Logical Network Operations Engineer

MetroFibre; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 700 000 - 900 000; Full time

Job summary

A telecommunications service provider in Centurion is seeking a Logical Network Operations Engineer for end-to-end management of the live production network. The successful candidate will ensure high availability and performance across various network layers while leading teams and managing incidents. A solid educational background in engineering or a technical field and relevant certifications are necessary. This role offers an opportunity to work in a collaborative environment and contribute to network strategy and performance improvements.

Qualifications

• Grade 12 / Matric is essential.
• A formal qualification in engineering or a technical field is necessary.
• CCNP / equivalent certifications needed.

Responsibilities

• Manage continuous uptime of the live network.
• Monitor and optimize network performance.
• Oversee network changes through change control processes.
• Produce network performance and incident reports.

Skills

Technical skills in network management

Familiarity with industry standards

Knowledge of routing and switching technologies

Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools

Strong communication skills

Leadership abilities

Project management

Ability to work under pressure

Education

Grade 12 / Matric

Bachelor’s degree in technical or related field

CCNP / JCNCIP certification

MEF CECP certification (advantageous)

Tools

Network management tools

Job description

Role Summary

The Logical Network Operations Engineer (OPS Engineer) is responsible for the end-to-end operational management of the live production network. This role ensures high network availability, performance, and service quality across optical, core, aggregation, and access layers, supported by OSS/BSS environments.

Responsibilities

• Ensure continuous uptime and availability of the live production network.
• Develop and implement controls across core, aggregation, and access layers.
• Monitor and optimize network performance to meet internal and customer SLAs.
• Verify network designs and ensure readiness for live production.
• Support the acquisition, deployment, and integration of network equipment and OSS/BSS systems.
• Ensure network scalability and performance align with business requirements.
• Manage escalated incidents and major outages, ensuring rapid restoration.
• Identify and mitigate network break-offs, failures, and single points of failure (SPOF).
• Work with third-party vendors and service providers to resolve complex issues.
• Oversee network changes and upgrades through formal change control (CAB).
• Ensure configuration management follows industry best practices and security standards.
• Minimise customer impact during planned and unplanned changes.
• Implement and maintain network surveillance and monitoring processes.
• Proactively identify performance degradation and capacity constraints.
• Ensure monitoring systems meet SLA and reporting requirements.
• Verify customer orders and ensure timely, SLA-compliant service delivery.
• Support customer service teams to maintain high service quality levels.
• Enforce operational governance and compliance with internal policies and industry standards.
• Ensure alignment with MEF, IEEE, ITU, and other relevant frameworks.
• Implement and audit access control and network security policies across network, OSS, and BSS environments.
• Produce regular network health, uptime, incident, and performance reports.
• Maintain accurate documentation, configurations, and operational procedures.
• Provide transparent reporting to internal stakeholders and customers.
• Work closely with architects, design engineers, and operations teams.
• Contribute to long-term network strategy and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Mentor junior engineers where required.

Qualifications Required

• Grade 12 / Matric
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical, engineering, or computer-related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) / JCNCIP or equivalent certifications.
• Additional vendor-specific certifications or network management qualifications are a plus.
• MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum) – CECP would be advantageous

Work Experience

• Minimum 10 years of experience working in a medium to large organization, with at least 5 years of practical experience in live network operations.
• Minimum 2 years of experience with managing large-scale production networks and OSS/BSS systems.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in telecommunications networking with a focus on MPLS, DWDM and/or GPON networks
• Exposure to provision in networking protocols e.g. ERPS, MPLS (VPLS EVPN), BGP, ISIS, QoS, IP multicast, VLANs, QinQ, VRRP, BFD, DCHP, DNS.
• Professional knowledge in TCP/IP and other network services required to run complex networks.
• Proven experience in troubleshooting, incident management, and maintaining network performance.

Skills Required

• Excellent technical skills and proficiency in network management and monitoring tools.
• Familiarity with industry standards (e.g., MEF, IEEE, ITU) and knowledge of routing and switching technologies.
• Advanced knowledge of networking equipment from vendors like ADVA, CIENA, JUNIPER, Nokia and others.
• Strong understanding of network protocols and ISP operations, including Layer 2 and Layer 3.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office tools (Excel, Word, Outlook, Access).
• Strong communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills.
• Strong leadership abilities and a collaborative work style.
• Ability to manage complex projects and teams in a cross-functional environment.
• Ability to work under pressure.