Overview
Role: Network Architect – Farnborough, with flexibility to work from home dependent on business demands
Location: Farnborough (hybrid/home working considerations may apply)
Salary: £58,400 - £74,900
Role Purpose
The Network Architect is responsible for designing, implementing, and governing a highly secure network for Critical National Infrastructure to ensure it is secure, scalable, resilient, and aligned with business objectives. This role provides technical leadership across enterprise, cloud, and hybrid networking environments and acts as the architectural authority for network-related decisions.
What you will be doing
* Network Architecture & Design: design and maintain enterprise-wide network architectures (LAN, WAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, cloud, and hybrid environments); define network standards, principles, and reference architectures; ensure designs meet availability, performance, scalability, and security requirements.
* Technical Leadership & Governance: act as the network architecture authority, approve designs, provide expert guidance, and review low-level designs (LLDs) for alignment with architecture standards.
* Security & Resilience: embed security-by-design principles including segmentation, encryption, and zero-trust concepts; collaborate with cybersecurity teams on risk mitigation, vulnerability management, and compliance; design resilient and fault-tolerant networks with disaster recovery and business continuity considerations.
* Stakeholder & Delivery Support: translate business and non-functional requirements into network architecture solutions; provide architectural support to delivery teams during build, test, and deployment phases; engage with vendors on technical solutions, evaluations, and roadmaps.
Technical & Professional Skills
* Enterprise network design (routing, switching, firewalls, load balancing, VPNs).
* Cloud networking awareness (VPC/VNet design, hybrid connectivity, ExpressRoute/VPN Gateway).
* Network security architecture and compliance frameworks.
* Network performance, monitoring, and troubleshooting at scale.
* Strong experience producing HLDs, LLDs, architecture diagrams, and design justification.
* Ability to balance technical risk and business outcomes; clear communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Qualifications & Experience
* Proven experience in a senior network engineering or network architecture role.
* Strong background in enterprise-scale networking environments.
* Relevant certifications (desirable):
o Cisco (CCNP / CCIE)
o Cloud networking certifications (e.g. Azure Network Engineer, AWS Advanced Networking)
* Security certifications (e.g. CISSP, CCNP Security)
Clearance & Eligibility
To be eligible for this position, you must possess or be able to obtain SC and NPPV clearance. If you do not already have DV clearance, you may also be required to secure it.
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