Location –  Ipswich - Hybrid working 3 office days per week required.

About the role –

• The purpose of the Specialist EMS Designer role is to own the network management system infrastructure design within our on prem data centres, specialising in the infrastructure layers namely the Operating System and Containerisation technology systems integration with the management applications.

• This is an essential role for Openreach to deliver leading edge technological developments into the network to underpin our Big Bold Plan. 

• You will be part of a team developing solutions to extract as much value from our network and management assets as possible. This will include maximising coverage, making a material impact to strategic business cases.  Using state of the art methodologies, network data and engineering skills, the team will play a key part in delivering a world class service over copper & fibre infrastructure.

• This role delivers significant business value through providing technical expertise in producing High Level and Low level Solution Designs, consultancy as well as feasibility studies and investigations into future solutions on the Openreach Ethernet, Optical and NGA Networks Platforms.

You'll have the following Responsibilities

You will be the technical subject matter expert for datacentre infrastructure design and deployment to enable seamless integration of Openreach’s Element and Network Management Systems (EMS/NMS) and associated tooling within BT’s on‑premise data centre environments.

You will be responsible for providing authoritative technical leadership across the full solution lifecycle and will be accountable for:

• Ownership of the end-to-end datacentre infrastructure designs for key EMS platforms, product enhancements, and major deliveries, ensuring alignment with architectural standards, security controls, and operational requirements.
• Leading the datacentre integration of management systems with cloud aligned infrastructure technologies hosted in BT’s on-premise data centres, ensuring resilience, scalability, and high availability.
• Collaborate closely with other data centre architecture and design teams to define, deliver, and deploy the DC infrastructure environments and capabilities required to host Openreach’s network management systems.
• Production of high quality designs for datacentre deployment and management systems, including system connectivity, security boundaries, user access patterns, and integration with network elements, OSS, security tools and DC common services.
• Provision of 3rd line in life support for complex issues across the different infrastructure domains, offering deep technical insight to operational teams during investigations, escalations, and service impacting scenarios.
• Leadership of matrixed teams of technical specialists, coordinating design activities, providing technical direction, and contributing thought leadership to the team.
• Informing design scopes as well as defining solution and delivery requirements, including effort estimation, resource needs, dependencies, and risk assessment to ensure optimised cost and time deliveries.
• Review, communicate, and formally authorise technical designs for implementation teams ensuring clarity, completeness, and alignment with wider Openreach and BT technology strategies.
• Act as the primary point of technical contact for internal and external project stakeholders, providing authoritative guidance, decision making, and escalation management.
• Mentorship, coaching, and knowledge sharing with colleagues across engineering and operations, fostering capability growth and technical excellence within the team.

You'll need to have the following skills and experience

• Demonstrate strong leadership skills including the ability to motivate and guide matrixed teams to achieve shared objectives and high-quality outcomes.
• Ability to define, articulate, and influence long term technical direction, contributing to strategic decision making and technology roadmaps.
• Build effective relationships and manages stakeholders at different levels, from engineers to directors, ensuring trust, alignment, and productive engagement.
• Provides forward thinking insights and drives the adoption of new ideas, methodologies, and improvements to support Openreach’s business imperatives and evolving technology landscape.
• Skilled at working through ambiguity and complexity to develop clear, compelling, and actionable propositions and solution options
• Strong delivery skills with the ability to inform optimal technical plans, manage detail meticulously, and ensure smooth execution and reporting across all phases of delivery
• Committed to ongoing improvement, performance optimisation as well as personal and team development to maximise efficiency.

Our package;
Tailored benefits make a real difference. That’s why we offer a comprehensive range to support your growth, wellbeing, and everyday life. 
You can design the package to suit you and your lifestyle. Your core benefits include:
• 10% on target annual bonus
• Access to an online private GP 24/7 for you and your immediate family 
• Market-leading paid carers leave with up to 2 weeks off 
• Equalized maternity, paternity, and adoption leave – 18 weeks’ full pay and 8 weeks’ half pay
• Discounted EE and BT products, including mobile and broadband
• Market leading Pension scheme – 5% from you and 10% from us
• Holiday purchase scheme
You can select additional benefits, including healthcare, dental, gym memberships and more when you’re ready.
Ready to connect for good and help shape the future? Apply now 

About Openreach

We’re the nation’s number one broadband network and we build the connections that matter.

Our customers are the 640+ communications providers who sell phone, broadband and Ethernet services to homes and businesses and our mission is build the best digital future for the UK.

There’s over 33,000 of us across the country, and we have a vision that our workforce should represent the communities that we serve. Diversity and accessibility are important to both where we are now and where we’re going. We value every colleague and the contribution they make, because a diverse business is a stronger business.

We also want the best work-life balance for all our people, which is why we offer smart working. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution, so you’ll be able to discuss how smart working fits with your role during the recruitment process.

How to Apply

It's easy to apply online; you just need a copy of your up-to-date CV and to follow the step-by step process. Don't worry if you need to make changes - you'll have the opportunity to review and edit your work on the final page.

We’re creating an inclusive working culture where people from all backgrounds can succeed. We welcome applications from every community and we’re looking forward to receiving yours.