Network Operations Lead in Heslington

We're seeking a Network Operations Lead to join our IT Services network operations capability, providing both day-to-day technical leadership and strategic direction. The role will ensure robust operational and technical ownership and service delivery across the current customer network, while driving future growth across Fortinet, SD-WAN, security and managed network services.

As the senior technical lead, you will guide and support Cisco, Mitel and Network Engineers, act as a senior escalation point for complex incidents, technical queries and service-impacting issues. You will also play a key role in developing the team’s expertise beyond traditional Cisco support, enhancing capability in modern networking and security technologies. Working closely with Service Management, Operations, Projects and technical stakeholders, you will ensure smooth service transitions, effective risk management, and the delivery of reliable, high-quality network services for customers.

Some of your key deliverables for the role include:

• Providing visible and practical leadership to the Network Operations team, helping to set the tone for a high-performing, collaborative and technically capable ITIL service function.
• Coaching, guiding and supporting Cisco, Mitel and Network Engineers in day-to-day service delivery.
• Setting clear technical standards, priorities and escalation expectations across the team.
• Supporting skills development, knowledge sharing, recruitment and succession planning.
• Encouraging a collaborative, accountable and service-focused team culture.
• Acting as a senior technical authority for network operations, providing assurance and ownership across Fortinet firewalls, SD-WAN, routing and switching, network security and Cisco infrastructure.
• Supporting complex troubleshooting, technical reviews and problem management activity.
• Strengthening governance, standards and consistency across network support services.
• Embedding lessons learned and driving improvements following incidents, escalations or service issues.
• Helping the Service Centre deliver a reliable, responsive and well-controlled network service.
• Supporting SLA achievement and improving incident, change and service request performance.
• Identifying recurring issues and driving root cause activity to reduce repeat incidents.
• Ensuring runbooks, support models and operational processes are clear, maintained and followed.
• Contributing to improvements in monitoring, automation, documentation and service resilience.
• Working with project and technical teams to understand new Fortinet and SD-WAN solutions.
• Shaping the operational support model and ensuring services are transitioned effectively.
• Capturing and maintaining knowledge required for ongoing support.
• Building internal capability so engineers can confidently support Fortinet and SD-WAN services.
• Supporting customer service reviews where technical input or assurance is required.
• Contributing to major incident activity and customer escalations.
• Working closely with Service Management to ensure customer issues are understood and progressed.
• Translating complex technical matters into clear actions, updates and service improvements.

What we're looking for:

• Strong network engineering experience gained within a service-focused environment, ideally with exposure to managed services, enterprise networking and operational support.
• Proven Cisco enterprise networking experience, including routing, switching and WAN technologies.
• Experience supporting complex technical issues within an operational or Service Centre environment.
• Understanding of ITIL methodology including incident, change, problem and service transition processes.
• Ability to guide others through technical decision-making and escalation management.
• In addition to technical credibility, the role requires someone who can lead, influence and develop others.
• The postholder should be comfortable setting standards, coaching engineers, supporting prioritisation and working collaboratively with operational, technical and service management colleagues.

Desirable Experience:

• Experience with Fortinet technologies, SD-WAN deployment, firewall management or network security would be highly beneficial.
• Fortinet NSE, FCSS or equivalent practical Fortinet experience.
• Cisco CCNP or equivalent enterprise networking accreditation.
• Experience transitioning new services into operational support.
• Exposure to UC or Mitel environments.
• Experience building capability, documentation and support processes within a technical team.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Calm, structured decision-making during incidents or escalations.
• Ability to influence across operational, technical and service management teams.
• Focus on service quality, continuous improvement and team development.
• Practical, accountable and customer-focused approach.

Next Steps:

As a business, we’re on a journey to build on our culture where everyone is included, treated fairly and with respect. This starts with recruitment and how we bring people into the organisation. We’ll do our best to outline the recruitment process to you ahead of time with plenty of notice. If you require any accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, please let us know and we will work with you to ensure your needs are met.

About Us:

We are one of the leading independent engineering and services businesses in the UK. Founded in 1921, with a turnover of £500m and 3000 employees, we are proud of our history of developing great people through our investment in training. Working across a variety of sectors within the building and infrastructure industry, our innovative, responsible and forward-thinking approach allows us to work on fantastic ground-breaking projects, providing solutions using the latest tools and technologies. Progression is something we value, and we will make sure that when you join us you have a clearly defined development path, supported by regular reviews, training and ongoing support to enable you to be the best you can be.