Senior Telecommunications Manager
Department: Technology
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Zurich
Reporting To: jacek
Description
As the organiser of some of the biggest and most iconic sport events in the world, we lead the way in the sport and event industry.
Join the team and support us on our mission.
THE POSITION
These are your key tasks:
- Lead the planning, coordination, and operational oversight of telecom infrastructure and services for FIFA tournaments, events, and offices, covering stadiums, IBCs, training sites, fan-facing venues, and other event locations.
- Review, validate, and govern telecom infrastructure designs to ensure all deliverables are implemented in line with FIFA requirements, including:
• Transport and contribution networks
• Event and legacy IP networks
• Passive infrastructure and cabling
• IPTV and CATV systems
• VoIP and telephony services
• Mobile, private cellular, and wireless services
• Monitoring, alerting, and operational support platforms
- Actively participate in scope definition, procurement activities, and technical evaluation of telecom and network service providers, including supplier onboarding and integration into FIFA delivery and governance frameworks.
- Lead the coordination of telecom infrastructure build, commissioning, and decommissioning across venues and events, ensuring timely availability of services and alignment with overall event readiness milestones.
- Oversee the effective and efficient provision of telecom services during FIFA tournaments and events, tracking progress, risks, issues, and dependencies, and reporting status in accordance with FIFA IT governance and escalation processes.
- Serve as a senior technical interface between FIFA, Local FIFA Subsidiaries, Host Broadcasters, and telecom service providers, ensuring clear ownership, accountability, and alignment across all parties.
- Define and oversee operational processes for configuration, testing, service handover, live monitoring, fault management, and incident resolution during event-time operations.
- Lead telecom-related incident management and escalation during live events, acting as a decision authority within FIFA's technical governance and command structures.
- Support and guide cross-functional network and telecom initiatives, ensuring adherence to robust change management processes and consistent communication of technical requirements, decisions, and constraints.
- Provide senior technical guidance, coaching, and mentoring to internal teams and delivery partners, including the development of best practices, operational documentation, and knowledge transfer materials.
YOUR PROFILE
We work hard at FIFA.
We are dedicated, ambitious and innovative.
And we respect our values. Always.
For all roles, we seek talented people with an entrepreneurial spirit and a global mindset.
The specific competencies we require for this position are:
- 10+ years of experience in telecommunications, covering planning, delivery, and operations of fixed, mobile, and event-critical communications services
- Proven experience in the sports and major event industry, with direct involvement in the delivery and operation of telecommunications services for large-scale international tournaments.
- Demonstrated track record of successful delivery of complex, multi-venue and multi-country telecom projects, operating under tight timelines and high operational constraints.
- Experience coordinating and managing multiple telecom service providers and technology partners, including broadcast, transport, mobile, radio, and venue infrastructure suppliers.
- Hands-on experience supporting live event operations, including commissioning, operational readiness, incident management, and decommissioning of telecom services at venues.
- Experience working across different regulatory and operational environments, including coordination with local authorities, venue owners, and event stakeholders.
- Strong telecommunications expertise with the ability to plan, deliver, and operate end-to-end telecom services in large-scale, live sports event environments, including stadiums, broadcast centres, and temporary event venues.
- Demonstrated experience across multiple telecom domains, including broadcast contribution networks, transport and fibre infrastructure, low latency TV distribution systems, voice and radio communications, mobile and private cellular services, and spectrum coordination, ensuring reliable delivery of mission-critical services.
- Proven ability to manage and integrate multiple telecom service providers and technology partners within complex event ecosystems, ensuring alignment with FIFA technical standards, governance models, and operational requirements.
- Solid understanding of telecom infrastructure lifecycle management, including design validation, deployment, commissioning, operational readiness, live-event operations, and decommissioning.
- Strong capability to operate in time-critical, high-pressure environments, making informed decisions where telecom services directly impact competition, broadcast, security, and overall event operations.
- Experience working with broadcast stakeholders, venue owners, particularly in areas related to fibre routing, mobile networks, radio spectrum, and temporary event infrastructure.
- Highly adept at stakeholder management, consulting, negotiation, and coordination across internal teams, Local FIFA Subsidiaries, service providers, and external partners.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks, assess operational impact, and drive resolution across multiple telecom domains.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear technical documentation, governance inputs, operational procedures, and executive-level reporting.
- Leadership mindset with the ability to guide, influence, and mentor technical teams and partners across preparation phases, test events, and live tournament operations.
- Professional attitude characterised by resilience, accountability, adaptability, and attention to detail, particularly during major international tournaments and critical operational periods.
- Excellent verbal and written communication, training, and presentation skills.
- Positive attitude, patience and persistence.
- Fluent in English.
- Proficiency in any other FIFA language (F / ES / GER) is an asset
- Willing to travel globally (up to 30%), with some trips with a long duration (30 days or more)
PERKS & BENEFITS
The biggest benefit of a career at FIFA is the privilege to work for the beautiful game and create something that matters.
Alongside that privilege, we also offer some extra perks and benefits:
- Health and fitness: Regular football sessions for all abilities, plus on-site gym.
- Home office: Up to two days of home office per week if work permits and home office allowance for all.
- Language courses: Offered to all staff to aid personal and professional growth.
- Continuous learning: We care about your development and encourage internal mobility, offering a variety of training and education to help achieve it.
- Pension: Flexible pension benefits with generous employer contributions.
- Relocation assistance: A dedicated team will be on hand to support your relocation.
- Sustainability: We support all employees using public transport.
- Vacation: Maintain a healthy work/life balance with a generous vacation allowance.
- Volunteering: Make an impact beyond your regular role and bond with colleagues by volunteering with one of our partners.
