Network Architecture & Transformation Manager

The Dairy Farm Company, Limited- ROHQ; Mandaluyong; On-site; PHP 2,800,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

DFI Retail Group is seeking an autonomous Network Architecture & Transformation Manager to lead design, regional transition, and execution of our enterprise network ecosystem across APAC. You will be the SME for network and cloud connectivity, bridging technical work with business stakeholders and driving rapid, structured delivery across stores, hubs, data centers and offices.

The role requires hands-on leadership, deep technical authority, and the ability to manage complex incidents while

Qualifications

• 12-15+ years in enterprise network engineering with leadership experience.
• Escalation SME authority for Level-3/Level-4 troubleshooting and incident response.
• Multi-site delivery experience across retail stores, distribution hubs, SSCs, and data centers.
• Independent, action-biased execution driving cross-country initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Act as senior technical escalation point for network operations and MSPs during major incidents.
• Perform deep technical investigations to identify root causes and architect long-term remediations.
• Define governance from architecture to operations with clear runbooks and handover criteria.
• Represent network and cloud interconnectivity in cross-functional reviews and vendor discussions.
• Translate complex concepts for senior leadership and regional teams.

Skills

Network Architecture

Leadership

Incident Escalation

Cross-functional Collaboration

Cloud Interconnectivity

Vendor Management

Tools

Cisco ISE

Aruba ClearPass

Fortinet FortiGate

AWS DirectConnect

Azure ExpressRoute

SD-WAN

ZTNA

Job description

About the Role

DFI Retail Group is seeking a highly driven, autonomous Network Architecture & Transformation Manager to lead the strategic design, regional transition, and execution of our enterprise network ecosystem. Reporting directly to the Head of Infrastructure, you will serve as the primary technical subject matter expert (SME) and representative for the network and cloud connectivity domains across APAC.

This high-visibility, hands‑on management role requires an execution-focused leader who combines deep technical authority with sharp business intellect. You will bridge the gap between complex network/cloud infrastructure and non-technical business stakeholders—driving aggressive project execution across retail stores, logistics hubs, data centers, corporate offices, and hybrid cloud environments. Additionally, you will serve as the ultimate SME and Tier‑3/Tier‑4 technical escalation point for both Infrastructure Operations and Engineering teams, resolving critical architectural roadblocks, complex incidents, and high‑stakes operational outages.

Key Responsibilities

Technical SME & Operational/Engineering Escalation

• Ultimate Technical Escalation Point: Act as the senior technical authority and escalation lead for Network Operations, Systems Engineering, and third‑party Managed Service Providers (MSPs) during complex, high‑impact incidents or severe architectural failures.

• Root Cause & Structural Resolution: Perform deep‑diving technical investigations on chronic, systemic network issues passed up from Operations, translating operational pain points into long‑term architectural remediations.

• Architecture‑to‑Operations Governance: Define clear operational handover criteria, operational runbooks, and support frameworks to ensure engineering builds transition smoothly into Operations with minimal incident tail.

Technical Leadership & Stakeholder Representation

• Represent the Network & Connectivity Domain: Act as the primary technical representative for network architecture and cloud interconnectivity in cross‑functional forums, vendor engagements, and regional business alignments under the guidance of the Head of Infrastructure.

• Translate Technical Concepts to Business Stakeholders: Articulate complex network architectures, hybrid cloud connectivity models, Zero Trust security framework trade‑offs, and technical risks into clear, non-technical language for senior leadership and local country teams.

• Commercial & Financial Acumen: Assist the Head of Infrastructure with technical evaluations, CapEx/OpEx cost optimizations, cloud network consumption management, vendor commercial negotiations, and total‑cost‑of‑ownership (TCO) assessments.

Architectural Blueprinting & Modernization

• End‑to‑End Architectural Ownership: Drive the design, modernization, and transition of network infrastructure across smart retail formats (small, medium, large), distribution centers, Store Support Centers (SSC), and regional data centers.

• Hybrid Cloud Connectivity & Integration: Design and govern secure, high‑availability hybrid and multi‑cloud network architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP) utilizing ExpressRoute, DirectConnect, cloud networking routers/gateways, and transit VPC/VNet topologies.

• Establish & Enforce Modern Standards: Standardize scalable enterprise architectures utilizing SD‑WAN, LAN/WAN, Wi‑Fi 6, Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA), SASE, and Network Access Control solutions (e.g., Cisco ISE, Aruba ClearPass).

• Cross‑Functional Alignment: Collaborate closely with Information Security, Cloud Engineering, Application teams, and Enterprise Architecture to ensure network designs are cloud‑ready, application‑aware, security‑first, and built for performance.

Aggressive Execution & Team Management

• Plan‑Build‑Run Lifecycle Management: Manage the full project lifecycle, driving an aggressive delivery cadence across engineering teams and external partners from initial blueprinting through operational hypercare and handover.

• Direct & Mentor Engineering Teams: Lead, manage, and upskill the network engineering team in modern network automation, cloud networking concepts, and advanced troubleshooting methodologies.

• Governance, Compliance & Documentation: Oversee the creation of detailed technical documentation—including cloud migration blueprints, network topology diagrams, BOMs, and runbooks—while ensuring full readiness for internal and external security/compliance audits.

Detailed Requirements & Core Skillsets

1. Experience & Escalation Capability

• 12-15+ Years Total Experience: Proven background in enterprise network engineering, deployment, and operational transition, with at least 5+ years in a technical leadership or team management role.

• Escalation & SME Authority: Proven capability acting as an expert‑level technical authority and escalation owner for Level‑3/Level‑4 network troubleshooting, incident response, and performance tuning across enterprise networks.

• Distributed Enterprise & Multi‑Site Delivery: Hands‑on experience designing and executing network builds for complex, multi‑site environments including retail store networks (small to hyper‑market formats), distribution hubs/warehouses, Store Support Centers (SSC), and co‑location data centers.

• Independent Execution & Drive: Highly self‑directed mindset with a strong bias for action. Ability to drive multi‑country initiatives to completion on aggressive deadlines with minimal oversight.

2. Core Technical Infrastructure Mastery

• Multi‑Vendor Ecosystem Authority: Deep, hands‑on architectural mastery of enterprise hardware and software ecosystems including Cisco (Switching, Routing, ISE), Aruba (WLAN, ClearPass), Palo Alto Networks (Next‑Gen Firewalls, Panorama), Fortinet (FortiGate), and Huawei enterprise networks.

• SD‑WAN & Edge Connectivity: Proven track record in designing, migrating, and optimizing SD‑WAN architectures across hundreds of distributed remote locations and retail stores.

• Enterprise Wireless (Wi‑Fi 6/6E) & Mobility: Expertise in high‑density wireless design, site surveys, RF optimization, and secure guest/corporate mobility for retail environments, warehouses, and corporate offices.

3. Network Security & Zero Trust Architecture

• Identity‑Aware Access Control (NAC): Direct experience configuring, enforcing, and troubleshooting Network Access Control frameworks (Cisco ISE, Aruba ClearPass) for dynamic policy enforcement across wired and wireless networks.

• Zero Trust & Segmentation: Strong understanding of Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA), micro‑segmentation, and SASE frameworks to secure application traffic and minimize attack surfaces across distributed sites.

• Perimeter & Internal Security: Mastery of next‑generation firewall policies, IPS/IDS, SSL inspection, VPN topologies, and DMZ design across enterprise and cloud perimeters.

4. Practical Cloud & Interconnectivity Architecture

• Hybrid Cloud Networking: Architectural familiarity with major Cloud Service Providers (AWS, Azure, GCP), specifically around cloud networking constructs (VPCs, VNets, Transit Gateways, Cloud Routers).

• Private Direct Connectivity: Experience designing and managing dedicated cloud interconnects (AWS DirectConnect, Azure ExpressRoute) for low‑latency, resilient connectivity between data centers and cloud environments.

• Cloud Security Alignment: Ability to align on‑prem network security policies with cloud‑native firewalls, web application firewalls (WAF), and secure web gateways (SWG).

5. Stakeholder Communication & Technical Translation

• Business‑to‑Technical Translation: Ability to articulate deep technical decisions, architectural risks, and infrastructure requirements into clear, jargon‑free business impacts for non‑technical leadership and regional managers.

• Executive Presentation: Superior written and verbal presentation skills. Confident presenting architecture blueprints, business cases, project status updates, and technology roadmaps to senior executives.

6. Vendor Management & Financial/Commercial Acumen

• Vendor & Partner Governance: Proven ability to manage third‑party vendors, System Integrators (SIs), Managed Service Providers (MSPs), and local country IT teams—holding them accountable to tight SLAs and execution timelines.

• Financial Discipline: Capability to support CapEx/OpEx budget planning, evaluate Bill of Materials (BOMs), review commercial installment/licensing structures, and identify cost‑optimization opportunities without sacrificing performance.

• Compliance & Audit Management: Experience supporting internal, external, and ISO/PCI‑DSS security audits, ensuring technical documentation, runbooks, and access control policies meet strict compliance standards.

Preferred Qualifications & Certifications

• Certifications: CCNP/CCDP (CCIE written or lab is a strong advantage), Cloud Network/Architecture Associate or Professional certifications (e.g., AWS Certified Advanced Networking, Azure Network Engineer Associate), CISSP, CISM, or PMP.

• Industry Background: Distributed enterprise, FMCG, retail, or supply chain/logistics background.

• Frameworks & Modern Practices: Understanding of ITIL service transition, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles for network provisioning (e.g., Terraform), edge computing, and IoT deployments.