Senior Manager, Telecom Adaptive Intelligence

Axian Telecom is looking for a visionary and business-driven
Senior Manager, Telecom Adaptive Intelligence
to lead the AXIAN Telecom's AI and data-driven transformation across its pan-African operations. Reporting directly to the Group CIO, and working closely with Data and AI team at AXIAN group level, this role acts as the
functional head of the Data & AI domain for AXIAN Telecom
, responsible for aligning the AI strategy for AT with Global Data strategy at AXIAN group, building scalable use cases, and integrating intelligent automation into core telecom operations. The role focuses on unlocking value from data by embedding adaptive intelligence into customer experience, network performance, operational optimization, fraud detection, and commercial insights. This is a strategic role for someone ready to lead both innovation and execution in a complex telecom environment.

Mission:

To provide leadership in defining, delivering, and scaling AI-enabled capabilities across Axian Telecom's business, consumer, and network domains. The mission includes building a future-ready adaptive intelligence function, delivering high-value use cases, enabling predictive insights, and driving automation and innovation through data-driven decision-making across all OPCOs

Essential duties and responsibilities include:

Telecom AI Strategy & Execution

• Act as the AXIAN Telecom lead for Data & AI, responsible for defining the adaptive intelligence roadmap aligned with the AXIS transformation framework, and collaborate and align with the wider Data dnd AI strategy led by CDO of Axian Group.
• Establish a prioritized pipeline of AI use cases covering customer intelligence, fraud prevention, revenue assurance, usage prediction, and network optimization.
• Define cross-functional delivery plans with business, operations, and technology teams to ensure rapid and scalable deployment.

Use Case Development & Value Realization

• Lead end-to-end lifecycle of AI projects — from ideation to model design, training, validation, deployment, and continuous monitoring.
• Ensure use cases directly contribute to business outcomes such as churn reduction, ARPU uplift, cost savings, or operational efficiencies.
• Define KPIs for each initiative and report performance outcomes and business impact to Group CIO and senior stakeholders.

Model Governance & Ethical AI

• Establish model lifecycle governance and standards across AXIAN Telecom business with collaboration with CDO and his team.
• Ensure explainability, fairness, and auditability of deployed AI systems in compliance with ethical and regulatory expectations.
• Promote responsible AI practices that align with customer privacy and data protection regulations.

Platform Integration & MLOps

• Collaborate with infrastructure, application, and platform teams to integrate AI models into live environments (CRM, billing, charging, ERP, etc.).
• Ensure real-time inference, monitoring, and retraining pipelines are supported through appropriate tooling and infrastructure.
• Drive automation and intelligence into business and operational systems through tight integration with platforms.

Team & Capability Building

• Build and lead a team of data scientists, AI engineers, and telecom domain experts either directly or through dotted-line collaboration with OPCOs.
• Develop and enforce Group-wide guidelines for AI skill development, knowledge sharing, and delivery practices.
• Coordinate with external partners, startups, and academia to bring innovation into Axian's AI ecosystem.

Innovation & Experimentation

• Champion experimentation for new AI technologies, including generative AI, reinforcement learning, and NLP for telecom use cases.
• Launch pilots and PoCs across countries and domains, then scale successful initiatives through standardized toolkits and models.

Qualification, Skills, Knowledge & Competencies:

Education

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Data Science, Computer Engineering, Telecom, or a related quantitative field.
• AI/ML specialization, postgraduate certification, or cloud-based AI training highly desirable.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in data and AI-related roles, with 4–5 years in telecom or digital services.
• Proven success leading AI initiatives across commercial, operational, and customer domains.
• Strong grasp of telecom data sets and performance indicators (CDRs, usage behavior, fraud signatures, subscriber segmentation, etc.).

Certifications

• AI/ML certifications (e.g., AWS AI, Google Cloud ML, Microsoft Azure AI) preferred.
• MLOps, data governance, or cloud architecture credentials are a plus.

Skills

• Hands-on knowledge of AI techniques (predictive modeling, clustering, NLP, anomaly detection).
• Strong experience working with business stakeholders to translate problems into ML solutions.
• Solid understanding of data engineering, model deployment, and operationalization in live systems.
• Excellent presentation and storytelling skills, able to influence senior leadership through data narratives.

Language

• Fluency in English is mandatory.
• Proficiency in French is an advantage.

Other Competencies

• Strategic leadership with hands-on execution ability.
• Innovation-driven and agile mindset.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing capabilities.
• Passion for data, experimentation, and measurable impact.