Senior Network Architect

Public Sector Resourcing, managed by AMS; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A government health agency is seeking a Senior Network Architect for a 4-month remote contract to lead the migration from legacy Cisco networks to a modern Cisco Nexus infrastructure. The ideal candidate must possess extensive experience in enterprise network design and have active SC Clearance. Responsibilities include optimizing LAN performance and ensuring compliance with governance frameworks.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in designing enterprise networks, especially Cisco transitions.
• Deep understanding of WAN and internet-based SD-WAN solutions.
• Experience with Palo Alto Networks firewall migrations.

Responsibilities

• Develop a migration strategy from legacy Cisco to Nexus.
• Minimize service disruption during migration.
• Ensure compliance with best security practices.

Skills

Cisco Nexus architecture

WAN technologies

Firewall migrations

LAN performance optimization

Network security design

Cisco Meraki

Job description

On behalf of HSE, we are looking for a Senior Network Architect (Inside IR35) for a 4 Month Remote contract with occasional visits to Bootle.

Note: SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position, (and speed at which we require a postholder in situ), preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is seeking a very experienced Senior Network Architect to lead the design and planning of a strategic migration from our legacy Cisco 6509-based network to a modern Cisco Nexus-based infrastructure. This role is critical to ensuring a seamless transition and improvement to our LAN whilst preparing for a future WAN transformation that will shift our connectivity model from MPLS to internet-prioritized site access.

HSE's strategic LAN network infrastructure includes Cisco switches with Cisco Nexus at its core, with Cisco Meraki deployed at the edge and distribution layers.

Key Responsibilities

Design and Architecture:

• Develop a comprehensive migration strategy and high-level design to transition from the legacy Cisco 6509 core to the new Cisco Nexus platform.
• Ensure minimal disruption to services during the migration and decommissioning process.
• Produce detailed design documentation including network diagrams, migration plans, risk assessments, and fallback procedures.
• Define standards for configuration, monitoring, and performance optimization across LAN and WAN environments.

Firewall Migration:

• Lead the transition away from legacy firewall platforms including Cisco ASA, McAfee Sidewinder, and Microsoft TMG.
• Advise and guide TechOps in migration to the in place Palo Alto Networks firewall solution that aligns with HSE's security and operational requirements.

Performance Optimization:

• Identify and resolve LAN performance bottlenecks.
• Implement best practices for network tuning to ensure optimal throughput, reliability, and scalability across the enterprise.

WAN Transformation Planning:

• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to align the LAN migration with the upcoming WAN tender.
• Incorporate future WAN architecture considerations into the core network design, ensuring compatibility with internet-first connectivity models.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Work closely with HSE Technical Operations, Security, and Application teams to understand dependencies and ensure alignment.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance throughout the migration lifecycle.

Governance and Compliance:

• Ensure all designs adhere to security best practices and compliance requirements.
• Support change management processes and provide input into governance frameworks.

Required Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in designing and migrating enterprise networks, particularly from legacy Cisco platforms to Nexus.
• Deep understanding of Cisco Nexus architecture, features, and best practices.
• Strong knowledge of WAN technologies, including MPLS and internet-based SD-WAN solutions.
• Experience with firewall migrations and Palo Alto Networks solutions.
• Expertise in diagnosing and resolving LAN performance issues.
• Experience with network security, segmentation, and high availability design in public sector organisations.
• Cisco Meraki experience.

Desirable

• Experience with WAN transformation projects or SD-WAN deployments.
• Familiarity with cloud connectivity models and hybrid network environments.
• Public sector experience.
• Cisco certifications (e.g., CCNP, CCIE) are a plus.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, HSE guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following "this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation. Any rates of payment quoted will reflect the gross rate per day for the assignment and will be subject to appropriate taxes and statutory costs. As such the payment to the intermediary and your income resulting from this contract will be different".