Network Engineering Professional

Recruiter: Viktoria Pálfi-Vincze

Hiring Manager: Charles Wilkinson

Career Grade: E

Why BT?

BT Group was the world’s first telco and our heritage in the sector is unrivalled. As home to several of the UK’s most recognised and cherished brands – BT, EE, Openreach and Plusnet, we have always played a critical role in creating the future, and we have reached an inflection point in the transformation of our business.

Over the next two years, we will complete the UK’s largest and most successful digital infrastructure project – connecting more than 25 million premises to full fibre broadband. Together with our heavy investment in 5G, we play a central role in revolutionising how people connect with each other.

While we are through the most capital-intensive phase of our fibre investment, meaning we can reward our shareholders for their commitment and patience, we are absolutely focused on how we organise ourselves in the best way to serve our customers in the years to come. This includes radical simplification of systems, structures, and processes on a huge scale. Together with our application of AI and technology, we are on a path to creating the UK’s best telco, reimagining the customer experience and relationship with one of this country’s biggest infrastructure companies.

Change on the scale we will all experience in the coming years is unprecedented. BT Group is committed to being the driving force behind improving connectivity for millions and there has never been a more exciting time to join a company and leadership team with the skills, experience, creativity, and passion to take this company into a new era.

Why this job matters

As a valued member of the Global Planning team, we are seeking a highly organized and proactive individual to join our team as a Network Planning Manager. This role will consist of supporting the design, modelling, and optimization of IP and optical transport networks. This role focuses on data-driven capacity planning, network performance analysis, and topology documentation. The ideal candidate has strong Excel and analytical skills combined with foundational knowledge of routing, network architecture, and optical systems, and is eager to grow into a more advanced network planning or engineering role.

The skills you’ll need to succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Networking, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel for technical analysis (formulas, pivot tables, charts, data validation)
• Solid understanding of IP networking fundamentals, including:
• Layer 2 / Layer 3 concepts
• Routing and switching principles
• Basic routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, BGP – conceptual level)
• Experience working with large datasets and performing quantitative analysis
• Ability to interpret technical data and translate it into planning recommendations
• Strong attention to detail and structured problem-solving skills

What you’ll be doing – your accountabilities

• Assist with IP and optical network capacity planning, including traffic growth analysis and demand forecasting
• Analyze utilization, throughput, latency, and error metrics from network elements and links
• Build and maintain Excel-based planning models, including pivot tables, formulas, macros, and charts
• Support the development and maintenance of network topology models, including routers, links, and optical paths
• Assist in evaluating network expansion scenarios, upgrade options, and cost/performance trade-offs
• Support planning activities related to router port utilization, interface capacity, and optics selection
• Document planning assumptions, network designs, and engineering recommendations
• Collaborate with network engineering, operations, and architecture teams to validate data and planning outputs
• Support ad-hoc technical analysis and reporting requests

Leadership accountabilities

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

• Maintain open and transparent communication with all stakeholders.
• Act as a liaison between departments, ensuring alignment and fostering positive relationships.

Vision and Strategy

• Clearly articulate project objectives and the broader vision for efficiency improvements.
• Align project plans and efficiency initiatives with organisational goals and priorities.

Decision-Making

• Make informed and timely decisions to keep projects on track and address challenges proactively.
• Prioritise tasks and allocate resources effectively.

Continuous Improvement

• Champion a culture of learning and development, encouraging team members to grow and adapt.
• Regularly assess and refine processes for sustained efficiency and effectiveness.

Experience you’d be expected to have

• Introductory knowledge of router hardware, line cards, interfaces, and port speeds (1G/10G/100G+)
• Basic understanding of optical networking, including:
• Fiber types and basic optical link concepts
• DWDM systems and transceivers (e.g., SFP+, QSFP+)
• Familiarity with network diagrams, logical and physical topology representations
• Exposure to planning, monitoring, or inventory tools
• Experience with additional analysis tools such as Power BI, SQL, or Python
• Understanding of network growth modeling and capacity thresholds
• Familiarity with Microsoft Copilot (or similar AI tools) to help draft summaries, improve written communication, and speed up everyday tasks
• Comfort using AI tools responsibly (e.g., avoiding sensitive data and double-checking accuracy)

Key decisions

• Capacity planning and upgrade recommendations
  Make recommendations on when and where to add capacity based on traffic growth forecasts, utilisation trends, and performance data.
• Network expansion and design options
  Assess and recommend preferred network expansion scenarios and upgrade paths, balancing cost, performance, and scalability.
• Data quality and modelling assumptions
  Determine planning assumptions, validate data sources, and decide acceptable thresholds for use in forecasting and modelling.
• Prioritisation of planning activities
  Prioritise analysis, modelling, and planning work based on business demand, risk levels, and stakeholder requirements.
• Technology and equipment selection (supporting)
  Contribute to decisions on router port utilisation, interface capacity, and optics selection based on technical and commercial considerations.
• Risk identification and mitigation
  Identify risks related to capacity shortfalls, performance degradation, or design limitations and recommend mitigation actions.
• Trade-offs between cost and performance
  Evaluate and recommend decisions where trade-offs are required between investment cost, service quality, and future scalability.
• Planning outputs and recommendations
  Decide the appropriate level of detail and confidence in planning outputs before presenting to engineering, architecture, or delivery teams.
• Stakeholder alignment and challenge
  Decide when to challenge data, assumptions, or requirements from stakeholders to ensure robust planning outcomes.
• Process and tool improvements
  Identify and decide opportunities to improve planning processes, data handling, and modelling approaches to increase efficiency and accuracy.

“We believe in open conversations. If selected, salary details will be shared with you ahead of your interview, so you have clarity from the start.”

At BT International, our purpose is to keep the world connected. As part of BT, we build on almost 180 years of innovation and expertise to deliver secure connectivity and digital services to some of the world’s leading multinational businesses and organisations. Our customers trust us to safeguard their data, drive their digital transformation and keep their businesses running. With colleagues on the ground across the world and supporting customers wherever they need to operate, BT International offers a truly global experience. Whether it’s about providing cloud connectivity, helping organisations collaborate, or enabling innovation in cybersecurity and digital services, you’ll be part of a team that shapes how businesses succeed in a world that is being transformed by AI. If you have the drive and ambition to make an impact on a global stage, BT International is where it happens.