Senior Network Architect (Cisco)

Sopra Steria; Salisbury; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

£5,400 car allowance

25 days annual leave

Private medical

Life assurance

Pension

Generous flexible benefits fund

Job summary

Sopra Steria ADS is recruiting a Senior Network Architect to advance from senior network engineering to architecture. You’ll deliver end-to-end network solutions in secure environments, mentor engineers, and shape concepts into deliverables alongside Solution Leads and project teams.

Regular onsite presence in Salisbury or Portsmouth is required, with some flexible working when feasible. The role emphasizes Cisco technologies, security alignment, and architecture governance, offering a path from

Qualifications

• Strong Cisco networking experience including switching, routing, firewalls and wireless networking.
• Experience translating technical and business requirements into networking solutions and designs.
• Understanding of IP networking, DHCP, DNS and VRF.
• Knowledge of network orchestration, automation and SDN concepts.
• Experience leading technical workstreams and providing guidance within project environments.
• Knowledge of Microsoft technologies including Windows Server, AD, Exchange, SharePoint and GP.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement end-to-end network solutions and technical designs.
• Support solution design activities across project work packages.
• Align technical solutions with security requirements, architectural standards and business objectives.
• Identify and mitigate IA risks and recommend improvements.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and knowledge transfer to Network Engineers and project teams.
• Support successful delivery of projects throughout the solution lifecycle.

Skills

Cisco networking

Network design

Project leadership

Security & compliance

Microsoft technologies

Wireless networking

Education

CCNA certification

TOGAF / PRINCE2 familiarity

Windows Server / Active Directory / Exchange / SharePoint / Group Policy

Job description

Are you a Senior Network Engineer looking to take the next step into a Senior Network Architect role and develop your architecture skills while working on complex, secure environments?

At Sopra Steria Aerospace, Defence and Security (ADS), you'll work on secure, business-critical projects that help protect and support some of the UK's most important organisations.

Joining a collaborative team of networking specialists, you'll have the opportunity to influence technical solutions, develop your architecture skills, and work with leading Cisco technologies in complex environments.

This role would suit someone with a strong networking background who enjoys solving technical challenges, understanding customer requirements, and helping shape solutions from concept through to delivery.

You’ll work alongside Solution Leads, Project Managers and engineering teams to develop secure, resilient network solutions while supporting the successful delivery of projects.

We offer flexible working where possible, particularly during the early stages of projects, although regular onsite attendance will be required in Salisbury or Portsmouth due to the nature of the work.

What you’ll be doing:

• Create and implement end-to-end network solutions and technical designs.
• Support solution design activities across project work packages.
• Align technical solutions with security requirements, architectural standards and business objectives.
• Identify and mitigate Information Assurance risks and recommend improvements to existing and proposed solutions.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring and knowledge transfer to Network Engineers and project teams.
• Support the successful delivery of projects throughout the solution lifecycle.

What you’ll bring:

• Strong experience with Cisco networking technologies including switching, routing, firewalls and wireless networking.
• Experience translating technical and business requirements into networking solutions and designs.
• Strong understanding of Internet Protocol networking, Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, Domain Name System and Virtual Routing and Forwarding.
• Knowledge of network orchestration, automation and Software Defined Networking concepts.
• Experience leading technical workstreams and providing technical guidance within project environments.
• Knowledge of Microsoft technologies including Windows Server, Active Directory, Exchange, SharePoint and Group Policy.

It would be great if you had:

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification.
• Experience with automation technologies such as Ansible, Python, Terraform or PowerShell.
• Familiarity with industry-standard frameworks including PRINCE2 and TOGAF.
• Experience with Cisco Unified Communications and Asterisk PABX.
• Familiarity with Security Information and Event Management platforms and network security technologies.
• Knowledge of endpoint management and cloud platforms including Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365 and Amazon Web Services.

Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent.

Location: Salisbury or Portsmouth with flexible working arrangements.

Security Clearance Level: Security Check (SC) clearance with eligibility and willingness to achieve Developed Vetting (DV).

Internal Recruiter: Paul Kitchen

Salary: Competitive, based on experience.

Benefits

• £5,400 car allowance
• 25 days annual leave with the option to buy additional days
• private medical
• life assurance
• pension
• generous flexible benefits fund

About Sopra Steria ADS

At Sopra Steria, Aerospace, Defence and Security (ADS) is trusted to deliver secure, mission-critical services that help our customers overcome complex operational and technology challenges. Working across defence, government and secure environments, we combine deep technical expertise with innovative thinking to deliver solutions that make a real difference.

Our people are central to our success. We invest in learning and development, support career progression, and provide opportunities to work on meaningful projects using leading technologies. Whether you’re looking to expand your design experience or develop into a network architecture career path, ADS offers the opportunity to grow your skills while helping our customers achieve their goals.

We embrace difference as a source of creativity, innovation and competitive advantage and are striving to become a more diverse organisation.

We welcome applications from people with a diverse variety of backgrounds and identities.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or marital status.

We have partnered with Vercida, the UK's largest diversity and inclusion focused careers site, where all our vacancies are available in an accessible format.

If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process, to enable you to perform to the best of your ability, please let us know when completing your application.

We participate in the Disability Confident scheme and are committed to offering an interview to any candidate with a disability, who meets the minimum criteria for the role. If you believe this could apply to you, please let us know when completing your application.