Senior Network Administrator

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Network Administrator to design, implement, and maintain a robust, secure network infrastructure that supports our Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring, detection, and response capabilities across all banking environments. In this pivotal role, you will ensure seamless end-to-end connectivity for critical SOC platforms, including SIEM, SOAR, NDR, EDR, and threat intelligence integrations, while upholding the highest standards of security, compliance, and operational excellence. Your expertise will be instrumental in safeguarding our digital assets, enabling proactive threat detection, and ensuring uninterrupted business continuity.

Key Responsibilities

The Senior Network Administrator will play a central role in managing and optimizing our enterprise network infrastructure. Your responsibilities will include:

• Network Design and Implementation: Develop and deploy secure network architectures that align with industry best practices and regulatory requirements, including SAMA Cybersecurity Framework, NCA ECC, PDPL, and NDMO data governance standards. Ensure seamless integration of LAN, WAN, Data Center, Cloud connectivity, SD-WAN, VPNs, and secure remote access solutions.
• Security Controls and Compliance: Configure and maintain advanced network security controls such as Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), Intrusion Prevention/Detection Systems (IPS/IDS), Web Application Firewalls (WAF), DNS security, proxy solutions, Network Access Control (NAC), micro-segmentation, and Zero Trust architecture to mitigate cyber threats and ensure compliance with regulatory frameworks.
• SOC Integration and Telemetry: Enable and optimize log forwarding, NetFlow, packet capture (PCAP), and telemetry feeds to SOC tools such as Splunk, QRadar, or Microsoft Sentinel. Collaborate closely with SOC teams to ensure comprehensive visibility and effective threat detection across the network.
• Incident Response and Management: Support Incident, Problem, and Change Management processes in alignment with ITIL standards. Lead the resolution of network-related security incidents, participate in cyber incident response efforts, and conduct containment actions, network isolation, and forensic data collection as required.
• High Availability and Resilience: Maintain the high availability, redundancy, and resilience of network services in line with Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) requirements. Conduct regular failover testing to validate recovery procedures and minimize downtime.
• Vendor and Service Provider Collaboration: Work closely with vendors and service providers to evaluate, implement, and troubleshoot network solutions, upgrades, and vulnerability remediation. Ensure adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and coordinate third-party integrations to enhance network performance and security.
• Root Cause Analysis and Preventive Measures: Perform in-depth root cause analysis (RCA) for network and security incidents, and implement preventive actions to mitigate future risks and improve operational resilience.
• Documentation and Automation: Develop and maintain comprehensive network diagrams, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), configurations, and operational documentation to ensure audit readiness. Automate network monitoring, alerting, and configuration management using scripting and orchestration tools to enhance efficiency and accuracy.
• Performance Monitoring: Continuously monitor network performance and security posture using industry-leading tools such as SolarWinds, PRTG, or equivalent solutions. Proactively identify and resolve performance bottlenecks, security gaps, and compliance deviations.

Qualifications and Experience

To excel in this role, you must possess the following qualifications and experience:

• A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, or a related field.
• A minimum of 5-8 years of hands-on experience in network administration, with a strong preference for candidates with prior experience in banking or other regulated environments.
• Proven expertise in designing, configuring, and maintaining enterprise-grade network infrastructure, including Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, Check Point, and F5 technologies, as well as advanced switching and routing solutions.
• Experience integrating network infrastructure with SOC tools such as SIEM (Splunk, QRadar, Microsoft Sentinel), NDR solutions, and other security platforms.
• A deep understanding of secure network design principles, segmentation strategies, VPN technologies, and firewall rule management.
• Familiarity with regulatory frameworks, including SAMA Cybersecurity Framework, NCA ECC, PDPL, and NDMO requirements, and the ability to ensure compliance in all network operations.
• Hands-on experience with ITIL-based service management processes, including Incident, Change, and Problem Management, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Strong exposure to Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Planning, including failover testing and execution of recovery procedures.
• Experience with cloud networking, including Azure and AWS, hybrid connectivity, and secure cloud architectures is highly desirable.
• Excellent vendor coordination skills, with the ability to manage SLAs, third-party integrations, and support escalations effectively.

If you are a proactive, detail-oriented professional with a passion for network security and a track record of delivering high-impact solutions in regulated environments, we invite you to apply for this critical role. Join our team and contribute to the resilience and security of our organization’s network infrastructure.