Deputy Chief Networking Officer

HonorVet Technologies; Willow Street (PA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

HonorVet Technologies is seeking an experienced Deputy Chief Networking Officer (DCNO) to lead planning, design, and security of enterprise networking infrastructure. The role requires extensive expertise in network architecture, data center operations, and cybersecurity, with a focus on cross-functional leadership and strategic IT direction.

You will collaborate with CIO and senior leaders to set networking priorities, oversee major modernization initiatives, and ensure reliability,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in IT/IS or related field is required.
• Minimum 10–15 years in IT infrastructure and data center operations.
• 5+ years in management overseeing large cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement networking strategies aligned with IT roadmap.
• Design, implement, and maintain LAN/WAN, data center, and cloud networks.
• Oversee security controls, incident response, and DR planning.
• Lead multiple large, cross-functional teams and mentor staff.
• Coordinate vendor management, budgeting, and performance reporting.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Network architecture

Network security

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/IS/related field

Tools

JNCIP certification

Job description

HonorVet Technologies. We're a Service Disable Veteran-Owned IT staffing firm, ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified, working with federal agencies, state governments, and Fortune 500 enterprise clients across the US. What makes us different isn't a tagline; it's the way we work. We don't forward resumes and hope for the best. We take the time to understand where a professional like you is headed and only reach out when we genuinely believe there's a fit worth exploring.

Job Title: Deputy Chief Networking Officer (DCNO)

Location: Philadelphia, PA 19107
Duration: Long-Term Contract
Work Mode: Onsite
Interview Mode: Onsite Interview

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Deputy Chief Networking Officer (DCNO) to lead the planning, design, implementation, security, and maintenance of enterprise networking infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in network architecture, data center operations, infrastructure management, cybersecurity, and strategic IT leadership. The DCNO will collaborate with the CIO and senior IT leadership to develop and execute networking strategies aligned with organizational goals. This role requires strong technical expertise, proven managerial experience, and the ability to lead large, cross-functional teams while ensuring network reliability, scalability, security, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
• Develop and implement networking strategies aligned with the organization's IT roadmap.
• Lead network architecture planning, infrastructure modernization, and technology initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging networking technologies to improve performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and stakeholders to establish networking priorities and long-term objectives.
• Network Infrastructure Management
• Design, implement, and maintain LAN, WAN, VPN, data center, and cloud networking solutions.
• Plan and oversee network upgrades, expansions, migrations, and replacements.
• Monitor network availability, performance, bandwidth utilization, and traffic patterns.
• Troubleshoot complex network issues and implement preventive maintenance procedures.
• Maintain network diagrams, configurations, technical documentation, and operational procedures.
• Network Security and Risk Management
• Implement and manage network security controls, including firewalls, encryption, IDS/IPS, and access management.
• Conduct security assessments, vulnerability reviews, and risk evaluations.
• Coordinate incident response activities and implement mitigation strategies.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, organizational policies, and security standards.
• Develop and maintain disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
• Data Center and Infrastructure Operations
• Oversee the planning, development, implementation, and management of enterprise data center infrastructure.
• Ensure high availability, redundancy, failover capabilities, and service continuity.
• Lead infrastructure capacity planning, performance optimization, and resource allocation.
• Manage infrastructure modernization initiatives and operational improvements.
• Establish performance metrics and reporting processes for network and data center operations.
• Vendor and Contract Management
• Evaluate networking hardware, software, and service providers.
• Negotiate vendor contracts, pricing, service-level agreements (SLAs), and support terms.
• Monitor vendor performance against contractual obligations and key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Build effective vendor relationships and address service delivery issues.
• Assess vendor-related risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Budget and Resource Management
• Assist in developing and managing networking and infrastructure budgets.
• Analyze expenditures related to hardware, software, maintenance, and infrastructure upgrades.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities and improve resource utilization.
• Forecast future infrastructure requirements and prepare budget justifications.
• Prepare budget reports and present financial recommendations to senior leadership.
• Team Leadership and Stakeholder Collaboration
• Lead and manage multiple large, cross-functional infrastructure and networking teams.
• Establish operational policies, procedures, and performance expectations.
• Mentor technical staff and support professional development.
• Collaborate with IT leaders and business departments to align infrastructure services with organizational needs.
• Communicate technical strategies, risks, project progress, and performance results to executive stakeholders.
• Continuous Improvement and Innovation
• Identify opportunities to improve network performance, security, and operational efficiency.
• Implement best practices for infrastructure management and service delivery.
• Evaluate new tools, technologies, and automation opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across networking and data center operations.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Communications, Information Technology, or a closely related field.
• 10-15 years of experience in IT infrastructure and data center operations.
• At least 3 years of leadership experience managing multiple large, cross-functional teams or projects and influencing senior management and key stakeholders.
• At least 5 years of managerial or supervisory experience in planning, developing, managing, or implementing a data center of comparable or larger scale.
• Network systems certification such as JNCIP, or at least 5 years of demonstrable relevant work experience.
• Extensive experience in enterprise networking, network architecture, infrastructure operations, and network security.
• Strong knowledge of LAN, WAN, VPN, cloud networking, firewalls, and network performance monitoring.
• Experience in disaster recovery, business continuity, risk management, vendor management, and budget planning.
• Excellent leadership, communication, strategic planning, and stakeholder management skills.
• Candidates with an equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered, subject to organizational requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing large-scale enterprise or public-sector IT infrastructure.
• Experience leading network modernization, data center upgrades, and cloud networking initiatives.
• Knowledge of network security frameworks, compliance requirements, and infrastructure risk mitigation.
• Experience with network monitoring, capacity planning, high availability, and performance optimization.
• Strong background in vendor negotiations, contract management, and service-level performance reporting.