Technical Architect (Networking)
5 days ago
Chester le Street
This role is responsible for the design, configuration & implementation of complex network & secure access technologies. The role requires a deep understanding of client business requirements & IT needs, leading to the creation of scalable, secure & efficient architectural strategies that incorporate a range of network, firewall, wireless, WAN & secure access solutions. The Technical Architect will guide customers through technology transitions, including network implementations, upgrades, WAN transformation, firewall modernisation, secure access adoption & network optimisation. The role will also act as a technical design authority for network & secure access transformation, aligning WAN, firewall, LAN/WLAN, identity, endpoint & service transition into a coherent target design. Core Responsibilities: • Collaborate with Sales & Pre-Sales teams to fully understand customer needs, • Conduct detailed analysis of customer network architecture, applications, business processes & security requirements to ensure proposed solutions align to current needs & future growth, • Produce designs that utilise the most appropriate technology options within customer budget, • Ensure designs consider the wider technical estate & integrate effectively with existing systems, platforms & operational processes, • Ensure solutions are scalable, secure, highly available & capable of supporting flexible capacity requirements, • Design & support the delivery of network & secure access transformation programmes, including WAN, firewall, LAN/WLAN, SASE, ZTNA & managed network services, • Ensure solutions can be monitored, maintained & patched in line with ITPS platforms & standards, enabling seamless onboarding into support, • Lead solution presentations & engage in technical discussions with customers, addressing concerns & providing clarification where required, • Act as an escalation point for complex network & secure access issues, supporting both project delivery & managed service teams, • Play an active role in the professional development of engineers, championing knowledge sharing & supporting a collaborative technical culture, • Ensure compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 20000-1 & ISO 27001 requirements, • Stay up to date with industry trends, emerging technologies & best practice across networking, security, cloud access & managed services, • Undertake any other duties reasonably required by your line manager Requirements • Proven experience as a Technical Architect, Network Architect, Senior Network Engineer or similar role, ideally within an MSP environment, • Significant experience of network design & implementation, especially Cisco & Meraki, • Experience designing & delivering modern secure access architectures, including SASE/SSE, ZTNA, cloud-delivered web security, remote access replacement & identity integration with Microsoft Entra ID., • Experience with Cisco Secure Access, Cisco Secure Endpoint, managed firewall services, WAN transformation & LAN/WLAN modernisation would be highly advantageous, • In-depth expertise in designing & delivering complex network solutions, including routing, switching, firewalling, wireless, VPN, SD-WAN & Internet-first network architectures, • Strong understanding of service transition, operational readiness & support handover, • Exceptional problem solving skills with the ability to rapidly understand technical issues & propose viable technical solutions, • Ability to break down & communicate highly technical or complex problems to audiences ranging from junior technical resources to stakeholders with no technical background, • Comfortable leading technical presentations & design discussions with senior stakeholders, including C-suite executives, • Relevant certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, Cisco Meraki Solutions Specialist certifications are highly advantageous. This role is ideal for a dedicated IT professional eager to leverage their expertise in a dynamic environment while contributing to innovative networking solutions that drive organisational success. #J-18808-Ljbffr