Senior Network Operations Engineer

A leading provider of enterprise network and infrastructure services in South Africa is currently seeking a Senior Network Operations Engineer to join their Network Operations team in Johannesburg (JHB). This is a hands-on senior role, responsible for the design, deployment, maintenance and continuous optimisation of core network infrastructure - ensuring uptime, performance, security, compliance and evolution of their carrier-grade services.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced technical support and expert-level troubleshooting for complex networking infrastructure - including routers, switches, firewalls, APN services, wireless access points - to ensure minimal downtime and optimal performance.

• Lead diagnosis and resolution of critical network & voice connectivity issues, performance degradation, and security vulnerabilities in alignment with SLAs and client expectations.

• Use monitoring and analysis tools to proactively identify bottlenecks, anomalies, and opportunities for optimisation in high-availability, carrier-grade networks.

• Own configuration, implementation, upgrades, patching, change management, and lifecycle management of core network systems, following ITIL and industry best practices.

• Collaborate with clients, service providers, internal teams and vendors to translate business and technical requirements into effective network solutions - influencing network architecture and operational strategies.

• Produce and maintain high-quality technical documentation, standard operating procedures, knowledge-base articles, and ensure internal documentation systems are audited and continuously improved.

• Act as a senior escalation point for complex issues, providing mentorship to junior engineers and ensuring swift, structured problem resolution.

• Participate in on-call rotations and lead critical incident response for after-hours emergencies to ensure rapid service restoration.

• Ensure all network operations comply with regulatory requirements (e.g. ICASA, data-protection legislation like POPIA) and adhere to security best practices for data protection and threat mitigation.

• Drive continuous improvement, evaluate emerging technologies, and stay current on telecoms industry trends to enhance resilience and competitiveness of the network environment.

• Contribute to technical strategy, vendor engagement, client engagement, and support commercial functions including product development support when required.

Requirements

• Advanced proficiency in routing & switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, MPLS, VLANs, STP).

• Strong expertise in network security - firewall design, VPNs, IDS/IPS, threat mitigation strategies.

• Hands-on experience with carrier-grade hardware and software from vendors such as Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet (or similar), and familiarity with their ecosystems.

• Proven ability to troubleshoot complex multi-technology environments - IP, voice, cloud, SD-WAN, and hybrid networks.

• Excellent communication skills: ability to translate technical solutions into business impact for clients and stakeholders.

• Demonstrated leadership capabilities: experience leading network projects, mentoring junior staff, and driving operational excellence.

• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects and priorities concurrently.

• Customer service orientation, problem-analysis, adaptability, teamwork, planning, attention to detail, passion for technology, self-driven learning and initiative.

• Basic scripting skills for automation and auditing.

• Experience with APN and RADIUS technologies is a plus.

• Certifications (advantageous): CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) or higher (CCIE preferred), JNCIA / JNCIP (Juniper), ITIL Foundation or equivalent in service management. Additional certifications in security (e.g. CISSP, Fortinet NSE) or cloud networking (e.g. Veeam, VMware) will be beneficial.

Benefits

Contact Hire Resolve for your next career-changing move.

• Our client is offering a highly competitive salary for this role based on experience.
• Apply for this role today, contact Lisa Meyer on LinkedIn
• You can also visit the Hire Resolve website: hireresolve.us or email us your CV: [email protected]

We will contact you telephonically in 3 days should you be suitable for this vacancy. If you are not suitable, we will put your CV on file and contact you regarding any future vacancies that arise