Principal Network Architect — Hybrid, Lead Next-Gen Telecom

Placements24; Sandton; Hybrid; ZAR 2,500,000 - 3,500,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Hybrid work model

Long-term incentives

Competitive base salary

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Network Architect in Sandton, Gauteng to define strategic direction for the company’s global network, including enterprise networks, data centres, and cloud connectivity. You will lead complex design initiatives and mentor engineers.

The ideal candidate has 12+ years of experience in network engineering and architecture, with CCDE/CCIE desirable, strong leadership, and a track record of delivering scalable, secure networks across WAN/LAN and cloud environments.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or related field.
• 12+ years of progressive network engineering and architecture experience.
• Proven leadership and ability to mentor engineers.
• Expertise in designing large-scale networks (WAN/LAN/DC) and cloud integration.
• Strong knowledge of BGP, OSPF, MPLS, Segment Routing, SD-WAN.
• Deep understanding of network security principles and zero-trust.
• Experience with network automation and programmability.
• Certifications such as CCDE/CCIE are desirable.
• Excellent communication and executive-level presentation skills.
• Experience in data centre networking and cloud connectivity.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the overall network architecture strategy and roadmap.
• Design and oversee scalable network solutions across WAN, LAN, DC, and Cloud.
• Lead evaluation and selection of new network technologies and vendor solutions.
• Provide architectural guidance to network engineering and operations teams.
• Define network security architecture and ensure policy compliance.
• Analyze performance metrics and optimize network performance.
• Create detailed design documents, both high-level and low-level.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to meet business needs.
• Mentor junior architects and engineers, promoting technical excellence.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and competitive landscape.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Strategic thinking

Education

Master's degree or PhD in CS, EE, telecommunications, or related field

Tools

BGP

OSPF

MPLS

Segment Routing

SD-WAN

Cloud networking (AWS/Azure/GCP)

Network security (firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, zero-trust)

Automation (Python, Ansible, REST APIs)

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Principal Network Architect in Sandton, Gauteng to define strategic direction for the company’s global network, including enterprise networks, data centres, and cloud connectivity. You will lead complex design initiatives and mentor engineers.

The ideal candidate has 12+ years of experience in network engineering and architecture, with CCDE/CCIE desirable, strong leadership, and a track record of delivering scalable, secure networks across WAN/LAN and cloud environments.