Our client is seeking a strategic leader to drive the design, evolution, and performance of their global network systems. This leadership role blends hands-on technical vision with team oversight, focusing on building a resilient, high-performing, and future-ready network infrastructure across a complex, fast-paced environment. You'll be instrumental in aligning network capabilities with business needs, ensuring security, stability, and seamless scalability as the business grows. Key Areas of Impact: Strategic Leadership & Team Oversight Lead and inspire a team of network specialists and engineers responsible for both architecture and day-to-day operations. Provide mentorship and structured growth opportunities, ensuring the team stays technically sharp and aligned with business objectives. Serve as the final escalation point for advanced technical challenges and operational issues. Network Strategy, Design & Implementation Shape and deliver long-term network strategy across cloud and on-prem environments. Architect resilient, scalable infrastructure for enterprise-wide connectivity-covering data centres, branch offices, and hybrid cloud environments. Build and maintain robust standards around network configuration, access control, and traffic management. Guide advanced simulations and modelling to support performance analysis, system stress-testing, and predictive planning. Drive adoption of cloud networking best practices using platforms such as Azure/AWS and tools like Terraform for automated provisioning. Operations & Governance Ensure reliable operation of the enterprise network, maintaining strong performance, uptime, and responsiveness across all services. Lead initiatives around uptime monitoring, diagnostics, and proactive risk mitigation. Collaborate cross-functionally with cybersecurity and compliance teams to embed security-first network principles. Own network-related inputs to business continuity and disaster recovery protocols. Delivery Management Act as the key liaison for third-party network vendors and service providers-ensuring delivery excellence, SLA adherence, and value-driven relationships. Manage the rollout of infrastructure projects, coordinating delivery milestones, stakeholder updates, and compliance documentation. Knowledge Sharing & Enablement Oversee internal documentation processes, from playbooks to policies to architectural maps. Deliver internal workshops and stakeholder briefings to ensure wider teams are aligned with network principles and change impacts. What Our Client is Looking For: Professional Experience Strong background in enterprise-scale network leadership, ideally across global or regulated industries. Demonstrated experience managing diverse technical teams within high-demand environments. Track record in designing, scaling, and operating secure networks within both on-prem and hybrid cloud infrastructures. Certifications & Frameworks Recognised certifications such as Cisco CCNP, CCIE, or CCDP are highly desirable (equivalent experience will be considered). Exposure to network security frameworks and governance models (ISO 27001, NIST, etc.). Technical Skills Deep hands-on understanding of routing, switching, firewalls, VoIP, and load balancing technologies. Confident working with network automation and infrastructure-as-code tools (Terraform, Ansible, CloudFormation). Skilled at identifying root causes of performance issues and engineering practical, scalable solutions. Strong grasp of compliance requirements and risk-mitigation strategies in large-scale IT environments. Soft Skills Excellent communicator, with the ability to translate technical complexity into business language. A problem-solver with a structured approach, balanced by creativity and commercial awareness. Calm under pressure, with a collaborative mindset and passion for continuous improvement. For further information on this vacancy, or any other IT job in Belfast or wider NI, please apply via the link below or contact Sean Doherty in the strictest confidence. "I very much enjoyed my experience with VANRATH. Sean Doherty was great to work with, very friendly and efficient, he streamlined everything for me so I had the least amount of stress as I went in for interviews. Looking forward to starting in my new role, thanks Sean!" "My experience with Vanrath has been very pleasant, huge thank you to Sean Doherty, a master of his craft. Throughout the recruitment process, Sean has been very reliable and proactive and a great representative of the company. 10/10 would recommend this professional service." "I've worked with a lot of recruitment consultants both as an employer and as a client and I can highly recommend Sean. He helped me secure my last move and I found him to be excellent in following up any questions I had as well as keeping me in the loop on progress. He was even willing to help out on his days off!" Skills: Infrastructure Manager Network Architecture Azure