Network Design Engineer at iOCO

Job Purpose:

To shape and optimize the network infrastructure to drive innovation. To ensure the network team remains committed to delivering leading-edge technology solutions to support and enable our business stakeholder's and clients' success by designing and supporting the internal network and client connectivity infrastructure ensuring the platforms meet and exceed availability and resiliency requirements stipulated in SLAs with business, thereby contributing to the mitigation of financial and reputational risks associated with outages or poor system performance.

What you’ll do:

• Contribute to the development of the network budgets, ensuring cost-effectiveness, resource optimization, and maximizing return on investment on existing technology.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and recommend strategies for network-related expenses.
• Ensure duplication of technologies is avoided to improve the financial performance of the network department.
• Keep abreast of the team’s platform cost base and cost base trajectory to ensure budget adherence and compliance, and minimize budget overspend, as well as seize opportunities for cost reduction.
• Apply cost-effective principles when designing a challenging/complex Network and Client Connectivity infrastructure solutions taking cognizance of the financial resources available.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders, including department heads, cyber security, and external vendors, to understand business requirements and align network solutions accordingly.
• Interact with others in a way that promotes openness and trust and gives them confidence in one’s intentions
• Participate in all vendor and service provider agreements and processes (Service Contracts and SLAs) covering all networks and client connectivity infrastructure to ensure compliance and minimize risks.
• Leverage vendor/partner relationships to ensure a wider understanding of offerings/trends in the IT industry.
• Ensure clients understand the network connectivity requirements by engaging with the client's network and connectivity teams.
• Work with IM Service Delivery Managers and the Head of IT Infrastructure.
• Management to promote awareness of capabilities, possibilities, and limitations of the networks and client connectivity infrastructure across all stakeholders.
• Provide internal consultancy and expert opinions on Networks and Client Connectivity infrastructure to internal stakeholders.
• Keep abreast of changes in relevant technology disciplines through self-study, research, and leverage of own personal networks and formal training.
• Epitomise living the values, displaying professional conduct, and adherence to required technical standards.
• Research, analyze, develop, and implement continuous improvement processes and procedures for the Networks and Client Connectivity platforms.
• Proposing well-researched innovative ideas and value-adding Windows and Virtualization infrastructure solution designs.
• Upskilling of junior team members in the immediate team as well as in the Customer Support team.
• Contribute to the client's and Service Provider's understanding of exchange and capital markets connectivity requirements.
• Streamline network operations and automate routine tasks to improve efficiency.
• Establish and maintain network policies, procedures, and standards.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and best practices.

Skills and Experience

Your Expertise:

• 10+ years IT work experience, 5+ years Network Administration, 5+ years Network.
• Architecture, Solid experience with Cisco Technologies.
• Strong experience with cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS), Strong experience with Microsoft, Linux, and Open Source Operating systems' network technology stacks.
• Solid experience working in a multi-disciplinary team, fostering collaboration and teamwork.
• Experience with financial industry connectivity requirements.
• Experience with automation tools.
• Solid experience with network protocols (OSPF, BGP) and in-depth firewall, wireless, routing and switching, and network management skills.
• Knowledge of infrastructure software services and applications (e.g., Networking, Security, DNS, TCP IP, Active Directory, Linux).
• Proficient in various protocols and technologies(e.g., BGP, OSPF, SDN).
• Cybersecurity best practices, firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, encryption, and access control.
• International Standards for Professional Practice.
• Design and implementation of Networks and Client Connectivity platforms.
• Conducting root cause analysis for production issues.
• Identifying areas of continuous improvement in the Networks and Client
• Connectivity platforms technology stack.
• Providing budgetary input for Networks and Client Connectivity platforms solution designs.
• Adapting behavior to meet major changes at work.
• Troubleshooting connectivity issues across all infrastructure elements.
• Keeping the organization’s vision and values at the forefront of associate decision-making and action.
• Originating action to improve existing conditions and processes; identifying improvement opportunities, generating ideas, and implementing solutions.
• Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, units, or organizations to help achieve business goals.
• Planning and supporting the development of individual's skills and abilities so that they can fulfill current or future job/role responsibilities more effectively.
• Setting high goals for personal and group accomplishment; using measurement methods to monitor progress toward goals; tenaciously working to meet or exceed goals while deriving satisfaction from that achievement and continuous improvement.

Qualifications Required:

• IT Diploma in Networking, CCNA, CCNP Qualification, or similar.
• Networking, CCNP, CCDP Qualification or similar.
• Managing self and managing others.