Senior Network Architect

Our client is currently undergoing a programme to rationalise legacy technologies and integrate modern technologies, by undertaking a series of digital transformation projects.

As Network Architect you will be part of ITC Service Availability and ITC Management teams, providing strong, clear, value objectives, direction, mentoring and expertise to the Network team and others.

The successful candidate will be an integral part of overseeing and implementing this strategy and be comfortable owning end-to-end system integration. You will work closely with Cyber personnel, Network, Telecoms, Backoffice and Application teams to ensure an efficient, scalable, highly available and secure network infrastructure with robust operational processes and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Assess and optimise current networking solutions, product plans and roadmaps for architecture & functionality of infrastructure and systems. Provide technical solutions for the establishment and implementation of high availability network solutions, to support convergence of voice, data, and multimedia services and cloud application security architectures.
• Develop strategy, technical direction and engineering solutions for enterprise-wide data networking and data security services supporting key business requirements. Assist with the development and evaluation of strategic business cases.
• Lead the development, design, validation testing, implementation and execution of Architecture, Engineering and Operational roadmaps for data networking and data security services and drive efforts to validate that strategic direction is aligned with business architecture/direction.
• Play a key role in the design, specification, implementation and support of Network & Unified Communications infrastructure and cloud services.
• Provides clear and concise recommendations to remediate performance/scaling bottlenecks
• Participate in PoC testing with other teams to ensure that performance expectations are met before/after rolling out new applications and services.
• Provides escalation support for troubleshooting and resolution of all network data and security issues as required by other infrastructure support teams
• Maintain expertise in data network security technologies to ensure that cost-effective solutions and processes are deployed and aligned with business direction
• Mentor other members of the Network Services team on architectural and engineering best practices by reviewing engineering designs and providing guidance as required. You will be required to provide technical expertise to teams to diagnose faults and escalate, as required, under the direction of the management team.
• Establish session for competence transfer to team and support in setting up relevant online training for the engineers.
• Be responsible for ensuring documentation and diagrams of Network Infrastructure are relevant and maintained.
• Ensure network monitoring solutions are in place and are fit for purpose. Evaluate, select and deploy tool-sets to manage, measure, monitor and report network and systems characteristics
• Work with the teams to adopt best practise processes to meet SLAs' and proactively take steps to prevent performance impacts to networking and business functionality.
• Coordinate management of network changes and communication within change control frameworks, with Superintendent and Supervisor positions.
• Produce network performance dashboards, analysis and reporting as requested.
• Proactively contribute to the development and training plans for team members

Candidate Requirements:

• Minimum 10 years' experience in Senior Network Architecture roles, analysing, configuring, troubleshooting and designing of complex enterprise networks. Detailed knowledge and experience of implementing IT architectural processes, frameworks and techniques.
• A Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, engineering, or a related field.
• Must have applicable, recognized network architecture certification(s), such as Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or other equivalent(s).
• ITIL v3. V4 or 5 foundations are preferred, with demonstrable knowledge and experience of employing fewer silos, increased collaboration, facilitating communication across the whole organization, and the integration of Agile and DevOps into ITSM strategies.
• Have demonstrable experience and knowledge of good practice project management skills, techniques, methods & AFE structuring.
• Demonstrate full system & product development lifecycle knowledge including strategy, requirements management, architecture, design, implementation, testing, integration and deployment. Extensive and proven experience in designing, Installing, commissioning and supporting large complex multi-site voice and data LAN and WAN network solutions based predominantly on Cisco products. Must have practical, hands-on experience of brownfield site development of legacy systems to unified communication technologies.
• Define and implement methodology templates for total cost of ownership analysis, requirements gathering, infrastructure design, and peer reviews. Develop a culture and process for re-use of solutions templates across projects thereby simplifying the solutions engineering process and improving the productivity of the resources.
• Assist with development and management of Network product lifecycles and Services budgets.
• Must have an extensive background in all aspects of networking technology and be able to demonstrate experience and applicable expertise of;
  • Network infrastructure design and best practice principles
  • Cisco Adaptive security and IDP appliances, Cisco Identity Service Engine
  • Cisco Branch and Edge Routers, Cisco Datacentre, SAN fabric and LAN Switches
  • F5 Local and Global load-balancing and traffic management policies
  • Fortigate firewall devices, rules and policies
  • Unix/Linux Platforms
  • Advanced knowledge of IP Networks, advanced IP addressing, dynamic routing protocols, routing and switching concepts, across multiple sites; IGRP, EIGRP, OSPF, EGP, BGP
  • Advanced knowledge of network & security services DNS, DHCP, QoS, Multicast and VPN solutions
  • Unified communication strategies
  • Remote access deployment and security
  • Fibre network deployment and standards
  • Mobile communication xG integration
  • Adept with scripting languages: Python, Perl, et al

Key Attributes

• An effective communicator and presenter, with the ability to build relationships at all levels across the business. Must have excellent verbal, written communication and interpersonal skills to ensure information is conveyed effectively and accurately. Able to demonstrate the ability and adaptability to identify and describe complex technical solutions and challenges to technical and non-technical stakeholders in terms suitable for the target audience.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with key vendors and ensure that all technology and services roadmaps are understood and leveraged where applicable. Facilitate to portray and gather requirements; provide solution recommendations and suggest improvements on how to get the best value from solutions.
• Ability to influence and persuade senior management, shareholder representatives and senior counterparts.
• Has proven experience of working with multiple priorities in a challenging environment.
• Goal oriented. A proactive self-starter who can deliver within guidelines with minimum supervision. Must be able to work independently as well as a team player and can manage own workload
• Must be an effective problem solver with ability to analyse problems and provide clear recommendations. Strong motivation with a proactive approach to working options within a team and finalizing value solutions
• Strong organization and collaborative skills. Can manage and lead project and operational team members. Has the capability and willingness to quickly learn technical, process and culture.
• Will coach, mentor and challenge team members, where applicable, in accordance with departmental and organizational objectives.
• Keeps abreast of current technology developments, looking for improvements to current environment.
• Leads by example. Must be honest and trustworthy.

Our role in supporting diversity and inclusion
As an international workforce business, we are committed to sourcing personnel that reflects the diversity and values of our client base but also that of Orion Group. We welcome the wide range of experiences and viewpoints that potential workers bring to our business and our clients, including those based on nationality, gender, culture, educational and professional backgrounds, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, and age differences, job classification and religion. In our inclusive workplace, regardless of your employment status as staff or contract, everyone is assured the right of equitable, fair and respectful treatment.