IT Network AND Telecommunications - Manager

State of Washington; Olympia (WA); Hybrid; USD 104,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

DCYF in Olympia seeks a Network Operations Manager to lead our statewide enterprise network and telecommunications environment. You will ensure availability, security, and performance for DCYF offices, staff, and systems statewide.

In this role you will develop roadmaps, establish standards, oversee modernization, and partner with vendors and stakeholders to deliver secure, reliable network services. Strong leadership and strategic thinking are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Ten years of IT experience or equivalent.
• Associates degree plus 8 years IT experience.
• Bachelor’s degree plus 6 years IT experience.
• Ability to learn and meet others’ needs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic plans, roadmaps, and priorities for enterprise network and telecommunications services.
• Establish service delivery standards, performance measures, policies, procedures, and governance practices.
• Lead infrastructure modernization, lifecycle planning, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to support organizational objectives.
• Provide guidance to leadership and project teams on network investments, risks, and opportunities.
• Direct operation and maintenance of enterprise network infrastructure and related technologies.
• Ensure availability, reliability, and security of statewide network services.
• Oversee network monitoring, incident response, and service restoration activities.
• Govern network architecture, security controls, and monitoring platforms.

Skills

Network management

Leadership

Security principles

Vendor management

AI automation awareness

Education

10+ years IT experience

Associate’s degree + 8 years IT experience

Bachelor’s degree + 6 years IT experience

Tools

F5 BIG-IP

Firewalls

Network monitoring tools

Job description

Our vision is to ensure that “Washington state’s children and youth grow up safe and healthy—thriving physically, emotionally and educationally, nurtured by family and community.”

Job Title:

IT Network and Telecommunication - Manager

Location:

Olympia, WA, Thurston County (Flexible/Hybrid)

Closes:

November 18th, 2026

Salary:

$104,304.00 - $140,268.00 Annually

This position leads the Network Services function and provides enterprise-level direction for network infrastructure, telecommunications, application delivery services, and network security operations. The role ensures consistent availability, performance, security, and resilience of network services supporting DCYF offices, staff, and business systems statewide

Click here to learn more about DCYF.

The Opportunity:

The Network Operations Manager provides strategic leadership, governance, and operational oversight for DCYF’s enterprise network and telecommunications environment. This position ensures the ongoing availability, security, reliability, and performance of network infrastructure, telecommunications services, application delivery platforms, and related technologies that support statewide operations.

Some of what you will get to do:

• Develop and implement strategic plans, roadmaps, and operational priorities for enterprise network and telecommunications services.
• Establish service delivery standards, performance measures, policies, procedures, and governance practices.
• Lead infrastructure modernization, lifecycle planning, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and industry trends to support organizational objectives.
• Provide consultation and recommendations to leadership, stakeholders, and project teams regarding network-related investments, risks, and opportunities.
• Direct the operation, administration, and continuous improvement of enterprise network infrastructure, telecommunications, application delivery services, and related technologies.
• Ensure the availability, reliability, performance, security, and resiliency of network services supporting statewide operations.
• Oversee network monitoring, incident response, problem management, service restoration, and operational support activities.
• Provide oversight and governance for network architecture, security controls, firewall operations, application delivery platforms, and supporting infrastructure technologies.
• Establish performance expectations, accountability measures, and workforce priorities.
• Provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities.
• Conduct performance evaluations and address employee performance issues.
• Manage staffing resources, succession planning, and workforce development activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve network operations through automation and AI technologies
• Manage and support enterprise network infrastructure technologies, including application delivery controllers (e.g., F5 or equivalent), enterprise routing and switching, wireless
  networking, next-generation firewalls, and network monitoring platforms.

Required Qualifications:

Equivalent combination of education and experience in Information Technology, totaling ten (10) years.

OR

An Associate's degree or completion of an accredited vocational training program in an information technology or related program AND eight (8) years of progressively more complex Information Technology experience such as consulting, analyzing, design, programming, installing and/or maintaining computer software applications, hardware, telecommunications, or network infrastructure equipment.

OR

Bachelor's degree in computer science, networking, information systems or a related field AND six (6) years of progressively more complex Information Technology experience such as consulting, analyzing, design, programming, installing and/or maintaining computer software applications, hardware, telecommunications, or network infrastructure equipment.

AND

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Additional Required Qualifications:

• Three (3) years of experience leading, supervising, or managing (network) technical staff, projects, or enterprise technology services.
• Two (2) years of recent experience (within the last five (5) years), managing or supporting enterprise network infrastructure and telecommunications services in a medium to large organization with multiple locations.
• Experience developing technology roadmaps, lifecycle management plans, infrastructure modernization initiatives, or technology investment recommendations.
• Experience working with vendors, service providers, and business stakeholders to deliver technology solutions and network services.
• Knowledge of network infrastructure technologies, telecommunications services, network security principles, application delivery services, and infrastructure monitoring tools.
• Experience establishing operational standards, policies, procedures, or governance practices related to technology services.
• Demonstrate experience managing or supporting enterprise network infrastructure technologies, including application delivery controllers (e.g., F5 or equivalent), enterprise routing and switching, wireless networking, next-generation firewalls, and network monitoring platforms.
• Knowledge of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, automation, cloud networking, and intelligent IT operations (AIOps).

*Experience may be gained concurrently.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Professional certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, ITIL, CISSP, PMP, or equivalent.
• Experience supporting government, healthcare, human services, or other highly regulated environments.
• Experience managing enterprise network services in a large, geographically dispersed organization.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to Washington’s children and youth growing up safe, healthy, and thriving. We invite all candidates to join us in our mission to create a diverse and equitable workplace that reflects the communities we serve. If you are excited about this role but you believe that your education and/or experience might not align perfectly with every qualification in the job posting, we encourage you to apply anyway.

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained service animal by a person with a disability.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple vacancies.

For more information about this position or if you need an accommodation throughout the application/interview process, please contact DCYF recruiter. If you're experiencing technical difficulties creating, accessing or completing your application, call NEOGOV toll-free at [phone] or email [e-mail]. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may call the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 360-664-1960.

DCYF participates in the federal E-Verify program. The selected candidate must provide proof of identity and authorization to work in the United States, consistent with E-Verify requirements, on their first day of employment.