VINCENT FARIRAYI
Kuilsriver
Summary
A visionary ICT Engineer with a BSc in Electrical Engineering and 16 years of expertise in leading telecommunications operations and strategy, specializing in Broadband Infrastructure, Metro Area Networks, and Tetra domains. I thrive at the intersection of people, processes, and results, delivering strategic impact through innovative leadership and operational excellence. I bring a unique blend of technical acumen, business insight, and leadership agility. I excel in designing and executing streamlined processes, ensuring efficiency, and driving measurable results. My leadership philosophy balances people-centricity with a relentless focus on achieving organizational goals, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration that elevates performance and customer satisfaction. Adept at navigating complex environments, I have managed and optimized multimillion rand budgets, and delivered infrastructure that align with business priorities and strategic objectives. My proven expertise spans stakeholder management, contract management, and vendor oversight, as well as aligning operations with strategy and policy frameworks to ensure compliance and impact. I am committed to unlocking value through strategic foresight, operational efficiency, and cultivating teams that deliver exceptional outcomes. Versatile manager with background in coordinating diverse teams and managing complex environments. Skilled in strategic planning, operational improvement, and fostering collaborative environments. Demonstrated ability to enhance efficiency and productivity while maintaining high standards of quality.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Acting Manager: Telecommunications Broadband Services
City of Cape Town
01.2022 - Current
- Spearheaded the review and revisions of the branch’s business plan in response to unforeseen changes in budget requirements and procurement strategy
- Managed an operational and capital budget exceeding R200million, achieving consistent alignment of expenditures with strategic objectives and enhancing financial control through detailed expenditure tracking
- Initiated and established the operational optimisation Programme to optimise OPEX spend whilst ensuring operational excellence of the branch
- Established a 10 year OPEX and CAPEX plan for the branch until Financial year 35 to optimise CAPEX and OPEX requirements in alignment to changes in strategy
- Streamline of branch operational Programmes to ensure optimal budget controls
- Led the branch's load-shedding impact assessment, defining critical CAPEX and OPEX requirements to ensure operational resilience and infrastructure sustainability
Acting Head of Operations/Head Operations
City of Cape Town
01.2022 - Current
- Strategically managed an annual budget of R120M, consistently achieving 97% budget utilization per financial year
- Drove operational excellence by implementing KPIs aligned with business strategy, enhancing efficiency, and contributing to overall organizational success
- Revamped team culture, breaking silos and fostering collaboration through strategic coaching, resulting in a significant boost in productivity across departments
- Optimized workforce management, cutting overtime costs by 36% through effective resource allocation, process improvement and operational improvements
- Launched a technical training program, reducing inefficiencies and accelerating incident resolution, maintaining 100% uptime for the core network
- Led proactive demand planning for load-shedding challenges, ensuring uninterrupted service and establishing precise 5-year budget forecasts for improved resource planning
- Enhanced real-time decision-making by implementing data-driven reporting systems, strengthening financial and operational control through detailed expenditure tracking
- Executed preventive maintenance projects, reducing operational disruptions and optimizing asset performance through a robust maintenance program
Senior Professional Officer
City of Cape Town
03.2019 - 12.2021
- Oversaw a R5M operational budget, collaborating closely with the Head to monitor capital and operating budgets and proactively identify cost-saving opportunities
- Developed and executed comprehensive demand plans for infrastructure projects, demonstrating strategic project planning and resource allocation
- Spearheaded compliant contract management, ensuring alignment with contract specifications, including timeframes, SLAs, scope, quality, and budget
- Managed a successful infrastructure upgrade of 100 radio links, showcasing strategic resource allocation and oversight to ensure project success
- Led performance optimization for the team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional development through targeted training initiatives
- Ensured timely project initiation by addressing procurement and technical constraints, optimizing timelines and mitigating potential bottlenecks
- Directed seamless section operations, enhancing organizational efficiency by streamlining workflows, optimizing resource allocation, and implementing strategic initiatives
Senior Customer Support Engineer
Motorola Solutions
03.2016 - 02.2019
- Optimized project delivery timelines by 20% through strategic coordination of financial, technical, and human resources, aligning with project requirements and exceeding customer expectations
- Enhanced metro-wide communication systems, resulting in a 20% improvement in connectivity and functionality, ensuring seamless communication across the metropolitan area
- Built and maintained strong customer relationships, achieving a 95% satisfaction rate through meticulous service delivery and proactive issue resolution
- Reduced system downtime by 15% through effective preventive and corrective maintenance, demonstrating a proactive approach to system reliability
- Increased successful negotiations and contract renewals by 25% through strategic technical consultations and negotiations
- Improved customer understanding and satisfaction by 30% by representing the organization in meetings and providing clear project updates and reports
Field Engineer
Biptel (South Africa)
06.2015 - 02.2016
- Expertly managed radio and fibre multiple projects for four clients, ensuring seamless execution and timely delivery with a focus on quality outcomes
- Fostered strong vendor relationships, promoting a collaborative approach that consistently resulted in favourable project outcomes
- Oversaw comprehensive customer network infrastructure operations, ensuring smooth operations and adherence to deadlines
- Led the integration of telecommunication systems for five mining organizations across Africa, driving digitization efforts and operational improvements
- Conducted maintenance activities to uphold network reliability and optimize performance for client systems
- Managed thorough project documentation, including site acceptance tests, ensuring adherence to professional standards and quality control
Senior ICT Officer: Infrastructure
Mbada Diamonds
06.2011 - 04.2015
- Executed comprehensive financial management including budgeting, forecasting, and monitoring, driving cost-effective operations and alignment with financial objectives
- Managed stakeholder relationships and contracts, fostering collaboration with both internal and external partners to achieve organizational goals
- Orchestrated ICT infrastructure and network operations, optimizing performance and contributing to organizational efficiency
- Collaborated with stakeholders to define project requirements and milestones, ensuring successful project delivery in line with strategic objectives
- Led personnel management initiatives, cultivating a high-performance culture and driving professional development within the team
- Oversaw supplier performance, ensuring contract compliance and fostering optimized vendor relationships
- Played a key role in establishing the ICT support and service desk, streamlining processes for effective issue resolution and proactive support
- Managed the ICT support and service desk, ensuring timely issue resolution, enhanced user experience, and adherence to service standards
- Established Standard Operating Procedures for the ICT department, standardizing processes, increasing operational efficiency, and improving performance
Network Support Engineer
Zimbabwe Online
07.2008 - 05.2011
- Led efforts to resolve network issues, reducing downtime by 20% and improving operational efficiency
- Monitored performance data to proactively address issues, increasing system reliability by 15%
- Managed IT infrastructure projects, improving scalability and connectivity by 20%
- Provided staff training and support, enhancing skills and achieving 25% higher performance
- Implemented system upgrades, improving communication and data security by 30%
Education
Executive Masters in Business Administration -
BSc. Honours -
Electrical Engineering
Advanced Coaching Practitioner Programme -
Skills
- Leadership & Team Development
- Engineering expertise
- Strategic & Data-Driven Decision Making
- Stakeholder & Relationship Management
- Operational & Service Management
- Contract, Project & Financial Management
Affiliations
- Corporate Services Operational Team of the Year 2024
- IS&T Team of the Year 2023
Timeline
Acting Manager: Telecommunications Broadband Services
City of Cape Town
01.2022 - Current
Acting Head of Operations/Head Operations
City of Cape Town
01.2022 - Current
Senior Professional Officer
City of Cape Town
03.2019 - 12.2021
Senior Customer Support Engineer
Motorola Solutions
03.2016 - 02.2019
Field Engineer
Biptel (South Africa)
06.2015 - 02.2016
Senior ICT Officer: Infrastructure
Mbada Diamonds
06.2011 - 04.2015
Network Support Engineer
Zimbabwe Online
07.2008 - 05.2011
Executive Masters in Business Administration -
BSc. Honours -
Electrical Engineering
Advanced Coaching Practitioner Programme -
Similar Profiles
Mvano MatiwaneMvano Matiwane
Junior Desktop Engineer at City of Cape TownJunior Desktop Engineer at City of Cape Town
Maya ReitsteinMaya Reitstein
Filmmaker at City Of Cape TownFilmmaker at City Of Cape Town
Nopinki Princess KokhweNopinki Princess Kokhwe
Specialist Clerk at City of Cape TownSpecialist Clerk at City of Cape Town
Ruhvene WilliamsRuhvene Williams
GIS TECHNICIAN at City Of Cape Town-Development ManagementGIS TECHNICIAN at City Of Cape Town-Development Management
Mahlubandile MacupeMahlubandile Macupe
Diagnostic Radiographer at Aurum InstituteDiagnostic Radiographer at Aurum Institute