Network Specialist - CCIE

Alpha Data; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is looking for a Network Specialist with CCIE Enterprise certification to enhance their dynamic IT team. This role involves designing and implementing cutting-edge enterprise network solutions, managing Cisco ACI, and ensuring robust security and compliance measures. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with Cisco technologies, including SD-Access and WiFi 7, and will play a crucial role in optimizing network performance and reliability. Join a forward-thinking company that values innovation and offers a collaborative environment where your contributions will make a significant impact.

Benefits

Health insurance

Professional development opportunities

Flexible working hours

Team-building activities

Qualifications

• Expertise in Cisco network infrastructure and enterprise solutions.
• Proven experience with network design, security, and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Architect and implement enterprise network solutions using Cisco technologies.
• Manage Cisco ACI fabric and ensure high availability and security.

Skills

CCIE Enterprise certification

Cisco Campus SD-Access

Cisco WiFi 7

Cisco ACI

Infoblox

F5 Load Balancing

BGP

OSPF

EIGRP

Ansible

Python

Terraform

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Cisco DNA Center

ThousandEyes

Cisco ISE

F5 BIG-IP LTM

Job description

Job Title: Network Specialist CCIE Enterprise Certified

Job Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Network Specialist with a CCIE Enterprise certification to join our dynamic IT team. The ideal candidate will have in-depth expertise across enterprise network infrastructure, including Cisco Campus SD-Access, Cisco WiFi 7, Cisco ACI, Infoblox, F5 load balancing, advanced routing protocols, and strong cloud networking experience.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Network Design & Architecture

- Architect and implement enterprise network solutions using Cisco SD-Access, aligning with best practices for scalability, segmentation, and security.

- Lead WiFi 7 wireless network design and optimization efforts, including site surveys, RF planning, and capacity forecasting.

- Develop and maintain high-availability network designs, incorporating redundancy, failover, and disaster recovery strategies.

- Ensure zero-downtime architecture through HA, fast failover, and redundant paths to support mission-critical operations.

- Deploy and manage Cisco ISE to enforce 802.1X-based NAC policies, device profiling, and posture assessment for wired and wireless endpoints.

- Integrate ISE with Active Directory, MFA, and security logging tools to support strong authentication and compliance reporting.

- Define and maintain security policies for employee, contractor, and guest access, and respond to NAC-related security events in real time.

- Work closely with InfoSec teams to implement zero trust access and dynamic VLAN assignment based on user identity and posture.

2. Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) Management

- Design, deploy, and manage Cisco ACI fabric, including tenant configurations, endpoint groups (EPGs), bridge domains, and policies.

- Collaborate with application and data center teams to align ACI policies with workload requirements.

- Troubleshoot ACI-specific issues and monitor health scores and fabric performance.

3. IPAM, DNS, and DHCP Management (Infoblox)

- Administer and optimize Infoblox DDI solutions for IP address management, DHCP scopes, DNS zones, and record management.

- Ensure IPAM hygiene, manage network blocks, and provide detailed IP documentation.

- Integrate Infoblox with automation/orchestration tools where applicable.

4. Load Balancing & Application Delivery (F5)

- Configure and manage F5 BIG-IP LTM and GTM appliances, including iRules, SSL offloading, and application health monitoring.

- Work with application teams to deliver high-performing and secure web applications.

- Ensure traffic is efficiently balanced across backend systems with minimal downtime.

5. Advanced Routing & Switching

- Implement, monitor, and troubleshoot complex routing protocols including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, and route redistribution scenarios.

- Support Layer 2/3 infrastructure, VLAN segmentation, spanning tree optimization, and link aggregation (LACP).

- Perform routine health checks, traffic analysis, and infrastructure upgrades.

6. Cloud Network Integration

- Design and support hybrid cloud connectivity, including VPNs, Direct Connect (AWS), and ExpressRoute (Azure).

- Collaborate with cloud engineers to extend enterprise networks into AWS, Azure, or GCP.

- Implement cloud-native networking constructs like VPCs, security groups, NSGs, and virtual appliances.

7. Network Security & Compliance

- Implement segmentation, access control policies, and network ACLs to protect critical assets.

- Collaborate with security teams to monitor for threats and vulnerabilities in the network layer.

- Ensure compliance with organizational standards, industry regulations, and audit requirements.

8. Monitoring, Troubleshooting & Performance Optimization

- Use enterprise-grade tools like Cisco DNA Center, ThousandEyes, and ACI monitoring tools for real-time network analytics.

- Proactively resolve issues impacting low-latency trading systems, batch processing jobs, or real-time transactions.

- Maintain KPIs and SLAs in line with financial system requirements.

9. Documentation & Operational Excellence

- Maintain audit-ready documentation of network configurations, change logs, and policies.

- Ensure all changes follow ITIL change management practices with rollback procedures.

- Develop SOPs and BCP/DR runbooks for all critical network operations.

10. Collaboration & Project Delivery

- Work closely with cross-functional teams including IT security, infrastructure, cloud, and application teams.

- Participate in technical workshops, change advisory boards, and project planning meetings.

- Lead and/or support network-related projects from concept to completion, ensuring on-time delivery.

Required Skills & Experience:

- CCIE Enterprise certification (Active).

- Proven expertise in Cisco Campus SD-Access, Identity-Based Network Access Control (Cisco ISE NAC) and Cisco Wi-Fi 7 wireless solutions.

- Hands-on experience with Cisco ACI (fabric, policies, contracts, tenants).

- Proficiency with Infoblox for DNS, DHCP, and IPAM.

- Strong hands-on experience with F5 Load Balancers (LTM, GTM).

- Deep understanding of routing & switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, STP).

- Experience with network automation tools like Ansible, Python, Terraform.

- Excellent troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills.

- Ability to work independently and within a team in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CCIE Security or other CCIE specializations (in addition to CCIE Enterprise).
• Cisco Certified Specialist or CCNP Enterprise (as an additional qualification).
• Experience with network automation tools like Ansible, Python, Terraform.
• Knowledge of SDN, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and network segmentation.
• Familiarity with network security principles and solutions (firewalls, NAC, IPS/IDS).