Overview
Location: Remote (UK) – Permanent. RS Group is looking for a highly skilled Network and Telecoms Technical Lead to join our Technology Operations team. In this key role, you will oversee the end‑to‑end service, availability, and performance of all network, wireless, telephony, and security services delivered by our third‑party vendors.
You will be responsible for vendor and contract management, ensuring all providers deliver services in line with contractual obligations, SLAs, and RS standards. This role also requires hands‑on technical capability within the Cisco ecosystem—not only switching and routing CLI, but also experience with technologies such as FMC, WLC, ISE, and Catalyst Control Centre, with exposure to other vendor appliances welcomed.
This is a critical role within our global infrastructure landscape, ensuring our networks and telecommunication services remain resilient, secure, and scalable across all RS sites.
What You’ll Be Doing
* Support BAU and project activities, ensuring resolutions are delivered efficiently and with minimal business disruption, working collaboratively with vendors and partners.
* Partner with Finance and IT Operations to maintain strong financial controls across all network and telecommunication services.
* The implementation of small change within the LAN estate as/when required to enable RS quick delivery of solutions in conjunction with the change process.
* Ensure correct processes are followed for resource allocation, including Demand Management and Technology Infrastructure contributions to projects and “Keep the Lights On” activities.
* Review, assess, and approve change requests, and participate in CAB meetings to evaluate change impact on service availability.
* Ensure that all Network and Telecommunications support teams adhere to Availability Management, Configuration Management, and contractual requirements.
* Work with Service Delivery Managers to create a unified understanding of partner‑delivered services.
* Ensure partners deliver services in full compliance with contractual SLAs and performance expectations.
* Ensure all network infrastructure deployments align with RS architecture standards.
* Act as a key interface between IT Operations, third‑party support teams, Service Support teams, and wider Technology & Innovation functions.
* Build strong relationships with business stakeholders and service managers.
* Support vendor service reviews and performance discussions for network and telecommunication services.
* Work collaboratively with Business Change, Vendors, Project, Release, and Technology teams to successfully transition new or updated services into support.
* Support the EMEA/APAC Networks & Infrastructure Manager in shaping the optimal operating model for network and telecommunication services.
* Assist in resolving incidents alongside other IT Operations teams.
* Oversee supplier adherence to security, patching, and vulnerability management requirements.
* Support contract renewals and commercial discussions with suppliers.
* Identify, propose, and deliver cost‑savings or service improvements.
* Support certificate management and lifecycle processes.
* Actively contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
About You
You are a seasoned network and telecommunications professional with both hands‑on technical expertise and strong leadership capabilities. You’re confident working within complex, multinational environments and bring deep experience in Cisco networking as well as managing third‑party suppliers.
You excel at balancing operational delivery with long‑term service improvement, and you’re comfortable influencing at all levels—from technical teams to senior stakeholders. You thrive in high‑pressure situations, remain calm and structured during incidents, and ensure decisions are made with clarity and confidence.
You’re collaborative, proactive, and able to translate complex technical topics into business‑friendly language. Above all, you take ownership, drive accountability, and are passionate about delivering reliable, secure, and high‑performing network and telecommunications services.
What You’ll Need
* Hands‑on experience with Cisco switching and routing CLI; firewalling experience is an advantage.
* Experience with multinational telecoms provision and support.
* Strong knowledge of ITIL principles and experience across Incident, Problem, Change, and Release Management.
* Good understanding of budgeting and cost‑control processes.
* Extensive experience defining and managing network and telecommunications support models.
* Ability to remain calm, clear‑thinking, and decisive under pressure.
* Experience working within a matrix‑managed environment.
* Proven experience managing outsourced support teams.
* Ability to translate complex technical detail into clear business language.
* Technical experience supporting key technologies including:
o On‑premises infrastructure
o Data centres
o Cloud partners
o WAN, LAN, mobile, telephony
o Firewall rule management
* Strong stakeholder management skills up to board level.
* Excellent vendor management experience, including managing suppliers to contractual SLAs and formal SRM models.
* Strong written and verbal communication skills.
* Proven decision‑making skills in high‑pressure incidents.
* Experience managing the full lifecycle of Network and Telecoms services.
* ITIL Foundation certification.
* Commitment to keeping up to date with network and telecommunications technologies.
Desirable
* ITIL v3 Practitioner or ITIL 4 Managing Professional.
The extras you’ll get
At RS, as well as the usual employee benefits you’d expect from a FTSE listed company, including annual performance bonus, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, private healthcare, in the UK&I, we’ve just introduced a number of new Family Friendly Policies including:
* Help for people to take control of ongoing Health conditions such as diabetes or asthma with £500 a year available for monitoring & consultation
* Support for Neurodiverse colleagues and families with neurodiverse members with needs assessment, diagnosis and post diagnostic support for autism spectrum, ADHD and Tourette’s syndrome
* Support for Women at different life stages from streamlined fertility support through to diagnosis and monitoring of both endometriosis and menopause
* Helping our LGBTQ+ community through enhanced coverage for trans colleagues, including voice coaching, facial surgery, and gender confirmation surgery
* Additions to Fertility coverage including IVF for lesbian couples and information/support around surrogacy and adoption for all.
About RS
We are RS, with a long history of solving engineering problems. We turn the ‘what ifs’ into the ‘why nots’, the impossible into the possible. Our purpose? Making amazing happen for a better world.
We offer service and product solutions. We send out a parcel every 2 seconds, to over 130 countries. We provide over 700,000 in-stock and over 3 million unstocked products to more than 1.2 million customers.
We want people who are curious, who like doing things differently, and who work in a human way with empathy. We’ll invest in your development and wellbeing, and we are committed to our ESG action plan.
Join RS and we’ll help you think big, do more, and unleash your brilliance, so you can do amazing things too.
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