy, governance, and annual business planning. Executive Advisory: Act as primary technical and operational advisor to the CEO and General Manager on project feasibility, industry shifts, risk mitigation, and resource readiness. Workforce Cadence: Lead structured departmental planning cycles, delivering annual, quarterly, monthly, and weekly operational work plans and executive KPI dashboards. B. Business Development, Tendering & Business Case Generation Market Intelligence: Continuously analyze market trends, technical shifts, and commercial opportunities across telecommunications and renewable energy sectors. Business Case Development: Develop viable, detailed business cases and execution strategies for expansion into emerging market opportunities. Proposal & Bid Support: Provide decisive technical, commercial, and operational inputs for bids, tenders, SOW negotiations, and partnership engagements (e.g., Safaricom, Huawei). C. Subcontract, Contract & Stakeholder Management Subcontract Lifecycle: Oversee full subcontract lifecycle management including pre-qualification, contract drafting, rate negotiations, SLA enforcement, performance tracking, and final settlements. Risk & Value Optimization: Structure subcontracts to mitigate operational execution risks, control costs, enforce safety/quality, and maximize overall profitability. Stakeholder Relations: Maintain strong, productive professional relationships with client executives, subcontractors, regulatory agencies, and key industry stakeholders. D. Financial Management & Project Profitability Cost Control & Profitability: Maintain full bottom-line accountability for engineering department budgets, ensuring strictly controlled expenditure, waste reduction, and margin optimization. On-Time SLA Delivery: Ensure all engineering projects (fiber, towers, civil works, EV stations) are executed on schedule, within approved budgets, and in full alignment with contractual SLAs. E. Core Engineering & Operational Unit Management Outside Plant (OSP) Unit: Direct end-to-end fiber optic deployment (trenching, ducting, blowing, splicing, OTDR testing, and client handover). Tower & Civil Works Unit: Supervise greenfield and rooftop tower erection (up to 80m), foundation engineering, shelter installation, and power integration. Maintenance & Operations Unit: Manage 24/7 preventive/corrective network maintenance, rapid emergency fault response, MTTR reduction, and high SLA availability across active fiber routes. Technical QA/QC Unit: Enforce rigorous QA/QC audits, material validation, tower alignment checks, splicing auditing, and standard compliance across all field work. EV & Renewable Energy Unit: Direct civil/electrical infrastructure installation for nationwide EV charging stations (40 sites pipeline) and support renewable energy development. F. Team Leadership & Human Resource Scaling Team Development: Lead, mentor, and build high-performing engineering teams, fostering a culture of safety, technical excellence, and accountability. Workforce Capacity Planning: Partner with HR to establish robust engineering resource and manpower plans to support current commitments and major future expansions (400+ towers). G. Cross-Functional Integration & HSEQ Compliance Supply Chain Alignment: Coordinate with Supply Chain/Procurement for field transport, specialized tools, and remote site material logistics. HSEQ Compliance: Enforce 100% adherence to Health, Safety, Environmental, and Quality (HSEQ) regulations, safety permits, and site risk assessments (Target: Zero LTIFR).