At a Glance
- Tasks: Audit and enhance network tooling, implement automation, and improve observability.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on transforming their network infrastructure.
- Benefits: Flexible hybrid work, competitive pay, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Ideal for tech-savvy individuals looking to innovate in a fast-paced environment.
- Why this job: Join a transformative project and make a real impact in network automation.
- Qualifications: Experience with network automation tools and strong collaboration skills required.
The predicted salary is between 49500 - 60500 £ per year.
The organisation has accumulated a fragmented tooling estate with significant underutilisation — tools purchased but never properly deployed or embedded. This role will assess the current tooling landscape, define a target-state tooling strategy, and lead the implementation of automation and observability capabilities that will underpin both the transformation programme and the ongoing operational run state.
Key Responsibilities
- Audit the current network and infrastructure tooling estate, identifying duplication, gaps, and unlicensed/underutilised products.
- Define a target-state tooling strategy covering: network management, observability/monitoring, automation/orchestration, IPAM, and CMDB.
- Design and implement network automation workflows for standard operational tasks (port changes, firewall rule changes, VLAN provisioning).
- Build out network observability capabilities to provide deterministic visibility across the converged network environment.
- Work with the architecture team to define and implement a CMDB strategy, enabling accurate asset and service dependency data.
- Develop automation to support the transformation programme itself — migration tooling, configuration validation, and audit capabilities.
- Evaluate and rationalise managed service tooling used by the NTT-managed network.
- Provide tooling input into the change management process, enabling automated risk classification and impact assessment.
Requirements
Technical Requirements
- Network automation: Python, Ansible, or similar automation frameworks.
- Network management and monitoring platforms (e.g., SolarWinds, PRTG, Datadog, Grafana, or equivalent).
- CMDB design and implementation (ServiceNow or similar ITSM platforms).
- IPAM tools (Infoblox, phpIPAM, or similar).
- API-driven network management (REST APIs, NETCONF/YANG, Cisco DNA Centre or ACI API).
- Cisco ACI API and automation familiarity advantageous.
- Configuration management and version control for network infrastructure (Git-based workflows).
- Understanding of DevOps/NetDevOps practices.
- Advantageous experience in financial services or similarly regulated environments.
- Knowledge of ServiceNow integration with network management tooling.
- Familiarity with cloud-native observability tools.
- Scripting for reporting and cost analysis.
Soft Skills
- Pragmatic and delivery-focused — able to identify quick wins alongside longer-term capability builds.
- Able to work across infrastructure, operations, and architecture teams.
- Strong documentation skills.
- Capable of training and upskilling operational team members on new tooling.
Network & Infrastructure Tooling / Automation Specialist/ Architect - freelance - hybrid, London, UK employer: Comgent
As a freelance Network & Infrastructure Tooling / Automation Specialist/ Architect in London, you will join a forward-thinking organisation that values innovation and efficiency. The company fosters a collaborative work culture, offering opportunities for professional growth and skill enhancement while working on impactful projects that drive transformation. With a focus on modern tooling strategies and automation, this role provides a unique chance to make a significant difference in the operational landscape of the organisation.
