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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Network Manager

💰 Competitive, commensurate with experience and qualifications

Information TechnologyInfrastructureNetworkingManagement

🎯 Role Definition

The Network Manager is the strategic and operational leader of an organization's entire network infrastructure. This role is pivotal in ensuring the stability, integrity, and security of all data, voice, and video communications. You are the architect and guardian of the company's nervous system, responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining the LAN, WAN, wireless, and cloud networks that underpin all business operations. Beyond technical oversight, the Network Manager provides leadership to a team of network professionals, manages vendor relationships, and develops a long-term roadmap for network evolution to support future business growth and technological advancements. This is a hands-on leadership position that blends deep technical expertise with strategic planning and team mentorship.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Network Engineer
  • Network Team Lead
  • Infrastructure Specialist

Advancement To:

  • Director of IT Infrastructure
  • Head of Network & Security
  • Senior IT Manager or IT Director

Lateral Moves:

  • IT Security Manager
  • Cloud Architect
  • Solutions Architect

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Architect, design, and implement robust, scalable, and secure enterprise-level network solutions, including LAN, WAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, and data center networks.
  • Provide strong leadership, mentorship, and day-to-day management for a team of network engineers and administrators, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous learning.
  • Develop and manage the annual budget for the network department, including forecasting for hardware/software procurement, maintenance contracts, and capital projects.
  • Establish and enforce network policies, standards, and procedures to ensure the security, integrity, and availability of the network infrastructure.
  • Oversee the configuration, maintenance, and administration of all network hardware, including routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and wireless access points.
  • Lead network security initiatives, including the management of firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), VPNs, and access control lists to protect against threats.
  • Drive the resolution of complex network-related incidents and problems, serving as the highest point of technical escalation and ensuring timely root cause analysis.
  • Manage relationships with telecommunications and technology vendors, negotiating contracts, service level agreements (SLAs), and managing procurement processes.
  • Plan and execute major network projects, such as office expansions, data center migrations, and the deployment of new technologies like SD-WAN or cloud networking.
  • Proactively monitor network performance, availability, and capacity, utilizing advanced monitoring tools to identify trends and prevent potential issues before they impact the business.
  • Develop and maintain a comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plan for all critical network services and infrastructure.
  • Create and maintain meticulous documentation of the network architecture, configurations, processes, and disaster recovery procedures.
  • Stay current with emerging network technologies, industry trends, and security threats to inform the strategic roadmap and recommend future investments.
  • Ensure the network infrastructure is compliant with relevant industry regulations and standards such as PCI-DSS, HIPAA, or SOX.
  • Lead the evaluation and selection of new network technologies and solutions through proof-of-concept (POC) testing and detailed technical analysis.

Secondary Functions

  • Collaborate closely with the Cybersecurity team to develop and implement a cohesive security posture across the organization.
  • Partner with the Cloud Engineering team to design and manage hybrid and multi-cloud network connectivity and security (e.g., AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute).
  • Provide expert consultation to other IT teams and business departments on network-related matters for their projects and initiatives.
  • Develop and deliver regular reports on network performance, project status, and security metrics to IT leadership and key stakeholders.
  • Manage the lifecycle of all network assets, from procurement and deployment through to decommissioning and disposal.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Advanced Routing & Switching: Deep expertise in enterprise-grade routing protocols (BGP, OSPF) and switching technologies (VLANs, STP, LACP) across platforms like Cisco (IOS, NX-OS) and Arista.
  • Network Security: Hands-on experience configuring and managing next-generation firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet), VPNs, and IDS/IPS systems.
  • SD-WAN Technology: Proven experience with the design, implementation, and management of SD-WAN solutions (e.g., Viptela, Silver Peak, Versa).
  • Cloud Networking: Strong understanding of cloud networking principles and services in AWS (VPC, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect) and/or Azure (VNet, ExpressRoute).
  • Network Monitoring & Analysis: Proficiency with network monitoring and diagnostic tools such as SolarWinds, PRTG, Nagios, and Wireshark for performance tuning and troubleshooting.
  • Load Balancing: In-depth knowledge of application delivery controllers and load balancers like F5 BIG-IP or NGINX.
  • Wireless Infrastructure: Experience designing and managing large-scale enterprise wireless networks (e.g., Cisco Meraki, Aruba).
  • Infrastructure as Code (IaC): Familiarity with automation and scripting tools like Ansible, Python, or PowerShell to automate network provisioning and management tasks.

Soft Skills

  • Leadership & Mentorship: A natural ability to lead, inspire, and develop a technical team, delegating tasks effectively and fostering professional growth.
  • Strategic Thinking: The capacity to look beyond immediate needs and develop a long-term vision for the network that aligns with business goals.
  • Exceptional Problem-Solving: A calm, methodical, and analytical approach to troubleshooting complex, high-pressure technical issues.
  • Vendor Management & Negotiation: Skill in managing vendor relationships, evaluating products, and negotiating contracts to achieve the best value for the company.
  • Project Management: Strong organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously, from conception to completion, on time and within budget.
  • Clear Communication: The ability to articulate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
  • Business Acumen: An understanding of how network performance and availability directly impact business operations and revenue.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field or equivalent combination of professional certifications and extensive experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in a relevant field.
  • Advanced industry certifications such as CCNP Enterprise/Security, CCIE, or equivalent.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology / Information Systems
  • Network Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 8-12+ years in the IT networking field.

Preferred: At least 3-5 years of experience in a leadership or senior-level role, with direct responsibility for managing a team of network professionals and overseeing an enterprise-scale network environment. Proven experience with budget management and strategic planning is highly desirable.

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