Network Architect – 6 months - Hybrid - Northwest The opportunity Our client is a large UK-based organisation operating a complex hybrid network estate spanning corporate offices, distributed frontline sites, data centres and cloud services. As part of a multi-year cyber security, controls and resilience programme, they are seeking an experienced Network Architect to lead a structured discovery into network segmentation – assessing the current landscape, defining viable segmentation approaches, and producing decision-ready, board-level recommendations to inform future mobilisation. This is a discovery and options-analysis engagement only. No implementation, build, or technical change is in scope. What you'll do Establish a clear, evidence-based view of the current network landscape, topology, dependencies and constraints. Assess feasible segmentation approaches that support cyber resilience, operational continuity and incident response – including reducing blast radius, protecting Tier 1 and Tier 2 services, and partial/full lockdown scenarios. Define differentiated treatment for higher-risk, distributed and third-party-connected environments requiring greater isolation. Identify the technology, vendor, security and operating-model dependencies required to enable segmentation. Develop and compare viable target-state options (incumbent-platform, vendor-specific, vendor-agnostic, incremental and transformational) with feasibility, indicative cost, risk and delivery complexity. Produce decision-oriented outputs and present findings through structured playback and governance forums. Key deliverables Current-state assessment and segmentation readiness summary (with evidence quality and confidence ratings). Service criticality and dependency summary (Tier 1 / Tier 2 definition and prioritised view). Target-state options pack and board-ready options & recommendation paper. Indicative roadmap, dependency view and mobilisation entry criteria. Optional Network Access Control (NAC) readiness considerations where relevant. Essential experience Senior network architecture experience across large, complex hybrid estates (multi-site, data centre and cloud). Demonstrable network segmentation strategy and design experience (macro/micro-segmentation, crisis-mode / lockdown models). Strong understanding of segmentation for cyber resilience – blast radius reduction, isolation of higher-risk environments, protection of critical services. Working knowledge of firewalls, SD-WAN, wireless, identity and NAC concepts as segmentation enablers. Ability to translate cyber and business outcomes into network requirements and structured option-evaluation criteria. Senior stakeholder engagement and the ability to produce decision-ready, board-level artefacts. Independent discovery / options-analysis approach with strong assumptions and confidence-rating discipline. Desirable Experience in regulated, safety-critical or operationally sensitive environments. NAC readiness or strategy experience. Awareness of how endpoint and SD-WAN strategies interact with segmentation. Relevant certifications (e.g. TOGAF, CISSP, vendor network architecture credentials). Out of scope (please self-select) Hands-on implementation, configuration, migration or deployment. Low-level design, build documentation or production runbooks. Product selection, procurement support or vendor negotiation. Ongoing design authority beyond the engagement term. Working arrangements Hybrid working (UK), with remote and on-site delivery as agreed. Essential equipment provided. Operates within a controlled enterprise environment with formal governance and change processes.