Group Network Manager/Senior Engineer

Job Summary

The Group Network Manager/Senior Engineer is responsible for the design, implementation, governance, and lifecycle management of the organisation's regional and group-wide network infrastructure across multiple countries. This includes WAN, LAN, WLAN, firewalls, cloud networking, network security, and inter-site connectivity.

This role provides advanced technical expertise, supports major network initiatives, strengthens security posture, and serves as the primary group-level escalation point for all network-related matters. The position works closely with local IT teams across entities to ensure standardization, resilience, and alignment with Group IT strategy, security requirements, and operational excellence.

Strategic & Architecture Responsibilities

• Design and implement group-level network standards, architecture, and security baselines across all entities.
• Develop short- and long-term roadmaps for WAN, LAN, WLAN, firewall, SD-WAN, segmentation, cloud networking, and related technologies.
• Ensure network strategy aligns with cybersecurity, cloud, and infrastructure modernization initiatives.
• Participate in group-wide planning for network modernization, refresh cycles, and security uplift programs.

Operational Responsibilities

• Act as the primary group-level escalation point for critical network incidents.
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize regional network performance.
• Oversee patching, firmware updates, configuration hardening, and lifecycle management.
• Implement and maintain secure connectivity between on-premise and cloud environments.
• Provide guidance and technical direction to local network engineers.

Project Responsibilities

• Lead and support group-wide firewall refresh projects.
• Drive network switch and wireless AP refresh initiatives.
• Support ransomware containment and network security enhancements.
• Lead SD-WAN/WAN modernization initiatives.
• Prepare scopes of work, technical assessments, and project documentation.

Governance, Security & Compliance

• Develop and enforce group-wide network policies and operational standards.
• Ensure compliance with IT Security, ISO 27001, NIST, and internal audit requirements.
• Conduct periodic reviews of firewall rules, VLANs, and security controls.
• Maintain network documentation, configuration repositories, and topology diagrams.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with local IT, security, and systems teams across entities.
• Provide technical consultation to countries during deployments and incidents.
• Deliver training and knowledge transfer to uplift local team capabilities.
• Participate in change management, CAB discussions, and post-incident reviews.

Requirements

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.

Professional Certifications (Good to have)

Cisco CCNP / CCNA

Fortinet NSE4 or higher

CompTIA Network+

Other relevant network or security certifications

Skills & Experience

Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in enterprise network engineering.

Strong knowledge of switching, routing, VPN, BGP, OSPF, ACLs, and wireless.

Hands-on experience with firewalls, routers, switches, wireless controllers, and SD-WAN.

Experience with cloud networking (Azure/AWS) and hybrid connectivity.

Strong troubleshooting and major-incident handling capabilities.

Strong communication and collaboration skills.

Additional Attributes

Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

Ability to work independently with regional responsibilities.

Willingness to travel when required.

Commitment to operational excellence, security, and documentation.