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 work of team
• Quotes in press releases
• Special recognition at Action Week events
• Letters of recognition to management
• Access to Team Leaders Group Conference calls
• Team Leader Recognition

What are the responsibilities of a team leader?

The team leader is responsible for 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
• Identify key companies required to position for industry adoption

Specifically, some of the activities required are:

• Point of contact for members wishing to join and participate in the project.
• Set-up and management of team meetings
• Organize any necessary meetings to progress team work (weekly, daily, or ad-hoc as appropriate)
• Plan and execute meetings at Action Week and any other face-to-face meetings as required.
• Work with TM Forum staff to:
• Define roles and staffing needs, and to reach commitment on staffing and deliverables.
• Manage escalation activities and organize discussions to address issues related to program members not fulfilling commitments.
• Define and manage team structure and associated modifications
• Assign team responsibilities
• Manage delivery of the agreed roadmap items, specifically as applies to the project and outlined within the charter.
• Monitor progress and manage risks to and recovery of any schedule slippages
• Owner and principal editor for the team charter including oversight of any sub-team charters.

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

• Experience of managing collaborative development projects with fixed deadlines
• 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, if it is a co-leader position and maturity of the given project topic, this role typically requires approximately 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 bi-weekly 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