Senior Network Architect

The role of the Senior Network Architect will be responsible for managing the performance of the network infrastructure. The role will provide technical leadership with input to security and general IT policies. The role will be directly responsible for policy and procedures implementation and development for the Trust Network, aligned to the organizational strategy.

This role will utilize your knowledge and experience of architecture, design, and technology with a focus on Cloud deployments to lead and enable agile architectural practice to deliver new solutions that leverage the benefits of cloud services and capabilities.

The role will be responsible for the day-to-day support, configuration, maintenance, and monitoring of the Trust's LAN, WAN Network infrastructure, including voice, to ensure high availability of clinical and non-clinical IT services. Therefore, ensuring 24/7 access to services and agreed service performance levels. This will also involve participating in an out-of-hours on-call rota.

To take ownership of escalated network issues and problems, and handle until an acceptable resolution is achieved. To analyze and investigate a range of highly complex technical problems and develop, design, and adapt specialist IT networks.

The role will act within the technical IT team's leadership team and advise on strategic problems and opportunities. This role will also be responsible for leading a technical team, therefore responsible for managing staffing and the performance and day-to-day management of Network Team tasks and projects including scheduling and managing of priorities.

The post holder is required to exercise good judgment in all situations, as most of their work will be carried out off-site without supervision. Careful consideration needs to be given to the impact of any action taken on any IT system. They must ensure that procedures are carried out correctly following the change management process, whilst ensuring no or minimal impact to other systems.

• Overall responsibility for network and phone systems. Take the initiative and ensure the future-proofing of the IT infrastructure to meet current and potential future business needs. Undertake appropriate capacity planning measures.
• Provide hands-on 2nd and 3rd line support for the WAN and LAN infrastructure with respect to hardware, software, and cabling in accordance with service level agreements, taking ownership of issues through to satisfactory resolution Troubleshooting highly complex systems.
• Lead the design of networking services and customer infrastructures from conception to completion.
• Manage the Network Team workload in relation to task prioritization and scheduling, handling changing and conflicting priorities as required. Manage the expectations and needs of both the reporting staff and the IT Infrastructure Manager.
• Responsible for the day-to-day management of the data centers ensuring that best practice and Health and Safety standards are adhered to.
• Ensure that there is adequate staff cover to always support the network infrastructure.
• Ensure the 24/7 availability and performance of services and national program applications at all Health Centers and GP Practices.
• Day-to-day management and provision of support for and GP networks, phones, and related systems. Ensure that there is adequate staff available to support the infrastructure.
• Ensuring that problems are reported to third parties as required ensuring a satisfactory resolution.
• To be responsible for the security of systems and of traffic carried on the networks, ensuring Network Teams are in control of access to Infrastructure services and other systems security measures as necessary.
• Have overall responsibility and control for producing management reports and statistics for measurement and network performance and availability against SLAs. Analyzing results, identifying issues where possible before they arise and proactively taking appropriate corrective actions.
• Responsible for the production and maintenance of technical documentation and procedures and keeping them up to date. Ensure that an asset inventory of all Infrastructure equipment and software at all sites is readily available and up to date.
• Manage the activities of and take full responsibility for the network team staff including performance appraisals and Personal Development Plans, training, mentoring, holidays, sickness reviews, recruitment, salary awards, disciplinary and grievance issues.
• Ensure appropriate levels of maintenance on networking equipment, and software. Negotiate contracts with suppliers for supply of goods and services and monitor any SLAs in place. Ensure value for money is maintained.
• Project Management and planning of network-related projects including reviews and upgrades of varying complexity with regularly changing and conflicting priorities. Deal with changes in workload and priorities at short notice.
• Design solutions to highly complex problems and lead IT-related projects to PRINCE2 equivalent standards. The Post Holder will specify the resources necessary to complete projects as well as plan and manage the time needed, highlighting when problems arise to line manager.
• Mentor and train new staff in the use of network hardware and connectivity of phones, computers, and other equipment that uses the Trust's network infrastructure.
• Troubleshoot highly complex network configurations quickly and efficiently to ensure the 24/7 availability and performance of networks and connectivity to national program applications at all offices.
• Responsible for the installation and configuration of voice, routers, switches, and other equipment without supervision and project lead LAN, WAN, and voice installations.
• Responsible for researching innovations in network hardware and systems and proposing improvements for the cost-effective improvement of network infrastructures. Design highly complex network systems with many interdependencies affecting other areas of IT. This includes preparing papers for new projects and running pilot projects such as wireless and VOIP solutions.
• Maintain an up-to-date and advanced knowledge of network technologies and management tools for networks devices and peripheral devices including firewalls.
• Deputize when required for the Infrastructure Manager in meetings.
• To provide the Infrastructure Manager with regular, accurate information on the status of calls which have been escalated promptly; ensure adherence to escalation procedures when dealing with complex system faults and keeping the key stakeholders informed of any outstanding issues.
• Ensure that regular housekeeping tasks are performed including but not limited to.
• o Maintenance of systems and environments together with testing.
• o Disaster recovery scenarios and how to deal with them.
• o Maintenance and monitoring, where appropriate escalating to NHSIA or the Infrastructure Manager.
• Implement policies for network-related services, impact on both clinical and administrative systems. Implement national security policies and practices.
• Assist in managing and planning network-related projects including reviews and upgrades of varying complexity with regularly changing and conflicting priorities. Deal with changes in workload and priorities at short notice.
• Responsibility for external and internal security of all networks, ensuring that security monitoring systems are operational. Responsible for the day-to-day running of network and firewalls and other systems security as necessary.