Network Solution Architect

Sanderson Government & Defence; Salisbury; On-site; GBP 112,000 - 147,000; Full time

Job summary

Sanderson Government & Defence is seeking an experienced Network Solutions Architect to support a major Defence and National Security programme. You will design secure network architectures and lead technical discussions with project teams to assure resilient services.

Essential experience includes Cisco routing/switching, firewalls, ACI, and Microsoft technologies. Active SC clearance with DV eligibility is required, and the role is Salisbury-based with on-site work expectations.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience with Cisco networking in secure/Defence environments.
• Ability to design and lead secure network architectures end-to-end.
• Active SC clearance with ability to gain DV clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design and assure secure network architectures within Defence environments.
• Apply Secure by Design principles throughout the solution lifecycle.
• Assess and mitigate security risks across network/infrastructure.
• Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance to teams.
• Support security accreditation and governance activities.
• Collaborate with engineering, security, and programme teams to deliver robust solutions.
• Ensure architectures meet Defence security standards and operational needs.

Skills

Cisco Networking

Routing & Switching

Cisco ASA Firewalls

Cisco ACI

Cisco IOS/NX-OS

Wireless Networking

Network Orchestration

IP Networking Concepts

Windows Server

Active Directory

Tools

Azure

AWS

VMware

PowerShell

Job description

Network Solutions Architect
Salisbury - 3-4 days per week on site
£700 a day Inside IR35
Requires Active SC Clearance with sole UK nationality and the ability to gain DV clearance

Join a Critical Defence Programme

We are seeking an experienced Network Solution Architect to support a major Defence and National Security programme. This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in designing, assuring, and evolving secure network architectures that underpin important services and operational capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and assure secure network architectures within Defence environments.
• Apply Secure by Design principles throughout the solution lifecycle.
• Assess and mitigate security risks across network and infrastructure platforms.
• Provide technical leadership and architectural guidance to project teams and stakeholders.
• Support security accreditation and governance activities.
• Collaborate with engineering, security, and programme teams to deliver robust and resilient solutions.
• Ensure architectures align with Defence security standards and operational requirements.

Essential experience

• Strong experience with core Cisco networking technologies, including:
• Routing & Switching
• Cisco ASA Firewalls
• Cisco ACI
• Cisco IOS & NX-OS
• Wireless Networking
• Good knowledge of network orchestration and automation technologies.
• Concrete understanding of vendor-independent IP networking concepts and associated technologies such as:
• DHCP
• DNS
• Core Network Services
• Experience leading technical projects and collaborating within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Proven ability to prepare, present, and communicate technical designs to a high standard.
• Experience working with Microsoft technologies including:
• Windows Server
• Active Directory
• Exchange
• SharePoint
• Group Policy
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Active Security Clearance with ability to gain DV clearance.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience working within Defence, National Security, Government or Critical National Infrastructure environments.
• Experience of virtualisation platforms and associated infrastructure technologies.
• Knowledge of architecture and project delivery frameworks such as TOGAF and PRINCE2.
• Familiarity with SIEM technologies and wider network security tooling.
• Cisco Unified Communications and/or Asterisk PABX experience.
• Experience with cloud technologies including Microsoft Azure, AWS and Microsoft 365.

Reasonable Adjustments:

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason