Head of Global Network Infrastructure

📍 London (Hybrid – 3 days in office / 2 days from home)🕘 Full-Time | 37.5 hrs/week | Flexibility required to support global teams Ready to take the lead in shaping the future of global network infrastructure? An excellent opportunity for a high-calibre, forward-thinking Head of Global Network Infrastructure to join a global technology team at a pivotal moment of transformation. This newly created role offers the chance to lead a high-performing, globally distributed team of network professionals across the UK and other international regions, and to drive a strategic SD-WAN rollout. You will serve as both a technical authority and people-focused leader , ensuring the global network is robust, efficient, and fit for the future. 💼 Your Role As Head of Global Network Infrastructure , you will: Establish and maintain a strong working relationship with our newly onboarded SD-WAN vendor , ensuring seamless collaboration and delivery excellence. Drive strategic decisions and provide technical leadership across a global enterprise network. Lead the implementation and migration of SD-WAN, with specific experience in HPE SD-WAN technology. Manage and mentor a team of 15 network professionals across multiple regions, fostering a culture of accountability and growth. Oversee incident management and escalation , ensuring rapid resolution and minimal business impact. Work closely with senior stakeholders, including engagement at CIO level, to align network strategy with wider business goals. Balance day-to-day operational excellence with transformative project delivery in a fast-paced environment. Define and implement a global 24×7 network support model using a mix of internal and third-party resources. 🧠 What You’ll Bring While this is not a hands-on role, you will bring deep technical understanding to guide decisions and lead delivery with authority. Core Experience Proven experience in SD-WAN design, deployment, and migration across global organisations. Solid enterprise networking background across multi-site LANs/WANs. Proficiency in Cisco technologies (Nexus 3K/9K, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP). Experience with firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet), VPNs, MPLS, and wireless (Aruba). Knowledge of cloud networking in platforms such as Azure, AWS, and GCP. Hands-on familiarity with monitoring tools such as SolarWinds, PRTG, and F5. Strong vendor management skills , including defining statements of work, negotiating SLAs, and ensuring consistent service quality. Experience managing third-party service providers and maintaining high service standards. Leadership & Strategy Proven experience leading globally distributed teams, including line management of 15 staff and mentoring. Ability to influence and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders up to CIO level. Strategic thinker with a track record in IT service improvement initiatives. Experience defining and delivering 24×7 support models. Strong capability in incident management and crisis leadership . 🌟 Desirable Skills and Experience Certifications: CCNP, CCIE, PCNSE, NSE4/7, or similar. Familiarity with Zero Trust, ZTNA, and SASE. Experience with network automation/IaC (Ansible, Terraform, Python). Understanding of GDPR, Cyber Essentials, ITSM/ITIL frameworks. 📌 Why This Role? This is your opportunity to shape the future of a global network strategy, lead transformational projects, and influence at the highest levels. You'll help drive innovation in SD-WAN, improve resilience and performance, and bring automation and intelligence to a modernised, future-ready network. This isn’t just about keeping the lights on — it’s about setting the direction for where their network goes next. 📍 Location & Working Style Based in London, operating a hybrid model (3 days in the office, 2 days remote). Standard UK hours, but flexibility is expected to collaborate with global regions. This role will offer a market-competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. Apply now to build a smarter, faster, and more secure global network.