Lead Network Engineer - Mastercard MEA HQ

Lead Network Engineer - Mastercard MEA HQ; Dubai Emirate; On-site; AED 300,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

Lead Network Engineer role in Dubai directs deployment and ongoing management of enterprise network infrastructure, including LAN/WAN, data center interconnects, and security appliances. You will oversee installation, monitoring, maintenance, and documentation across global backbone networks.

The role emphasizes collaboration with design, platforms, and vendor teams, plus leadership of network projects and innovation initiatives to support growth and technology upgrades.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Math, Engineering or equivalent.
• 5+ years IT experience in networking, including LAN/WAN, firewalls, wireless, security, and encryption technologies.
• Experience with TCP/IP protocol communications and network diagnostics.
• Broad hands-on knowledge across leading network vendors such as Cisco, Palo Alto, Aruba, Arista, and Checkpoint.
• Knowledge of project management methodology and best practices.
• Familiarity with BGP, SNMP, VPN, SSH, MPLS, SD‑WAN, and ACI technologies.
• Strong command of datacenter network technologies; knowledge of network automation/scripting desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage and implement network projects across domains.
• Collaborate with design and platforms teams to implement network designs for upgrading existing corporate and Datacenter networks, and re‑architect network segments to accommodate new technologies and growth.
• Resolve network communications and operations problems impacting customer or backbone access and performance globally.
• Research and develop innovative solutions around unified network solutions.
• Support assigned regional projects, including planning; time and cost control; resource utilisation and implementation.
• Lead vendor management and major work streams or multiple smaller work streams for large network domain initiatives, providing technical guidance and advice to project team members.
• Engage with the broader technical community to anticipate developments in innovation, evaluate new solutions, and recommend future business network requirements.

Skills

Networking

TCP/IP

BGP

SNMP

VPN

MPLS

SD-WAN

ACI

Cisco

Palo Alto

Aruba

Arista

Check Point

Network automation

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Math, Engineering or equivalent

Tools

Cisco

Palo Alto

Aruba

Arista

Checkpoint

Job description

Position

Lead Network Engineer

Location: Dubai, Al Sufouh - Al Sufouh 2

Overview

As part of the Lead Network Engineer journey, you will engineer and deploy the latest network infrastructure, overseeing installation, monitoring, maintenance, support, optimisation, and documentation of all network hardware, software, and connectivity.

Responsibilities

• Manage and implement network projects across domains.
• Collaborate with design and platforms teams to implement network designs for upgrading existing corporate and Datacenter networks, and re‑architect network segments to accommodate new technologies and growth.
• Resolve network communications and operations problems impacting customer or backbone access and performance globally.
• Research and develop innovative solutions around unified network solutions.
• Support assigned regional projects, including planning; time and cost control; resource utilisation and implementation.
• Lead vendor management and major work streams or multiple smaller work streams for large network domain initiatives, providing technical guidance and advice to project team members.
• Engage with the broader technical community to anticipate developments in innovation, evaluate new solutions, and recommend future business network requirements.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Math, Engineering or equivalent.
• Experience: 5+ years IT experience in networking, including LAN/WAN, firewalls, wireless, security, and encryption technologies.
• Experience with TCP/IP protocol communications and network diagnostics.
• Broad hands‑on knowledge across leading network vendors such as Cisco, Palo Alto, Aruba, Arista, and Checkpoint.
• Knowledge of project management methodology and best practices.
• Familiarity with BGP, SNMP, VPN, SSH, MPLS, SD‑WAN, and ACI technologies.
• Strong command of datacenter network technologies; knowledge of network automation/scripting desirable.

Desired Attributes

• Excellent communication skills; ability to perform under pressure and be detail‑oriented.
• Self‑motivated achiever who gains satisfaction from providing customer excellence.
• Responsive to all queries/incidents, managing delivery and incidents promptly.
• Ability to identify resource gaps and propose sustainable solutions.
• Skilled at explaining technical problems succinctly and clearly.
• Confidence to escalated project delivery and incidents to senior management.