Telstra Careers: Open Jobs, Salary Data and a (Unique) Inside Look

A Telstra career offers a chance for growth and prosperity, emphasising diversity and inclusion whilst offering great opportunities for employees. As one of Australia’s largest organisations, there is a range of incredible opportunities for a career at Telstra. Here are just a few things you need to know about what a career at Telstra is all about.

Index

An inside look at a Telstra career

Career paths inside the company

Salary data

Open Telstra jobs

11 things you need to know about a Telstra career

An Inside Look at a Telstra career

As a tech professional, you know that nothing quite compares to being at the leading edge of innovation. And as one of Australia’s biggest companies, Telstra employees are afforded the opportunity to work with the world’s foremost telecommunications technology, and with the knowledge that their efforts will make the lives of everyday Australians better.

So let’s take a closer look at Telstra as an employer, and find out what life within this iconic company is really like.

Colette Marais, Data Scientist at Telstra

As a Data Scientist in Telstra’s Big Data Analytics division, Colette Marais enjoys a multifaceted role. “My days are very varied. Some days are incredibly deep and technical, where I sit all day looking through data, writing code and building models, and other days I spend with different parts of the business trying to understand what their problems are, and working with engineers and architects on solutions.” With AI and machine learning currently sitting at the top of the Telstra priority list, Marais gets to work in an exciting space that is bursting with possibility.

She describes her team as not what you’d expect from a giant, established company. ”We have quite a start-up attitude. We’re constantly trying to innovate, but we have the support of a large organisation, so you don’t have that extreme pressure and financial strain that you would have in a start-up.”

You can hear more from Marais, including her take on why Telstra should be the employer of choice for Australian data scientists, in the following interview:

Justin Spyridis, Engineer at Telstra

Justin Spyridis, part of the Consumer Product Engineering division of Telstra’s Networks Team, finds himself responsible for developing IoT (internet of things) specific enterprise products. His is a collaborative role that relies on multiple departments, from Products to CTO, working together. This collaboration is encapsulated in the culture of the team. “I know,” says Spyridis, “we use that word [collaborative] all the time, but there’s really no single point of failure in the team. Everyone helps each other. People have their own projects that they work on, but I’ll walk into a project meeting and there’ll be an architect helping another architect, or two analysts helping each other out.”

When asked to offer advice to potential Telstra interviewees, Spyridis emphasizes that while it’s not easy work, it is terrifically stimulating and rewarding. “It’s a really collaborative environment. Candidates would need to be very comfortable being in a social, highly engaged environment. IoT is a new domain, and there’s a lot of interest in it; it’s a busy space, but it’s an exciting space. Show passion, be excited – IoT is going to touch every aspect of Telstra.”

To learn more about Telstra’s plans for the IoT space, and how you could potentially fit into them, check out Spyridis’ entire interview:

Career paths within Telstra

‘To create a brilliant connected future for everyone.’ Telstra’s stated mission is one that those inside the four walls of the company take seriously. With resources and opportunity far from lacking, the sky’s the limit for Telstra and its team. This presents workers with both the motivation to keep innovating, and the satisfaction of knowing that good work will make a real difference.

The major benefit of working within such an expansive organisation is opportunity. As Australia’s largest telco and media company, Telstra boasts positions across the entire tech spectrum – no matter what your specific tech qualification, it’s more than likely that Telstra has a corresponding role. There are also a wide variety of roles available across Australia, and in much of the world – currently Telstra is looking to fill positions in no less than 18 global locations.

As such, Telstra attracts some of Australia’s top tech talent. Recently listed by The Martec as one of the 50 Tech Companies in Australia Everyone Wants to Work for Right Now, it’s perhaps not surprising that Telstra proves such a honey trap for great minds.

While careers can be forged in the many customer-service, marketing and sales positions generated by a business that has fingers in the retail and B2B pies, the tech careers Telstra are perhaps its most sought after and exciting. These include:

• Digital: Web Design, Development, UX, Testing, Quality Assurance and Digital Transformation.
• Technical: Application Software Engineering, Network Engineering, Network Security, Product Design and System Design.
• Strategic: Business Analytics, Data Analytics & Management, Project Management and Strategy & Business Transformation.

Like any company that commits serious resources to training, upskilling and developing their staff in-house, Telstra prefers to promote internally, although senior roles are often openly advertised.

Salaries at Telstra

Glassdoor has recorded the following average salaries for some of the most in-demand tech roles within Telstra, which are accompanied by the average salary for that position across all Australian companies.

• Business Analyst: $86K (Australian average: $82K)
• Project Manager: $110K (Australian average: $103K)
• Technology Specialist: $85K (Australian average: $83K)
• Technical Specialist: $81K (Australian average: $84K)
• Product Manager: $120K (Australian average: $101K)
• Solution Architect: $137K (Australian average: $125K)
• Technical Consultant: $88K (Australian average: $82K)
• Network Engineer: $95K (Australian average: $76K)
• IT Manager: $153K (Australian average: $100K)

It should be noted that while these averages indicate that Telstra generally pays over the Australian average for the listed positions, the location of these jobs has a dramatic effect on both the salary a worker receives, and the average that they should compare themselves against. An IT Manager in Hobart, for example, should not expect the same salary as an IT Manager in Melbourne (where Telstra is headquartered).

The Telstra offices

With major offices in every Australian capital, the Telstra in-office experience will differ from city to city. From the 47 floors that make up Melbourne’s Telstra Corporate Centre (the company’s HQ), to the small offices and stores found in regional centres across the country, the workspaces are as broad and diverse as you’d expect from one of Australia’s largest companies.

One element that almost all offices share is an open and airy atmosphere, with a wealth of glass allowing as much natural light in as possible. The company’s latest rebrand, a lesson in minimalism and personality, sees the Telstra logo being displayed in every colour under the sun, a decision meant to “reflect the energy, diversity and emotion that customers experience when all the different parts of their lives are better connected.” This move has meant that offices don’t share a universal colour scheme, giving each a distinctive feel.

The Martec had the pleasure of touring Telstra’s Sydney head office, and you can see snapshots of that visit here.

Telstra Jobs you’d love to check out

Are you a tech professional looking to take the next step in your career? Do you feel as though you align with the Telstra philosophy, and would enjoy working with Australia’s biggest telco? Here is just a taste of the roles that the company is trying to fill right now:

Telstra jobs in Melbourne

• Agile Coach
• Business Improvement Lead
• Data Scientist – Belong
• General Accounting Analyst
• Manager – HSWE Governance & Strategy
• Marketing Campaign Analyst
• Product Specialist
• Senior Systems Engineer
• Workplace Experience Coordinator

Telstra jobs in Sydney

• Analytics Specialist (Business Analyst)
• Cloud Developer
• Customer Experience Researcher
• Data Engineer
• Network Engineer
• Product Owner
• Project Coordinator
• S2P Process Architect
• Senior Visual Designer (UX)

You can check all current open Telstra jobs right here.

11 things you need to know about a Telstra career

1. Telstra employee benefits

As one of Australia’s largest technology and communications companies, Telstra careers come with employee benefits and discounts for a range of services.

Telstra employees have a discount of up to 25% off Recommended Retail Prices (RRP) of installation, new products and services, broadband and entertainment services like Foxtel through Telstra TV. Employees can also enjoy generous discounts on Microsoft, theme park tickets and travel deals with Hyatt and Intrepid Travel.

2. Innovative graduate programs

Telstra offers a range of graduate programs for students with diverse education backgrounds. Depending on your studies, Telstra will link you up with a part of the company that’s best suited to fostering your growth.

Opportunities in business, commerce, information technology, engineering, marketing, human resources, and finance are some the pathways available for Telstra jobs at a graduate level. With a wide range of projects, graduates have the opportunity to make a difference within their roles, and learn from other employees.

3. Mentoring on the job

Through professional networking and formal training initiatives, Telstra strives to create an immersive career development that aligns with your needs and the needs of the business.

Telstra adopts a 70:20:10 approach for ongoing skill development, where 70 percent is on-the-job experience, 20 percent is fostering relationships and networking opportunities, and 10 percent is formal training with a mentor. The structured mentoring programs gives crucial opportunities for collaboration and provides support finding the perfect mentor for your Telstra career.

4. Focus on diversity

With a designated Diversity Inclusion Lead, Telstra prioritises an inclusive and supportive workplace about fairness, diversity and flexibility. Each year, Telstra releases a Sustainability Report, detailing a holistic approach to sustainability and inclusion within the company.

Supporting Indigenous Australians to thrive in the digital world is a key objective for Telstra; the company partners with the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) to unlock opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to learn and discuss digital platforms, building the next generation of digital makers.

5. Supporting women

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, women make up one-fifth of STEM jobs in Australia. To combat this gender inequality in STEM roles, Telstra has publicly committed to minimum quota of female representation across all levels of the organisation.

The company’s All Roles Flex program is designed to give women, and other minority groups, flexibility around their working hours, leave, job-sharing and working environment.

6. LGBTI+ friendly

The Diversity and Inclusion Lead, Kylie Fuller, encouraged Telstra to support same-sex marriage and provide equal opportunities and support for LGBTI+ employees. Telstra encourages its employees to bring their whole selves to work, and feel confident and comfortable doing so.

Safe meeting spaces with services like counselling are available through the LGBTI+ network Spectrum. Telstra is one of the top employers on the Australian Workplace Equality Index thanks to its LGBTI+ inclusion initiatives.

7. Accessibility for all abilities

Through a Disability Action Plan, Telstra commits to employment opportunities to those living with a disability, support for carers, and inclusion for customers.

Telstra recruiters are trained in understanding and accommodating needs for all applicants, who can request extra support during the application and onboarding process. Specialised computer programs and equipment are also available to assist disabled employees.

8. Opportunities for travel

As an international organisation, there are plenty of opportunities to explore Australia and abroad working at Telstra. The Telstra Graduate program in Asia is a structured 24-month placement in Singapore or Hong Kong working over multiple parts of the business.

With streams of business and commerce, engineering, finance, information technology and marketing, graduates are rotated at least three times throughout the placement to provide travel opportunities in multiple areas of the organisation.

9. Succession planning

Telstra careers provide a breadth of knowledge and skills, and encourages employees to take on new opportunities within the organisation.

Leaders within Telstra facilitate conversations with their team to understand the capabilities, aspirations, development and engagement to map their potential and performance. Managers create short- and long-term opportunities for each employee, encouraging a wide range of experiences across the organisation to enable career progression..

10. Prioritising health

A healthy work-life balance is an ongoing challenge for most of us.At Telstra, employees enjoy a range of benefits from health club providers and health reward programs, including discounts on health insurance premiums and waived waiting periods.

In addition, Telstra promotes a positive attitude towards mental health through a tailor-made initiative called Thrive. Thrive provides practical and effective strategies for people to take care of themselves, and includes online workshops, resources and mental health support.

11. Supporting local communities

Included in their Sustainability agenda, Telstra supports local communities and organisations to develop and heal with disaster relief support like Satellite Cells on Wheels (SatCOWs), supporting emergency service communication and coordination.

Telstra also has a range of social responsibility programs, like Tech Savvy Seniors, which assists older Australians with digital literacy, and tools to encourage cyber safety for children. Digital inclusion policies means that employees know that they are working to a more diverse and inclusive digital Australia and the globe.

Telstra is a global business always looking for the next innovator to join their diverse and inclusive team. Check out the Telstra Careers website to see the latest job openings!