IT Operations Manager - Networks

SUMMARY:
We're working with a market-leading automotive brand to find a standout IT Operations Manager – Networks — a senior technical leader ready to own the road ahead when it comes to enterprise network operations, security, and performance.

This is more than just a management role. It's a high-impact opportunity to lead a skilled team, tackle complex infrastructure challenges, and ensure the stability and security of a sophisticated enterprise network environment. You’ll work across a cutting-edge tech stack including PaloAlto firewalls, Mellanox, Arista, Saisei, Cisco Meraki, and VeloCloud SD-WAN.

From project implementation and vendor coordination to advanced incident response and firewall escalation, you’ll be the go-to expert keeping critical systems running—securely and efficiently.

What We’re Looking For:

• Proven leadership in network operations and team mentorship
• Advanced troubleshooting and escalation expertise
• Strong experience managing security initiatives in a large-scale enterprise
• Familiarity with governance, compliance, and procedural frameworks
• Confidence in managing both the day-to-day and the mission-critical

POSITION INFO:
Key Responsibilities

• Tactical Planning (15%) - Develop strategic network infrastructure roadmaps, assess emerging technologies for business alignment, and create implementation timelines for network upgrades and expansions
• Projects & Implementation (25%) - Lead end-to-end network infrastructure projects including LAN/WAN deployments, network segmentation initiatives, equipment migrations, and technology refresh cycles
• Network Security Management (10%) – Oversee, implement comprehensive network security protocol implementation including firewall rule management, network access control (NAC) policies, and security incident response procedures, establish security monitoring processes and coordinate with security teams on threat intelligence, conduct vulnerability assessments and security audits, ensure compliance with security standards and regulatory requirements, and lead security incident investigations and remediation efforts
• Reporting & Documentation (10%) - Generate comprehensive network performance reports, maintain technical documentation and network diagrams, create standard operating procedures, and track key performance indicators
• Critical Issue Management (10%) - Respond to high-priority network incidents, manage escalation procedures, conduct thorough root cause analysis, and lead incident response coordination with cross-functional teams
• People Management (15%) - Supervise network engineering team, conduct performance reviews, facilitate professional development, manage resource allocation, and foster collaborative team environment
• Stakeholder Management (10%) - Maintain strategic vendor relationships, collaborate with business units on network requirements, negotiate service level agreements, and communicate technical solutions to non-technical stakeholders
• Technical Support & Knowledge Transfer (5%) - Oversee network security protocol implementation, provide escalated technical support, troubleshoot complex network issues, mentor junior team members, and ensure team stays current with industry best practices and emerging technologies

• Certifications & Experience: CCNP Enterprise or equivalent, PaloAlto PCNSA certification minimum, and 6+ years of enterprise network and security management experience
• Technical Skills: Advanced enterprise networking (routing, switching, VLANs, BGP), multi-vendor firewall management, SD-WAN implementation, network security protocols, and complex troubleshooting across diverse infrastructure
• Leadership Experience: Proven track record managing network teams, coordinating cross-functional projects, and serving as technical escalation point
• Professional Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities, excellent stakeholder communication, comprehensive documentation skills, and ability to follow company governance processes

• CCNP Enterprise or CCIE track
• PaloAlto PCNSE certification
• CompTIA Security+ or CISSP
• Cloud networking certifications (AWS Advanced Networking, Azure Network Engineer)
• Arista or Mellanox vendor certifications

• Enterprise network architecture and design (5+ years)
• Multi-vendor environment management (PaloAlto, Cisco, Arista, Mellanox)
• VeloCloud SD-WAN deployment and management
• Security incident response and forensics
• Network automation and scripting (Python, PowerShell, Ansible)
• SIEM integration and security monitoring tools

• Previous network operations management or team leadership
• Enterprise vendor relationship management
• Cybersecurity framework implementation (NIST, ISO 27001)
• Project management experience with large-scale network implementations
• Budget management and technology procurement experience

• Position requires autonomous decision-making and independent problem resolution
• After-hours support during planned maintenance windows and critical incidents
• Regular collaboration with vendors, business stakeholders, and executive leadership
• Occasional travel for vendor meetings, training, or multi-site implementations
• Participation in on-call rotation for critical infrastructure support
• Adherence to company governance, change management, and procedural processes