Network Operations Engineer

DWP Digital; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 47,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

Volunteer leave

I Can Be Me

Discounts

Transport loan

Career progression

Job summary

DWP Digital in the United Kingdom is hiring a Network Engineer to design, build and operate the network infrastructure across on-prem and cloud environments, driving resilience and performance.

You will work in a hybrid model from one of our digital hubs, including Manchester, with flexible hours and a strong focus on work-life balance. The role emphasises collaboration with security and architecture teams and opportunities to gain cloud and automation experience.

Qualifications

• Proven experience designing, implementing and supporting enterprise-scale network infrastructure (on-prem and cloud).
• Knowledge of network security principles and technologies including next-generation firewalls, VPNs, encryption and authentication.
• Experience providing 3rd line support and managing incidents using ITSM practices.
• Ability to manage day-to-day operational issues and root-cause analysis across a complex estate.
• Strong communication skills to work across multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Solid TCP/IP knowledge including routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, VXLAN) and IP services (DNS, DHCP, NTP).

Responsibilities

• You'll work across a large-scale network environment, supporting AWS, Azure, OCI, firewalls, load balancers and core network infrastructure while investigating incidents.
• You'll collaborate with engineering, security and architecture teams to drive cloud-based and automated solutions.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex issues and contribute to service improvements.
• Proactively monitor and maintain network performance and reliability.

Skills

Network design

Network security

ITSM

Operational ownership

Collaboration

Troubleshooting TCP/IP

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

Python

Job description

Pay up to £52,442 plus 28.97% employer pension contributions, hybrid working, flexible hours, and great work life balance.

DWP. Digital with Purpose.

Join our Network Service Operations team as Network Engineer in the next step to transform the DWPs datacentre and remote site network infrastructure into leading edge technologies.

DWP is the UK's largest government department. We help people into work and make payments worth around £280bn a year, to support millions of daily users.

Our DWP Digital teams are using fresh ideas and leading-edge technologies to create innovative, scalable and user-centric digital solutions, positively changing how government work.

We design, build, and run digital public services, making them simpler and faster for everyone.

The scale of what we do is extraordinary, and our purpose is unique. We'd love you to join us.

What skills, knowledge and experience will you need?

• Design, build and operate network infrastructure: Proven experience designing, implementing and supporting enterprise-scale network infrastructure (on-prem and cloud), ensuring operational stability, resilience and availability.
• Network security and controls: Working knowledge of network security principles and technologies including next-generation firewalls, VPNs, encryption and authentication, with experience applying security controls in live environments.
• Incident, problem and service management: Proven experience providing 3rd line support and managing incidents, problems and changes using ITSM practices, including proactive monitoring and service improvement.
• Operational ownership and decision making: Ability to manage day-to-day operational issues, analyse root causes, and take ownership of resolving and preventing network service issues across a complex estate.
• Collaboration and communication: Strong communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and with stakeholders, contributing to service improvement and delivering high-quality outcomes.
• Core networking and troubleshooting: Strong technical knowledge of TCP/IP networking including routing protocols (e.g. OSPF, BGP, VXLAN), IP services (DNS, DHCP, NTP), with the ability to independently troubleshoot and resolve complex issues.

You and your role:

You'll work across a large-scale network environment, supporting AWS, Azure, OCI, firewalls, load balancers and core network infrastructure while investigating incidents and improving performance.

If you enjoy troubleshooting, solving complex problems and working with modern network technologies, this is a great opportunity to make a real impact. You'll collaborate with engineering, security and architecture teams while helping drive the move towards cloud-based and automated solutions.

Bonus points if you have experience with Terraform, Ansible or Python, and any cloud or networking certifications such as AWS, Azure, Aruba or Arista, but if not, we'll help you get there.

Location:

You'll join us in one of our brilliant digital hubs in Blackpool, Leeds, Manchester or Newcastle, whichever is most convenient for you.

Hybrid Working:

We work a hybrid model - you'll spend some time working at home and some time collaborating face to face in a hub.

Pay:

We offer competitive pay of up to £52,442.

Pension:

You'll get a brilliant civil service pension with employer contributions worth 28.97%, worth over £12,000 per year.

Holidays:

A generous leave package starting at 26 days rising to 31 days over time.

You can also take up to 3 extra days off a month on flexi-time. You'll also get all the usual public holidays.

We have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Flexible working including flexible hours and flex-friendly policies
• Time off volunteering and charitable giving
• Bring your authentic self to work with 'I Can Be Me in DWP'
• Discounts and savings on shopping, fun days out and more
• Interest-free loans to buy a bike or a season ticket, so it's even easier for you to get to work and start making a difference
• Professional development, coaching, mentoring and career progression opportunities.

And we have an award-winning environment and culture:

• DWP have been recognised as 2024 Diversity Employer of the Year at the Computing Women in Tech Excellence awards
• Diverse and Inclusive Leadership at Digital Leaders Awards 2024
• Commended as Best Place to Work in Digital category in the Computing Digital Technology Leaders awards 2025
• Recognised as one of the Best Public Sector Employers at 2025 Women In Tech Employer Awards