Job Purpose The role holder is responsible for leading the Emerging Technologies Department by establishing and operating structured innovation, laboratory, and validation capabilities to assess emerging and next-generation technologies. The role ensures technical feasibility, readiness, and alignment with approved technology strategies and architectures prior to large-scale delivery, while supporting informed technology planning and decision-making. Key Responsibilities Establish and operate a structured innovation and laboratory framework to translate technology strategies, architectures, and network standards into validated proofs of concept, pilots, devices, and tested solutions. Design, build, and manage specialized technology labs, testbeds, and controlled, isolated pre-production environments to support experimentation, interoperability testing, resilience validation, security testing, and performance benchmarking. Generate, evaluate, and experiment with emerging and next-generation technologies and devices to support anticipated service enhancements and future technology evolution. Execute structured proof-of-concept (PoC) and pilot activities to validate new technologies, solutions, devices, and architectures against defined technical success criteria and operational requirements, in coordination with internal and external stakeholders. Provide technical readiness assessments, lab validation reports, and evidence-based recommendations to support technology planning and architecture decisions, while maintaining alignment with governance, budgeting, and delivery functions. Ensure all lab activities and innovation initiatives are aligned with approved technology strategies, architectures, network standards, and security, resilience, and compliance requirements. Collaborate with technology vendors, device manufacturers, ecosystem partners, and research institutions to enable controlled technology trials and innovation partnerships, in accordance with organizational policies and procurement processes. Support the transition of validated technologies and devices from lab environments to delivery and operational teams by providing documented test results, validation outcomes, and structured technical handovers, in coordination with the Tech PMO and relevant delivery organizations. Qualifications Bachelor or Master degree in Information Technology, Information System, Engineering or equivalent. Years Of Experience Preferred experience of (7+) years, or equivalent in the area of expertise.