What is a Team Leader?

A team leader is an important member of a collaborative project team. This individual or group of individuals is responsible for planning, executing and promoting the activities that a project undertakes. 

A project may also have several team leaders who split the duties of a team leader among them.

What are the benefits of project leadership?

As a team leader, you and your organization will be seen as an industry leader, with the following particular benefits:

• Individual and Company recognition on TM Forum website and in Community
• Individual and company recognition in published documents
• If required part-take in interviews for both internal TM Forum and industry publications on team deliverables
• Quotes in press releases
• Special recognition at Action Week events
• Letters of recognition to management
• Access to Team Leaders Group Conference calls

What are the responsibilities of a team leader?

The team leader assists planning, executing and promoting activities that a project undertakes.  At a high level, the team leader is responsible for:

• Ensure project is developed in line with TM Forum IPR policy
• Encourage all participants to take an active role in the project
• Ensure participants have a clear understanding of what they need to complete and when
• Drive the project team for on time delivery
• Lead the design, planning and execution validation activities
• Assist TMF Theme Lead in identify key companies required for industry adoption
  
  

Specifically, some of the activities required are:

• Organize any necessary meetings to progress team work (weekly, daily, or ad-hoc as appropriate)
• Assist in planning and executing meetings at Action Week and any other face-to-face meetings as required
• Work with TM Forum staff to:
• Define roles within the team and reach commitment on owning team activities for any given sprint
• Manage escalation activities and organize discussions to address issues related to program members not fulfilling commitments
• Assign team responsibilities
• Manage delivery of the agreed roadmap items, specifically as applies to the project and outlined within the charter

What experience and skills are required for the team leader position?

• Experience of managing collaborative development projects with fixed deadlines
• Manage team using JIRA and Confluence on weekly calls
• Encourage team members to use the tools provided by TM Forum 
• Track record of presenting to stakeholders, ability to understand their requirements and find pragmatic ways to meet their needs
• Strong communications skills – verbal, written and presentation
• An ability to work well with people from diverse backgrounds

What is the time commitment for a team leader?

While the amount of actual time will depend on various factors such as experience, this role typically requires approximately 5 -10 hours per work week time committed to the role, namely:

• Including two full-week dedicated attendance at Action Weeks, one in Europe, one in the US
• Including attendance at monthly Collaboration Program Team Leader coordination one-hour conference call meeting
• Group meetings as deemed necessary to deliver to project charter commitments
• Administrative time as necessary to fulfill responsibilities above

How do I apply to be a team leader?

Here is the application to become a Team Leader Team-Leader_Application_Template_Ver1-2.docx