Network Infrastructure Specialist

Job Summary

• The primary role of this position is to oversee the network architecture and infrastructure, ensuring seamless connectivity and high performance levels across various platforms.

Detailed Job Description

This role involves designing, deploying, managing, and operating large-scale network and security infrastructure. The successful candidate will be responsible for planning, installing, configuring, and supporting both on-premise and cloud network assets. This includes LAN, WAN, internet, leased lines, routers, core and access switches, firewalls, cabling, and cloud network components. Additionally, the candidate will manage the lifecycle of all network assets, ensuring timely replacement of end-of-life assets.

The job also involves managing, configuring, and optimizing complex core and access network assets to align with network performance levels, security standards, and regulations. It is essential to recommend process or service improvements for resource optimization and cost savings, as well as assist in the development of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), metrics, and performance indicators.

Troubleshooting, diagnosing, resolving, and documenting multi-faceted network issues and incidents are also crucial aspects of this role. Furthermore, network capacity monitoring and planning for network resources are necessary to ensure optimal performance.

Maintaining operational documentation, SOPs, and work processes are also important responsibilities. Additionally, reviewing and updating relevant IT policies and procedures are required to ensure alignment with current best practices.

Project Implementation and Technology Enhancement

This role involves exploring suitable technologies and solutions to meet current and future IT needs. The candidate will manage large-scale and/or complex network projects, including technology assessment, procurement, implementation, and transition to support.

Providing oversight on projects undertaken by junior team members and collaborating across various IT teams to ensure smooth delivery of new implementations are also key responsibilities. The candidate will provide technical expertise and inputs to tender documents for network-related infrastructure projects, evaluate and recommend appropriate technologies to enhance overall network infrastructure, and review and perform maintenance support contract renewal.

Cybersecurity, BCP, and Compliance

This role involves assessing and responding to network-related cybersecurity issues, incidents, advisories, vulnerabilities, and risks. The candidate will implement resolutions or mitigation and ensure relevant firmware upgrades and patches are rolled out timely to network assets.

Participating in annual disaster recovery (DR) exercises and business continuity planning (BCP) activities are also essential. Ensuring network devices comply with internal policy and regulatory requirements and identifying improvement areas to existing network-related policies and procedures are crucial.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• A degree in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, or a relevant field.
• Possess relevant IT certifications, including CCNA, CCNP, CISSP, Checkpoint CCSA, cloud certifications (e.g., AWS, Azure).
• Minimum 4 years of relevant experience.
• Deep technical knowledge in networking technologies and protocols.
• Hands-on experience and problem-solving skills in network administration and support.
• Experience in supporting various network hardware (e.g., Cisco/Huawei switches and routers) and security hardware (e.g., Checkpoint, Fortigate, Cisco, Palo Alto firewall, Aruba/Cisco wireless controller, VPN, NAC).
• Strong knowledge in network design principles, tools, and technologies (including LAN, WAN, firewalls, IPS, VPN, MFA, CDN, DNS, VoIP, scripting network access control, and public cloud).

Characteristics

• Pro-active, analytical, dynamic, dedicated, and responsible self-starter with strong customer orientation and able to multi-task and prioritize.
• Strong organization skills with the ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
• High self-motivated and directed, with attention to details.
• Excellent communications and stakeholder management skills, and strong vendor and contract management skills.
• Committed to ongoing learning and development.