Network Architect

Network Architect
 
Salary: £70,000 - £85,000 + Flex Benefits Package

Location: Newcastle (England) or Erskine (Scotland)  
 
Working Model:

• Home / Hybrid (2 - 3 days onsite per month at Newcastle or Erskine site)
• Flexible hours available (e.g., early starts or 10am-6pm)

Security Clearance: All roles require SC eligibility (British-born)
 
Requirements:

• 8 - 15 years' experience in network architecture and design
• Strong LAN/WAN and firewall knowledge
• Strong expertise with Cisco, Palo Alto and Aruba products and tools
• CCNP certified

 
A leading global IT services organisation is seeking skilled Network Architects to join one of their key accounts. The successful candidate will be innovative, motivated, and able to work with a high level of autonomy, developing and presenting secure solutions to both leadership and technical teams.

Due to client requirements, applicants must be eligible for high-level UK Security Clearance 
 
In this role, the Network Architect will help lead teams that analyse, design, troubleshoot, and implement network architecture to meet complex client requirements. They will also collaborate across multiple technical teams to ensure seamless delivery, troubleshoot the most challenging network and hardware issues, and provide strategic assessments of current and future systems.
 
Key Responsibilities:

• Analyse, design, and implement secure network solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance across teams.
• Troubleshoot complex data, voice, and hardware network problems.
• Research and analyse advanced networking issues with downstream client impact.
• Evaluate and improve existing and future systems to meet evolving requirements.

Essential Skills & Experience:

• Cisco Routing & Switching (minimum CCNP), including 8200/8300 routers, Nexus N7K/N9K.
• Equivalent expertise in Aruba switching (AOS-S & CX) across Aruba 2930, 6300, 8300, 8400, CX10K platforms.
• Palo Alto Firewalls (PAN-OS 10.x), VPN Technologies (Cisco, Palo Alto, AWS, Azure).
• Wireless LAN Architecture (Cisco/Aruba including Multizone, Aruba Central On-Prem).
• Strong knowledge of protocols including OSPF, BGP, Spanning Tree, IPSec, VXLAN, NSX-T.
• Experience with NAC, ZTNA, VMware/VxRail, Aruba Clearpass.
• Strong project management skills.
• Analytical and creative problem-solving abilities for design, testing, and optimisation.
• Strong time, priority, and task management skills.

What's on offer:

• Competitive compensation package.
• Pension scheme.
• Comprehensive benefits including private health insurance, gym membership, and more.
• Employee perks such as discounts on technology, groceries, and travel.
• Recognition initiatives, social events, and career development opportunities.