Director, Network Engineering & Operations

PlanIT Group; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

PlanIT Group seeks a Director of Network Engineering & Operations for a Senior leadership role overseeing global network engineering and operations. The role emphasizes Fortinet portfolio mastery, large-scale enterprise design, and cross-time-zone coordination.

This position supports remote work with flexibility, including international collaboration and travel as needed. Strong emphasis on incident leadership, governance, and stakeholder communication in regulated environments.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in network engineering and operations with at least 2 years in leadership.
• Experience designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise networks across countries/time zones.
• Deep expertise with Fortinet portfolio including FortiGate, FortiSwitch, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer.

Responsibilities

• Lead major network implementations, migrations, office deployments, and infrastructure transformations.
• Manage significant incidents across distributed teams and time zones.
• Maintain excellent documentation and stakeholder communication.

Skills

Leadership

Global network design

Fortinet expertise

Azure networking

Incident leadership

Stakeholder management

Remote collaboration

Tools

Semaphore

Terraform

API integrations

Job description

Director, Network Engineering & Operations

#29240083

USA Direct Placement On-Site Flexibility/Remote: 100%

• 10 or more years of progressive network engineering and operations experience, including at least 2 years in technical leadership or people management roles.
• Demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise networks across multiple countries and time zones.
• Deep expertise with the Fortinet portfolio, including FortiGate, FortiGate NVA, FortiSwitch, FortiAP, FortiLink, Fortinet SD-WAN, FortiClient EMS, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, and FortiAuthenticator.
• Experience with NetBox, including API-based integrations and use of relevant plugin libraries.
• Experience using Semaphore, Terraform, or similar tools for network automation and infrastructure as code.
• Experience with Zscaler or Palo Alto Prisma Access, including secure access service edge or zero-trust network access capabilities.
• Deep expertise with Azure networking and hybrid cloud connectivity, including private connectivity, virtual networks, cloud firewalls, routing, and traffic inspection.
• Experience in a regulated, audit-intensive, financial services, insurance, or multinational organization.
• Intimate knowledge of routing, switching, wireless, firewalls, segmentation, SD-WAN, VPN, DNS, DHCP, internet connectivity, monitoring, and network troubleshooting
• Expertise with regulatory, data-residency, privacy, cybersecurity, encryption, cross-border connectivity, and telecommunications considerations affecting global network design and operations.
• Experience leading major network implementations, migrations, office deployments, security improvements, or infrastructure transformations.
• Excellent written documentation, verbal communication, presentation, stakeholder management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to lead significant incidents and complex technical work across distributed teams and time zones.
• Ability to work effectively in a remote environment and travel domestically or internationally as required.
• Strong commitment to furthering Emotional Intelligence and a growth mindset

Preferred Qualifications

• Relevant Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, cloud, security, or ITIL certifications.
  • Fortinet NSE5 or greater preferred
  • Cisco CCNA or greater preferred
  • Microsoft, Palo Alto certifications a plus
• Experience with network automation, infrastructure as code, configuration management, observability, and API-based operational tooling.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions, international expansion, office openings, relocations, or consolidations.
• Experience managing telecommunications carriers, managed network services, enterprise licensing, contracts, and global vendors.