Technical Proxy Product Owner (PPO) – Cloud & Hybrid Connectivity - N

About Proximus NXT

Proximus NXT Luxembourg supports all organizations in their digital transformation, by providing holistic ICT & Telecommunication solutions, as well as tailored managed services. With our partners and customers, we co-create opportunities and enable growth in a secure and sustainable manner. As a result of our unique expertise in next-gen IT services, mobile and advanced connectivity, we help our customers achieve their ambitions and realize their vision.

Together with them and our partners we implement sovereign and trusted solutions that make people work smarter.– www.proximusnxt.lu

Your mission :

Role Purpose

The Technical Proxy Product Owner – Cloud & Hybrid Connectivity acts as the technical and product interface between the Customer Product Owner, Cloud Architects, engineering teams and dependent infrastructure squads.

The Cloud product currently provides and operates AWS infrastructure and will progressively extend its scope to Microsoft Azure. It is also responsible for cloud and hybrid connectivity, including interconnection services provided through partners such as Equinix.

This is not a purely functional Product Owner position.

The PPO must possess sufficient technical depth to:

• understand the architecture proposed by Cloud and Network Architects;
• challenge technical choices and assumptions;
• identify dependencies, risks and operational impacts;
• understand alternatives and associated trade-offs;
• translate customer requirements into technically meaningful backlog items;
• verify that proposed solutions meet business, security, resiliency, automation and operational requirements.

The PPO does not replace the Technical Architect but must be capable of having a peer-level technical discussion with the Architect and of challenging a proposal when necessary.

Key Responsibilities

1. Product Ownership and Customer Interface

Act as the primary interface between the Customer Product Owner and the Cloud squad.

Responsibilities include:

• understand customer business and infrastructure requirements;
• translate requirements into product capabilities, epics, features and actionable backlog items;
• establish clear acceptance criteria;
• clarify requirements before engineering work starts;
• prioritize the backlog together with the Customer Product Owner;
• identify technical prerequisites and external dependencies;
• ensure that architecture and engineering activities remain aligned with product priorities;
• communicate technical constraints, risks and alternatives in language understandable by the Product Owner;
• provide transparency regarding delivery status, risks, dependencies and technical debt.

The PPO is expected to actively participate in discussions rather than simply forward information between the Product Owner and engineering teams.

2. Architecture Challenge and Technical Governance

The PPO must be capable of reviewing and challenging proposed cloud and connectivity architectures.

For every significant solution, the PPO should be able to ask and understand questions such as:

• Why has this architecture been selected?
• What alternatives were considered?
• What are the failure scenarios?
• Is there any single point of failure?
• How does traffic flow during normal operation and during failure?
• What happens if a BGP session or interconnection fails?
• Could the proposed routing policy create a route leak or asymmetric routing?
• How is network segmentation implemented?
• How is connectivity controlled between cloud, datacentre and external networks?
• What are the security boundaries?
• How will the solution scale?
• How will it be monitored and troubleshot?
• Can the infrastructure be rebuilt automatically?
• Is the configuration represented in Infrastructure as Code?
• Is the configuration consistent with NetBox?
• What is the rollback strategy?
• What operational teams will be impacted?
• What is the cost impact of the proposed design?

The PPO must be able to distinguish between a technically functional solution and a production-ready, secure, resilient and maintainable service.

3. Cloud Infrastructure

Strong knowledge of AWS infrastructure is required.

The candidate should understand, at minimum:

• AWS Organizations and multi-account architectures;
• VPC design;
• subnets and routing tables;
• Transit Gateway;
• Direct Connect;
• VPN connectivity;
• PrivateLink and VPC endpoints;
• Route 53 and DNS integration;
• Internet Gateway and NAT Gateway;
• Security Groups and Network ACLs;
• IAM concepts and cross-account access;
• availability zones and regional architectures;
• high availability and disaster recovery principles;
• cloud monitoring and logging;
• infrastructure automation;
• cloud cost drivers and basic FinOps principles.

The candidate must understand how AWS infrastructure integrates with traditional enterprise networking.

Knowledge of Microsoft Azure must either already exist or be developed as the product extends towards Azure.

Relevant Azure technologies include:

• Virtual Networks;
• VNet peering;
• Azure Virtual WAN;
• ExpressRoute;
• VPN Gateway;
• Azure Route Server;
• User Defined Routes;
• Private Link;
• Azure Firewall;
• Network Security Groups;
• Azure DNS;
• hybrid connectivity.

4. Networking and Hybrid Connectivity

Strong networking knowledge is mandatory.

The PPO must understand:

Routing

• IPv4 and preferably IPv6;
• subnetting and IP addressing;
• routing tables;
• static and dynamic routing;
• BGP;
• Autonomous Systems;
• eBGP and iBGP;
• BGP attributes;
• Local Preference;
• MED;
• AS Path;
• BGP communities;
• route filtering;
• prefix advertisements;
• route summarization;
• route redistribution;
• ECMP;
• routing convergence;
• route propagation;
• asymmetric routing;
• default route management.

The candidate must be sufficiently comfortable with BGP to discuss routing policies with network architects and understand the potential impact of their decisions.

Connectivity

Understanding of:

• Internet connectivity;
• private cloud interconnection;
• MPLS/WAN concepts;
• IPsec VPN;
• redundant connectivity;
• Layer 2 versus Layer 3 interconnection;
• bandwidth and latency;
• MTU issues;
• DNS;
• load balancing;
• firewalls and network segmentation.

Cloud Interconnection

Knowledge of cloud interconnection models including technologies and services such as:

• AWS Direct Connect;
• Azure ExpressRoute;
• Equinix Fabric;
• cloud exchange/interconnection services;
• colocation environments;
• redundant physical and logical connectivity;
• BGP-based cloud connectivity.

The PPO should be able to understand the complete traffic path:

Application → Cloud Network → Cloud Edge → Interconnection Provider → Backbone/Data Centre → Firewall → Destination

and identify which team owns each component.

5. Infrastructure as Code and Automation

The Cloud product follows an Infrastructure as Code and automation-first approach.

The PPO is not expected to be the team's main developer but must understand the technologies sufficiently to review implementation approaches and challenge manual processes.

Required knowledge includes:

Git / GitLab

• Git fundamentals;
• branches;
• Merge Requests;
• code review;
• protected branches;
• tagging and releases;
• CI/CD pipelines;
• pipeline stages;
• automated testing;
• deployment approvals;
• rollback strategies;
• secrets and CI/CD variables.

The PPO should be comfortable opening a GitLab repository, understanding its structure, reviewing a Merge Request and following a CI/CD pipeline.

Terraform

Understanding of:

• providers;
• resources;
• modules;
• variables;
• state;
• remote state;
• plans;
• dependencies;
• lifecycle;
• drift;
• reusable modules;
• environment separation.

The PPO should be capable of reading a Terraform plan and understanding the infrastructure changes that will result from its execution.

Ansible

Understanding of:

• inventories;
• playbooks;
• roles;
• variables;
• idempotency;
• automation workflows;
• integration with CI/CD.

NetBox

NetBox is used as a Source of Truth.

The PPO must understand:

• IP Address Management;
• prefixes;
• VLANs;
• devices;
• interfaces;
• sites;
• tenants;
• relationships between inventory data and automation;
• API-driven integrations;
• the principle that automation should consume authoritative data rather than duplicate it manually.

The PPO must actively challenge solutions where configuration is manually maintained outside the agreed Source of Truth.

6. Cross-Squad Coordination

Cloud infrastructure cannot operate independently.

The PPO must actively coordinate requirements and dependencies with other technical products and squads, particularly:

• Firewall / Security;
• Data Centre;
• Telecom / WAN;
• Backbone;
• DNS;
• Load Balancing;
• Reverse Proxy;
• Monitoring;
• IAM / Security;
• application teams;
• external connectivity providers such as Equinix.

For each dependency, the PPO is responsible for ensuring that:

• ownership is clearly identified;
• requirements are documented;
• interfaces between products are understood;
• dependencies are included in planning;
• blockers are escalated early;
• testing responsibilities are agreed;
• acceptance criteria cover end-to-end service behaviour.

The PPO must think end-to-end, not only within the Cloud squad boundary.

7. Security, Resilience and Operational Readiness

The PPO must challenge solutions from an operational perspective.

Expected areas of attention include:

• least privilege;
• network segmentation;
• security boundaries;
• encryption;
• secrets management;
• logging;
• monitoring;
• alerting;
• high availability;
• disaster recovery;
• backup;
• capacity;
• performance;
• observability;
• failure scenarios;
• maintenance;
• lifecycle management;
• supportability;
• rollback capability.

A solution should not be considered complete simply because it can be deployed successfully.

It must also be operable, observable, recoverable and supportable in production.

Required Experience

The preferred candidate should have:

• 7+ years of experience in infrastructure, networking, cloud or related technical domains;
• 3+ years of practical cloud infrastructure experience, preferably AWS;
• significant experience with enterprise networking and BGP;
• practical exposure to hybrid cloud connectivity;
• experience working with architects and senior engineers;
• experience with Infrastructure as Code;
• experience using Git-based CI/CD workflows;
• experience working in complex environments involving multiple infrastructure teams;
• experience converting business requirements into technical deliverables;
• experience reviewing technical designs and identifying risks or missing requirements.

Experience in large-scale, regulated or security-sensitive environments is highly desirable.

Your profile :

Required Technical Level

The successful candidate does not need to configure every platform personally.

However, they must be capable of discussing a proposed architecture with specialists without depending entirely on those specialists to determine whether the proposal is appropriate.

Certification Profile

Certifications should be considered evidence of technical capability rather than a substitute for practical experience.

Strongly Preferred – Cloud

At least one of the following:

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

Preferred certification for an experienced AWS-focused PPO. It demonstrates advanced ability to evaluate architectures, organizational complexity, networking, security, resiliency and cloud solution design.

OR

AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate

Acceptable when combined with significant practical AWS and enterprise networking experience.

Existing holders of AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty should be considered particularly strong candidates for the networking component of the role.

For Azure:

Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate – AZ-700

Highly relevant as the organisation expands into Azure, particularly for hybrid connectivity, routing and private cloud connectivity.

Networking Certification

At least one strong networking certification is highly desirable.

Preferred examples:

Cisco CCNP Enterprise

Ideally combined with:

• 300-410 ENARSI – Implementing Cisco Enterprise Advanced Routing and Services

or

• 300-440 ENCC – Designing and Implementing Secure Cloud Connectivity

Equivalent advanced networking qualifications such as Juniper JNCIP-ENT or JNCIP-SP are also acceptable.

For this position, an advanced networking certification is considerably more valuable than a basic cloud fundamentals certification because the PPO must be able to understand and challenge BGP and hybrid connectivity decisions.

Infrastructure as Code / Automation Certifications

Useful supporting certifications include:

HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate

or, for a particularly strong candidate:

HashiCorp Terraform Authoring and Operations Professional

Additional useful qualifications include:

• GitLab Certified CI/CD Associate;
• Red Hat Certified Engineer in Ansible;
• relevant Ansible Automation Platform certifications.

These are desirable but should not all be mandatory.

Product Ownership Certification

A product-management qualification is useful but should not compensate for insufficient technical knowledge.

Relevant certifications include:

• Professional Scrum Product Owner II – PSPO II;
• equivalent Product Owner / Agile Product Management certification.

For this particular position, the preferred profile is:

Technical infrastructure/cloud professional who has developed strong Product Ownership capabilities

rather than:

Product Owner with only superficial technical cloud knowledge.

Recommended Minimum Certification Requirement

To avoid creating an unrealistic certification checklist, candidates should preferably demonstrate:

At least one major Cloud certification

For example:

• AWS Solutions Architect – Professional;
• AWS Solutions Architect – Associate with substantial production experience;
• Azure Network Engineer Associate.

AND

At least one advanced networking credential or equivalent proven expertise

For example:

• CCNP Enterprise;
• CCNP Enterprise + ENARSI;
• CCNP Enterprise + ENCC;
• JNCIP equivalent;
• existing AWS Advanced Networking Specialty.

AND

Practical production experience with:

• Terraform;
• GitLab CI/CD;
• BGP;
• hybrid cloud networking.

Product Owner and automation certifications are additional differentiators.

Recruitment Technical Assessment

Certification alone should not be sufficient to validate the candidate.

Candidates should undergo a technical interview based on a realistic architecture scenario.

For example, provide a diagram containing:

• AWS;
• future Azure connectivity;
• two Equinix interconnections;
• enterprise backbone;
• firewalls;
• multiple BGP peers;
• Transit Gateway;
• Direct Connect;
• application VPCs;
• Terraform/GitLab deployment.

Ask the candidate to review the proposed architecture.

A suitable PPO should spontaneously investigate topics such as:

• BGP route propagation;
• route filtering;
• redundant paths;
• failure scenarios;
• asymmetric routing;
• potential route leaks;
• firewall dependencies;
• DNS dependencies;
• availability-zone or regional failure;
• monitoring;
• rollback;
• Infrastructure as Code;
• NetBox consistency;
• CI/CD controls;
• ownership between squads;
• testing requirements;
• operational readiness;
• cost implications.

A second exercise should present a small Terraform Merge Request / Terraform plan and ask the candidate to explain:

1. what infrastructure will change;
2. what risks they see;
3. which teams could be impacted;
4. what tests should be performed;
5. what acceptance criteria should be required before deployment.

This assessment is more valuable than relying exclusively on certifications.

Expected Behaviour

The PPO is expected to demonstrate:

• curiosity;
• technical credibility;
• constructive challenge;
• ownership;
• pragmatism;
• critical thinking;
• ability to simplify complex technical subjects;
• strong communication;
• ability to make decisions with incomplete information;
• willingness to question assumptions;
• ability to work across organisational boundaries.

The PPO should never behave as a simple mailbox between the Customer Product Owner and the technical team.

The role exists to ensure that:

Customer intent, architecture, engineering, automation, network connectivity and operations converge into one coherent Cloud product.

Our offer:

• A professional, stimulating and innovative working environment:

Joining Proximus Luxembourg means becoming part of a human-sized company while benefiting from the strength, expertise and opportunities offered by the Proximus Group. You will work within dynamic, supportive and collaborative teams, where team spirit, knowledge sharing and innovation play a central role.

• Genuine career opportunities within the Proximus Group:

You will have the opportunity to develop your career within Proximus Luxembourg and the Proximus Group, both nationally and internationally. Thanks to the diversity of our activities, internal mobility opportunities and an environment that encourages continuous learning, you will be able to strengthen your skills and grow your expertise in innovative fields such as cloud, data, artificial intelligence, telecommunications and emerging technologies. You will benefit from personalized support and tailored training programs to support your professional development.

• An attractive remuneration package and benefits that support your work-life balance:

Your salary is defined according to a clear salary framework, taking into account your professional experience, skills and seniority. The recruiter will share the applicable salary range with you before the first interview. You will also benefit from flexible working hours with the possibility of teleworking, as well as numerous benefits: meal vouchers, the possibility of a company car, “quality time” dedicated to supporting your work-life balance (4 hours per month), additional days of leave linked to our collective agreement, sports and well-being activities, and much more.

• A company committed to diversity and inclusion:

Proximus Luxembourg promotes equal opportunities and provides an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and develop their full potential. Our multicultural teams, representing 34 nationalities, reflect the richness of our company culture.

As part of the recruitment process, a criminal record extract may be requested. Your personal data is processed in accordance with applicable data protection regulations.