Mgr - Global Network Operations

Plexus Corp.; Neenah (WI); On-site; USD 113,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Professional development

Job summary

Plexus Corp. in Neenah, WI, seeks a Manager, Global Network Operations to lead the enterprise WAN, SD-WAN, LAN, and GCP networking efforts. You will guide the move toward Intent-Based Networking and AIOps, shaping the global network strategy and security posture across sites and cloud.

The role requires deep GCP networking knowledge, hands‑on IaC experience, and strong leadership of distributed teams to deliver scalable, resilient connectivity. Hybrid work options may apply.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in enterprise network engineering.
• 10+ years in IT with progression in leadership roles.
• 3+ years leading distributed global teams.
• Proven SD-WAN transformations and SASE/ZTNA deployments.
• Deep GCP networking and EVPN-VXLAN experience.
• Proficient in IaC and automation pipelines.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end lifecycle and 24/7 performance of WAN, SD-WAN, LAN, Wi‑Fi and GCP networking.
• Drive transition to Intent-Based Networking and AIops.
• Design and optimize datacenter fabrics and cloud connectivity.
• Lead Network as Code initiatives with Terraform, Ansible, Python.
• Partner with OT/security teams to secure shop-floor networks.
• Mentor and direct global network engineers; set SLOs/SLAs.

Skills

SD-WAN

GCP networking

IaC

Team leadership

SASE/ZTNA

EVPN-VXLAN

BGP/OSPF

Network security

Python

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IS/Network Eng

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

Python

GitOps

Cisco ACI

Cisco Catalyst Center

Wireshark

GCP CLI

Job description

About us: At Plexus, our vision is to help create the products that build a better world. Driven by a passion for excellence, we partner with leading Aerospace/Defense, Healthcare/Life Sciences and Industrial companies to design, manufacture and service some of the world’s most transformative products, including advanced surgical systems, diagnostic instruments, healthcare imaging equipment, mission critical aerospace systems, and electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Visit Plexus.com to learn more about our unwavering commitment to our vision.When we invest in our people, we invest in building a better world.With a vision rooted in the wellbeing and inclusive engagement of our team members, our customers, their end users and our communities, people are the heart of what we do and who we are. It is our values that unite us and guide us in everything that we do, including how we operate, behave and interact to foster a workplace where every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute their best.Our values include: Growing our People, Building Belonging, Innovating Responsibly, Delivering Excellence and Creating Customer Success.As a team member, you will engage in impactful work through global collaboration and the use of emerging technologies, join an inclusive culture where every team member is valued and working toward a greater purpose, and be empowered to reach your full potential through various development programs designed to accelerate your growth.Plexus offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support team members' wellbeing, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, retirement savings, and opportunities for professional development. We also prioritize work-life balance and offer a variety of perks to enhance the team member experience. For more information, visit our US benefits website at usbenefits.plexus.com. Our commitment to pay range transparency fosters an equitable workplace, where everyone can feel valued. The annual compensation range for this position is stated below. The salary offered within this range will be based upon the geographic location, work experience, education, licensure requirements and/or skill level. Salary Range:$112,600.00 - $169,000.00At Plexus, lead technology-driven initiatives as part of a winning team, focused on creating products that build a better world.Position Overview: Manager, Global Network Operations is a strategic role responsible for the engineering and operational evolution of our core enterprise networking ecosystem. You will be a key technical leader for solutions spanning our global SD-WAN footprint, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) connectivity, Intent-Based Networking (IBN), and factory-edge/OT environments. The ideal candidate is a deep-thinking strategic leader able to operationalize scalable, robust, and secure network architectures. You will be instrumental in modernizing our digital backbone, right-sizing datacenter fabrics, and ensuring seamless, zero-downtime connectivity across our enterprise, from local manufacturing plants to global cloud landing zones.Key ResponsibilitiesGlobal Network Strategy & Execution: Own the end-to-end lifecycle, and 24/7 operational performance of enterprise WAN, SD-WAN, LAN, Wi-Fi, and GCP cloud networking environments.Software-Defined & Intent-Based Networking: Drive the transition toward Intent-Based Networking (IBN) and AIOps, translating business policies into declarative network state and automated closed-loop assurance.GCP Cloud & SASE Architecture: Optimize resilient, low-latency connectivity between on-premise sites, factory edge nodes, and GCP (Cloud Interconnect, Cloud Router, Shared VPCs) utilizing SASE and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) frameworks.Datacenter Fabric Right-Sizing: Deliver modern EVPN-VXLAN Leaf-Spine datacenter fabrics; manage the compression and optimization of on-premise hardware footprints as workloads migrate into GCP.Network Automation & IaC: Lead a \"Network as Code\" strategy, driving continuous integration and automated change management via Terraform, Ansible, Python, and GitOps workflows.IT/OT Convergence & Manufacturing Integration: Partner with manufacturing and OT security teams to deploy, segment, and protect shop-floor networks (Purdue Model, industrial firewalls) and plant-floor compute nodes.Governance & Global Team Leadership: Direct and mentor a team of high-performing network engineers across regions). Establish operational standards, SLOs/SLAs, observability metrics, and seamless escalation paths with the Global NOC.Carrier & Vendor Management: Manage commercial contracts, SLAs, and relationships with global ISP carriers, telecom providers, and hardware vendors.Qualifications & ExperienceBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Network Engineering, or a related field. Master’s degree in a relevant field preferred.5+ years of related experience in enterprise network engineering required, 10+ years of progressive experience in IT preferred.3+ years of experience in a technical leadership or engineering management role overseeing distributed global teams preferred.Proven track record leading enterprise-wide SD-WAN transformations (e.g., Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto) and SASE/ZTNA deployments (e.g., Prisma).Deep functional and technical knowledge of Google Cloud Platform (GCP) cloud-native networking (Shared VPCs, Cloud Interconnect, Cloud Router, VPC Service Controls).Demonstrated experience designing EVPN-VXLAN Leaf-Spine topologies, micro-segmentation, and right-sizing hybrid/on-premise datacenter networks during active cloud migrations.Proficiency in managing network infrastructure through automation pipelines using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, Ansible, Python, and Git/GitOps.Expert knowledge of core protocols including BGP (multi-homing, path selection), OSPF, MP-BGP, VXLAN overlays, and IPv4/IPv6 enterprise addressing schemes.Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex network requirements into clear, conceptual guidance for executive leadership.Additional QualificationsExperience with industrial/manufacturing OT network security concepts and standards (e.g., IEC 62443, industrial firewalls, plant-floor LAN/Wi-Fi) preferred.Experience with Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) and full-stack observability tools such as ThousandEyes, Dynatrace, or Wireshark preferred.Possesses expertise in leading cloud-native networking architectures across Google Cloud Platform, with GCP Professional Cloud Network Engineer or CCIE certification preferred.Hands-on expertise with Cisco Enterprise Networking solutions, including Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) and Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly DNA Center), preferred.Experience managing enterprise-grade Cisco Voice/UC (Unified Communications) architectures preferred.Proficiency with Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) and security management platforms preferred.We are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities or special requirements. If you need an application accommodation, please contact us by email at [e-mail]. Please include your contact information and clearly describe how we can help you. This email is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.Some offers of employment are contingent upon successfully passing a drug screen and/or background check.