Network Architect

Network Architect
6/7 month FTC
Hybrid working in central London
The Architecture Team is part of Group Technology and is responsible for helping stakeholders translate business requirements into effective and robust technology solutions. Functions include:
understanding industry trends and opportunities to influence technology strategydefining and enforcing standards and reference models across the entire technology spectruminfluencing and/or approving business cases and solution designsworking closely with project delivery teams in an advisory, design and governance capacityThe Network Architect will help choose and design appropriate network solutions and provide deep technical advice and guidance on these to ensure that they are implemented robustly, securely and successfully with adherence to published standards. The candidate will provide thought leadership and bring industry knowledge and best practice with them, unafraid to challenge established ways of working and striving to identify the core issues and best possible outcomes in a project. They will be an IT expert in multiple areas of networking and will seek to get concepts of strategic design embedded across the organisation, designing for the long term as well as for the more immediate requirements. The role reports to the Head of Technical Architecture but will work very closely with other teams across the business.
We are seeking somebody who is dynamic, engaging, confident, has strong stakeholder management skills, is self-motivated and can work independently. You will be able to demonstrate the ability to lead by example and communicate in an inspiring and motivational manner. In addition, you should possess the following skills:
Extensive knowledge of LAN switching infrastructure, ideally across more than one vendorExtensive knowledge of industry standard network protocols, as well as proprietary technologies used by the likes of Cisco and Allied TelesisExtensive knowledge of WAN and routing technologiesExtensive experience of large integrated networksDeep technical understanding of network security protocols and cryptographyExperienced troubleshooting skills e.g. the ability sniff networks and analyse packet capturesExtensive knowledge of well known industry standard security enforcement tools such as web and mail filters, IDS and IPS, VRFs, ACLs, NAC, ISE, zero trust, firewallsGood knowledge of software network monitoring, mapping and management tools such as Solar Winds, Cisco Prime and DNACGood technical drawing skills, particularly in Visio