Lead Network Operations Center (NOC) Engineer

Placements24; Paarl; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Remote work flexibility

Paid time off

Professional development

Certifications & training

Job summary

Placements24 is recruiting a Lead NOC Engineer to steer remote operations for a major telecoms provider. You will manage monitoring, incident response, and performance tuning for a large network, ensuring uptime and security across time zones.

The role requires extensive NOC leadership, hands-on troubleshooting, and ITIL-aligned processes. Remote-first with global collaboration, offering senior-level compensation and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Telecommunications or related field.
• 7-10 years in a NOC environment with 2-3 years in a lead/supervisory role.
• Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS, routing, switching and firewalls.
• Experience with network monitoring platforms such as SolarWinds, Zabbix or Prometheus.
• Familiarity with ITIL frameworks for incident and problem management; remote collaboration experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of NOC engineers, overseeing daily operations and shift schedules.
• Develop and implement best practices for network monitoring, incident management, and problem resolution.
• Ensure the availability, performance, and security of the network 24/7.
• Analyze network performance data, identify trends, and implement proactive measures to prevent outages.
• Manage and escalate critical network incidents, coordinating response with relevant teams.
• Oversee configuration and maintenance of monitoring tools and systems.
• Document runbooks and SOPs; conduct post-incident reviews for root-cause analysis.
• Collaborate with engineering and operations to improve resilience; participate in on-call rotation.

Skills

NOC leadership

Network monitoring

TCP/IP

BGP

OSPF

MPLS

Firewalls

Incident management

ITIL familiarity

Remote collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/IT/Telecommunications

Tools

SolarWinds

Zabbix

Prometheus

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a significant force in the telecoms sector , is actively recruiting for a highly experienced Lead Network Operations Center (NOC) Engineer to steer their remote operations. This is a critical, fully remote position responsible for overseeing the continuous monitoring, management, and optimization of our extensive network infrastructure. You will lead a team of NOC engineers, ensuring prompt identification and resolution of network incidents to maintain maximum uptime and performance. As a remote-first company, we champion seamless collaboration across time zones using advanced digital tools. The ideal candidate possesses extensive NOC experience, strong leadership qualities, and a deep understanding of network diagnostics and performance tuning. This is a unique opportunity to lead critical infrastructure operations for a leading telecom provider from your home office, contributing significantly to the stability and growth of our services across Paarl, Western Cape, ZA and beyond.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and mentor a team of NOC engineers, overseeing daily operations and shift schedules. Develop and implement best practices for network monitoring, incident management, and problem resolution. Ensure the availability, performance, and security of the company's network infrastructure 24/7. Analyze network performance data, identify trends, and implement proactive measures to prevent outages. Manage and escalte critical network incidents, coordinating response efforts with relevant teams. Oversee the configuration and maintenance of network monitoring tools and systems. Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation, including runbooks and standard operating procedures. Conduct post-incident reviews to identify root causes and implement corrective actions. Collaborate with engineering and operations teams to improve network resilience and efficiency. Participate in on-call rotation for high-severity incident management.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, or a related field. Minimum of 7-10 years of experience in a Network Operations Center environment, with at least 2-3 years in a lead or supervisory role. In-depth knowledge of network protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS), routing, switching, and firewalls. Experience with various network monitoring platforms (e.g., SolarWinds, Zabbix, Prometheus). Proven ability to troubleshoot complex network issues under pressure. Strong leadership, team management, and communication skills. Experience in developing and implementing NOC processes and procedures. Familiarity with ITIL frameworks for incident and problem management is highly desirable. Ability to thrive in a fully remote, collaborative work environment.

Benefits

Our client offers a competitive senior-level salary package and performance-based bonuses. Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans. Generous paid time off and remote work flexibility. Opportunities for professional development, certifications, and advanced training. A dynamic and supportive team culture focused on collaboration and innovation. Contribute to the reliability of essential communication services within the telecoms industry . Lead critical operations from your home base, supporting our network infrastructure in and around Paarl, Western Cape, ZA .