Principal Network Engineer | Cisco | CCIE / CCNP in Manchester

We're looking for principal-level Cisco network engineers (CCIE / CCNP) operating at the top of their field. This is far more than a technical delivery role. You'll be a trusted technical authority, responsible for shaping technology roadmaps, influencing network transformation programmes, and guiding senior customer stakeholders on the future direction of their network estate. You'll combine deep technical expertise with the ability to translate business requirements into long-term technology strategy, ensuring network investments align with operational, security and commercial objectives. It's a Cisco, Aruba and Palo Alto environment, so if Aruba or Palo Alto aren't your strongest areas yet, funding will be provided to support the relevant accreditations and development.

Sole UK passport holder required (no dual nationality). SC clearance is preferred; eligibility for SC will also be considered.

The Role In a Nutshell

This role sits at the intersection of technical leadership, customer engagement and network transformation. Whilst retaining deep technical credibility, you'll operate at principal level, influencing architecture decisions, shaping technical roadmaps, driving service improvement initiatives and acting as the senior technical escalation point for both customer and external stakeholders. You'll work closely with Technical Directors, Solution Architects, Service Delivery teams and customer leadership, ensuring strategic technology decisions are aligned with business priorities, operational requirements and long-term network evolution.

Own the end-to-end technical solution for a major UK enterprise managed service customer. This is a dedicated, principal-level Cisco network engineering role on a complex, multi-site data network, the technical authority the customer turns to. You'll be the senior technical voice the customer trusts during major incidents, the engineer who finds ways to improve the network and save money, and the person calm enough to stand the technical line when something sits outside the scope.

The Business

One of the UK's most established communications and technology businesses, serving large enterprise and public-sector customers with mission-critical networks and managed services. Significant investment in R&D, a substantial UK engineering workforce, and genuine career development.

Skills & Experience

• Deep, hands-on Cisco enterprise networking at principal level, ideally CCIE (CCNP minimum), with large-scale routing and switching as the core strength.
• This is a Cisco, Aruba and Palo Alto environment, so exposure to Aruba and Palo Alto is a bonus; accreditation funded and training provided where needed.
• Demonstrable third-line / senior engineer experience in a 24/7 managed services environment.
• Confident leading major incidents and articulating troubleshooting steps end-to-end.
• Comfortable acknowledging when you don't immediately know an answer, then taking a structured route to one (consult the team, apply vendor-registered knowledge, demonstrate depth around the topic).
• Customer-facing credibility: calm under pressure, able to put a demanding client at ease.
• Vendor accreditation to at least Professional standard.
• Strong working knowledge of ITIL practices.

The following would be an advantage:

• Expert-level vendor accreditation in either: Cisco CCIE/CCNP, Aruba ACX/ACEX, Palo Alto PCNSE or Network Security Architect.
• Existing SC clearance OR Sole UK passport holder (no dual nationality), eligible to obtain SC clearance.

Your Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end technical solution across the customer's data network.
• Lead major incidents through to resolution, with direction, troubleshooting and customer-facing communication.
• Pre-empt risks and engineer-out recurring issues before they impact the customer.
• Identify innovations that improve the network and save the customer money.
• Stand the technical line when a request sits outside agreed scope, articulating clearly and professionally.
• Document and continuously improve operational runbooks aligned to ITIL practices.

Other skills required:

• Composure Under Pressure - Stays calm in major incidents and demanding customer moments.
• Professional Pushback - Strong enough technically and personally to advise when a request is genuinely outside scope, without damaging the relationship.

Benefits

• £75,000 to £95,000 base salary.
• 15% annual bonus.
• Company car or £5,500 per annum cash allowance.
• Private healthcare for self and family.
• 10% pension contribution.
• Share equity and share-save scheme.
• Life assurance.
• Generous annual leave with bank holidays.
• Family-friendly leave policies.
• World-class training and development opportunities.