Lead IT Network Administrator

KBR; Guildford; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

KBR is seeking a Lead IT Network Administrator in the United Kingdom to support complex, mission-critical IT infrastructure across defence, government, and secure environments. The role focuses on Cisco Nexus, ISE, NDFC, VXLAN/EVPN, SD-WAN, and security platforms, with responsibilities spanning data centres, offices, and remote access.

The position requires BPSS clearance or higher, strong troubleshooting skills, and experience with Palo Alto, F5 BIG-IP, and Azure networking.

Qualifications

• Must hold BPSS clearance or higher and UK citizenship.

Responsibilities

• Configure, administer, and optimise Cisco networking environments including ISE, NDFC, Nexus, Leaf-Spine, VXLAN/EVPN, and SD-WAN.
• Manage enterprise routing and switching across data centres, offices, cloud, and remote access.
• Administer Palo Alto firewalls and security solutions; manage F5 BIG-IP and cloud networking.
• Support Azure networking services and network monitoring, troubleshooting, and DR planning.
• Collaborate with infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud, application, and third-party teams.

Skills

Networking expertise

Security awareness

Tools

Cisco Nexus

NDFC

Cisco ISE

SD-WAN

VXLAN

EVPN

Palo Alto

F5 BIG-IP

Azure networking

Ansible

Terraform

Python

Job description

Salary: £48,000 - 88,000 per year

Requirements:

• We require UK Citizenship and current Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance or higher.
• We are looking for strong hands-on experience with Cisco networking technologies, including Nexus switching, Cisco ISE, SD-WAN, and modern data centre networking solutions.
• We require experience supporting Cisco Nexus environments, including Leaf-Spine architectures, VXLAN, and EVPN technologies.
• We require experience administering Cisco NDFC or equivalent data centre network management platforms.
• We require experience supporting enterprise routing and switching technologies across large-scale environments.
• We require experience administering Palo Alto firewalls and enterprise network security solutions.
• We require experience supporting F5 BIG-IP load balancers and Microsoft Azure networking services.
• We require experience with network monitoring, traffic analysis, and packet capture tools.
• We require proven ability to diagnose and resolve complex issues across network, cloud, and security platforms.
• We require experience supporting resilience, business continuity, and disaster recovery initiatives.
• We need advanced knowledge of enterprise networking technologies, including BGP, OSPF, VLANs, VRFs, Spanning Tree Protocol, and link aggregation.
• We need a strong understanding of modern data centre networking concepts, including Leaf-Spine architectures, VXLAN, and EVPN.
• We need knowledge of VPN technologies, network access control, authentication, authorization, and network security principles.
• We need the ability to analyse network performance, identify root causes, and implement effective remediation strategies.
• We need strong understanding of operational best practices, including monitoring, patching, lifecycle management, documentation, and change control.
• We need excellent troubleshooting and analytical skills within complex enterprise environments.
• We need strong communication, documentation, and stakeholder engagement capabilities.
• We need the ability to work effectively within highly regulated and security-conscious environments.
• Preferred qualifications include Cisco certifications such as CCNP Enterprise or CCNP Data Center, or equivalent.
• Preferred qualifications include Palo Alto Networks certifications or significant operational experience.
• Preferred qualifications include F5 certification or extensive hands-on BIG-IP LTM administration experience.
• Preferred qualifications include Microsoft Azure networking certification or equivalent cloud networking expertise.
• Preferred qualifications include experience supporting Defence, Government, Aerospace, or other highly regulated environments.
• Preferred qualifications include experience with Cisco TrustSec, Security Group Tags (SGT), or identity-based network segmentation.
• Preferred qualifications include experience with Azure ExpressRoute, cloud interconnects, and colocation facilities.
• Preferred qualifications include experience with automation and scripting technologies such as Python, Ansible, or Terraform.
• Preferred qualifications include experience supporting global enterprise networks across multiple locations and telecommunications providers.
• Preferred qualifications include exposure to Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), advanced network security technologies, or application delivery solutions.

Responsibilities:

• We configure, administer, and optimise complex Cisco networking environments, including Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC), Nexus switching, Leaf-Spine architectures, VXLAN, EVPN, and SD-WAN technologies.
• We manage enterprise routing and switching services across data centres, office locations, cloud platforms, and remote access environments.
• We administer and support secure network services including Palo Alto firewalls, network segmentation, access control policies, and remote connectivity solutions.
• We manage F5 BIG-IP load balancing platforms, including virtual servers, pools, health monitors, certificates, and traffic management policies.
• We support Microsoft Azure networking services, including virtual networks, subnets, network security groups, route tables, gateways, and hybrid cloud connectivity.
• We troubleshoot and resolve complex infrastructure, networking, and application connectivity issues across multiple technology domains.
• We analyse packet captures, traffic flows, monitoring alerts, and platform telemetry to identify root causes and implement corrective actions.
• We perform network upgrades, software patching, hardware refresh activities, lifecycle management, and capacity planning.
• We monitor network availability, performance, and utilisation to ensure optimal service delivery and operational stability.
• We support backup, recovery, disaster recovery testing, high availability solutions, and operational resilience initiatives.
• We maintain network diagrams, configuration records, technical standards, and operational documentation.
• We participate in incident, problem, and change management activities to support reliable and secure service delivery.
• We collaborate closely with infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud, application, and third-party support teams to maintain secure and resilient services.

Technologies:

• Ansible
• Azure
• Cloud
• Cisco
• Fabric
• Hardware
• Support
• Load Balancing
• Network
• Nexus
• Python
• Security
• Terraform
• VPN

More:

KBR is seeking a Lead IT Network Administrator, Network, Voice and AV, to join our team supporting complex, mission-critical IT infrastructure across enterprise and secure environments. This is a permanent, full-time position based in Aldershot, Basingstoke, Salisbury, Southampton, or Swindon, with the role ultimately becoming part of our new Mission Technology Solutions company following the planned spin-out. Our Mission Technology Solutions business partners with governments and customers across defence, intelligence, space, aviation, and critical infrastructure to deliver high-end engineering, science, technology, and mission support solutions. This is an exciting opportunity to work with advanced networking, security, and collaboration technologies in a highly regulated environment and contribute to resilient, secure, high-performing services.

last updated 36 week of 2026