Network Specialist (2679) at The South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL)

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• A Diploma in Information Technology at an NQF level 6.
• Five (5) years of relevant experience. 

Certificates:

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

ADVANTAGEOUS:

• ITIL Foundation Certification.
• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
• Extensive experience configuring and troubleshooting Cisco routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Strong knowledge of routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, EIGRP) and switching technologies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Management of systems in accordance with ITIL Methodologies:

• Respond to incidents and requests logged on the Helpdesk promptly and ensure efficient resolution of network-related incidents.
• Collaborate with regional teams to manage region-specific IT challenges, ensuring seamless LAN and WAN operations across all SANRAL locations.
• Adhere to ITIL best practices, including Change Management, Incident Management, and Problem Management, to maintain network stability and reliability.
• Ensure proactive monitoring and troubleshooting of network infrastructure to minimize downtime and improve service delivery.

Operations

• Manage, configure, and troubleshoot LAN, WAN and VLAN networks.
• Oversee Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless infrastructure.
• Implement Quality of Service (QoS), traffic shaping, and network optimization strategies.
• Perform firmware updates, patching, and lifecycle management for network devices.
• Maintain network documentation, including topology diagrams and configuration records.
• Enforce network security policies, firewall rules, and access control lists (ACLs).
• Implement and maintain VPNs, IPSec tunnels, and remote access solutions.
• Ensure compliance with ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, and other cybersecurity regulations.
• Monitor network traffic for anomalies, intrusions, and potential security breaches.
• Monitor and analyse network performance metrics using tools such as Cisco Prime, SolarWinds, and Wireshark.
• Identify and resolve latency, packet loss, and bandwidth bottlenecks.
• Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) for network incidents and implement corrective measures.
• Provide support for VoIP, video conferencing, and enterprise applications.

High Availability and Disaster Recovery

• High Availability & Disaster Recovery
• Design and maintain redundant network architectures to ensure high availability.
• Implement and manage failover mechanisms (HSRP, VRRP, BGP, OSPF) for network resilience.
• Support disaster recovery planning (DRP) and business continuity strategies.
• Perform regular network failover testing and security audits.

Stakeholders Collaboration, Support and Reporting

• Work with internal ICT teams and external service providers to support network upgrades and expansion.
• Assist in contract management for network service providers and ISPs.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for enterprise users.
• Train ICT support teams on network best practices and incident response procedures.
• Provide network performance reports