Lead Network Engineer

Kroll; Greater London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Kroll is seeking an experienced Network Engineer to lead the design, deployment and operation of global network services. The role focuses on secure, highly available LAN/WAN, data centre, remote-access and cloud networking across Azure and AWS, with emphasis on network segmentation and Zero Trust.

You will evangelise automation using Ansible, Python, APIs and Terraform, while collaborating with security, cloud and service management teams to deliver end-to-end solutions.

Qualifications

• Seven years of enterprise network engineering experience.
• Experience designing highly available, secure networks.
• Ability to lead complex network delivery end-to-end.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, implementation, maintenance and optimisation of network services.
• Develop architectures integrating on-prem with Azure and AWS.
• Lead segmentation, Zero Trust, and identity-based access controls.
• Administer Cisco networking, Palo Alto firewalls, VPNs and SD-WAN.
• Translate requirements into designs, plans, tests and docs.
• Monitor network health, performance, security, and resilience.
• Provide Tier 3 escalation support and root-cause analysis.
• Plan upgrades, migrations, and office deployments.
• Identify opportunities for NetDevOps and automation with Ansible, Python, Terraform.
• Contribute to automation workflows and maintain change controls.
• Maintain network diagrams, standards and procedures.
• Collaborate with cloud, security and service management teams.
• Manage vendor relationships and service improvements.
• Promote governance and secure production network services.
• Provide guidance and knowledge sharing across the team.

Skills

Enterprise routing

Switching

BGP

OSPF

VLANs

VRFs

WAN design

High availability

Security principles

Tools

Cisco devices

Palo Alto firewalls

VPNs

SD-WAN

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, implementation, maintenance, and optimisation of highly available, secure, and resilient LAN, WAN, wireless, data centre, remote-access, and cloud network services.
• Develop network architectures that integrate on-premises environments with public cloud platforms, including Azure and AWS, and support Kroll's business, security, and availability requirements.
• Lead network segmentation initiatives at macro and micro levels, applying security best practices, Zero Trust principles, and identity-based access controls where appropriate.
• Administer and optimise Cisco networking technologies, Palo Alto firewalls, VPN services, SD-WAN platforms, and cloud-native networking services.
• Translate business and technical requirements into supportable network designs, implementation plans, test plans, migration approaches, and operational documentation.
• Monitor and validate network health, performance, capacity, availability, security, resilience, and business continuity across Kroll's global environments.
• Provide Tier 3 escalation support for complex network and security incidents, lead root-cause analysis, and implement sustainable corrective actions.
• Plan and deliver network upgrades, migrations, office deployments, acquisition integrations, and other infrastructure projects, including testing, cutover, and transition to support.
• Identify and champion practical opportunities to automate repeatable network engineering and operational tasks, working with the wider team to introduce proportionate NetDevOps practices that improve consistency, efficiency, and risk reduction.
• Contribute to reusable network automation workflows using tools such as Ansible, Python, APIs, Terraform, and source control, while maintaining primary responsibility for network design, implementation, optimisation, and operational support.
• Apply appropriate peer review, testing, validation, documentation, and rollback controls to automated and manual network changes.
• Maintain accurate network diagrams, standards, configurations, procedures, and support documentation.
• Collaborate with cloud, infrastructure, information security, application, and service management teams to deliver secure and supportable end-to-end solutions.
• Manage technical relationships with network vendors, telecommunications providers, and support partners, including escalation and service improvement activities.
• Champion Kroll's change, security, audit, and governance requirements for production network services, ensuring changes are controlled, traceable, and appropriately approved.
• Provide technical guidance and knowledge sharing to other engineers, promoting consistent engineering standards and continuous improvement across the global network team.

Qualifications

• A minimum of seven years' experience in enterprise network engineering, including substantial experience designing and supporting complex, highly available environments.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise routing and switching, including BGP, OSPF, VLANs, VRFs, QoS, high-availability design, and resilient WAN connectivity.
• Hands-on expertise with Cisco networking technologies, Palo Alto firewalls, VPNs, and SD-WAN platforms such as Cisco SD-WAN/Viptela or Prisma SD-WAN.
• Demonstrable experience with cloud networking in Azure and AWS; experience with GCP or OCI is advantageous.
• Strong understanding of network security principles, including segmentation, encryption, secure remote access, threat prevention, and security policy enforcement.
• Proven experience supporting 24x7 production environments with demanding availability, incident response, disaster recovery, and change-control requirements.
• Experience leading technical delivery through the full lifecycle, from requirements and design through implementation, testing, documentation, and operational handover.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively across global and cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and take ownership of complex technical outcomes.
• Ability to travel for work within the EMEA region up to a few times per month.

Preferred Skills

• Relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, CCIE, Palo Alto PCNSE, AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty, or Microsoft Azure Network Engineer Associate.
• Practical experience with, or a strong interest in developing, network automation and NetDevOps practices using Ansible, Python, APIs, Terraform, Git, and structured data formats such as JSON or YAML.
• Experience using source control, peer review, automated validation, or CI/CD concepts to support safe and repeatable infrastructure changes.
• Experience with network monitoring, observability, configuration compliance, inventory, or source-of-truth platforms.
• Exposure to Zero Trust architecture and advanced network security technologies, including Cisco ISE or other network access control platforms.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and identity-management services.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to influence technical improvements through collaboration rather than direct authority.