CPE Product Manager - telecoms, Soweto

Key responsibilities Portfolio strategy and product ownership

Develop and maintain the CPE portfolio strategy across:

Consumer broadband and fixed wireless access

SME and enterprise connectivity

Private 5G and industry-specific deployments

Define segment-based device requirements by use case, customer profile, price point, performance tier, and install model

Own the end-to-end lifecycle of CPE products from evaluation and business case development through launch, optimization, refresh, and retirement

Ensure CPE roadmap alignment with broader access, enterprise, and private network product strategies

Product definition and feature management

Define product and technical requirements for CPE devices across all supported segments

Prioritize features such as:

Indoor and outdoor deployment models

Wi‑Fi capability and in‑home performance

Remote diagnostics and device management

Zero‑touch provisioning

Security and policy management

Enterprise networking and branch connectivity support

Ruggedization and environmental suitability where required

Private 5G integration and on‑premises deployment support

Ensure device requirements align with customer experience, commercial needs, and operational practicality

Enterprise and private 5G support

Define CPE requirements that enable enterprise‑grade connectivity and managed access services

Support private 5G product teams with device strategy for use cases including campuses, mines, logistics, utilities, factories, healthcare, and branch environments

Ensure that selected devices support repeatable deployment, service assurance, and lifecycle support in enterprise and industrial settings

Vendor and partner management

Manage relationships with CPE vendors, ODMs, chipset providers, software suppliers, and certification partners

Evaluate vendors based on:

Technical suitability

Security posture

Roadmap maturity

Lifecycle support

Commercial competitiveness

Enterprise and private 5G readiness

Lead vendor selection, product evaluation, and ongoing portfolio performance reviews

Support commercial negotiations and reduce undue vendor dependency where appropriate

Operational alignment and lifecycle support

Work closely with operations, supply chain, field teams, and customer support to ensure product readiness and scalability

Improve install success, replacement workflows, firmware lifecycle management, and device observability

Support inventory planning, certification, in‑life support, and end‑of‑life transitions

Ensure that portfolio decisions are supportable at scale in real operating conditions

Cross‑functional collaboration

Coordinate with:

Product teams

Engineering and network teams

Enterprise and private 5G teams

Procurement and logistics

Customer operations

Finance

Legal, regulatory, and compliance stakeholders

Translate technical and operational trade‑offs into clear commercial recommendations for leadership

Key performance indicators Success in this role will typically be measured against:

Portfolio gross margin and cost‑to‑serve performance

Speed of product launch and refresh execution

Installation success rates

Device return and failure rates

Support ticket reduction and operational efficiency

Customer experience and service quality outcomes

Enterprise and private 5G deployment readiness

Vendor performance and roadmap alignment

Contribution to scalable access and connectivity growth

Qualifications and experience Minimum requirements

Relevant product management experience in telecommunications, connectivity, networking, broadband, or adjacent technology sectors

Demonstrated experience managing hardware‑enabled or connectivity‑based product portfolios

Experience building business cases and managing cross‑functional delivery

Preferred requirements

Experience in one or more of the following:

Fixed wireless access

Broadband CPE

Enterprise networking

Managed connectivity

Private LTE / private 5G

Familiarity with device management, provisioning, and lifecycle practices

Experience working with vendors, OEMs, ODMs, or network equipment providers

Exposure to enterprise, industrial, or operational telecom environments

Knowledge and skills

Strong commercial and financial acumen

Solid understanding of CPE technologies and deployment models

Ability to interpret technical requirements and convert them into product and business decisions

Strong analytical, planning, and prioritization skills

Excellent stakeholder management and cross‑functional communication

Experience with vendor evaluation and negotiation

Ability to manage multiple product lines and lifecycle timelines simultaneously

Competencies

Strategic thinking

Customer and market orientation

Ownership and accountability

Problem solving and decision making

Collaboration and influence

Execution discipline

Commercial judgment

Adaptability in fast‑changing technology environments

Working relationships

Consumer product teams

Enterprise product teams

Private 5G product and solution teams

Network engineering and architecture

Procurement and supply chain

Field operations and customer support

Finance and commercial leadership

Device and platform vendors

Role summary The CPE Product Manager plays a critical role in ensuring that device strategy enables scalable, commercially viable, and operationally supportable connectivity products across consumer, enterprise, and private 5G segments. This role is a core enabler of access‑product competitiveness and long‑term service innovation.

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