Lead Network Operations Center (NOC) Engineer

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Remote; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and performanceBonu

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly experienced Lead Network Operations Center (NOC) Engineer to steer remote operations and oversee a large network infrastructure. You will lead a team of NOC engineers, ensuring incidents are resolved quickly to maximize uptime and performance.

This remote-first role supports collaboration across time zones and requires strong leadership and diagnostics expertise. The ideal candidate has extensive NOC experience, deep network knowledge, and proven ability to

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, or a related field.
• 7–10 years in a Network Operations Center environment with 2–3 years in a lead role.
• Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS and related routing/switching.
• Experience with network monitoring platforms and incident management.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a team of NOC engineers, oversee daily operations and shift schedules.
• Develop and implement best practices for monitoring, incident management, and problem resolution.
• Ensure 24/7 availability, performance, and security of the network infrastructure.
• Analyze performance data, identify trends, and implement preventive measures.
• Manage escalations and coordinate response with other teams.
• Maintain runbooks and SOPs; conduct post-incident reviews.

Skills

TCP/IP

BGP

OSPF

MPLS

Routing & Switching

Firewalls

Monitoring Tools

SolarWinds

Zabbix

Prometheus

ITIL

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science / Information Technology / 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 .