Assistant Network Administration Full Time

Role Purpose: The Assistant Network Administrator – WAN/LAN is responsible for supporting the design, implementation, and maintenance of the organization’s wide area and local area networks, ensuring optimal performance, reliability, and security. This role involves managing network configurations, monitoring network traffic, diagnosing and troubleshooting network issues, and assisting in the deployment of network infrastructure upgrades.

A key focus of the role is to safeguard the network infrastructure by implementing security protocols, monitoring for vulnerabilities, and responding to security incidents. The Assistant Network Administrator works closely with the IT Security team to ensure compliance with security policies and industry best practices, contributing to the organization’s overall IT security posture.

Responsibilities: 

1.Network Operations Administration:

• Maintain the configuration, maintenance, and monitoring of WAN/LAN infrastructure.
• Develop, maintain, and review Standard Operating Procedures.
• Perform network troubleshooting and provide technical support to resolve connectivity issues.
• Monitor network traffic for anomalies, vulnerabilities, and performance issues.
• Help manage network hardware, including switches, routers, and wireless access points.
• Assist in network infrastructure documentation and reporting.
• Stay updated on emerging networking and security technologies to help improve infrastructure performance and security.
• Support day-to-day operations including, but not limited to, deploying new security infrastructure, monitoring network security tools, and responding to network security issues and alerts.

2. Security Compliance:

• Responsible for establishing network security baseline configurations and continuously auditing existing configurations to ensure they are in line with current best practices.
• Support network security initiatives, including firewalls, VPNs, network access control, privileged access management, intrusion detection systems (IDS), etc.
• Collaborate with security teams to implement and enforce network security protocols.
• Works with security operations, business applications team, and service desk groups to assure compliance with Emarat policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Respond to security incidents, including breaches, malware infections, and attacks, and implement mitigation strategies.

3.Project Management:

• Support project managers in planning and designing network infrastructure requirements.
• Contribute to the development of project scope, timelines, and resource allocation for WAN/LAN projects, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Assist in conducting feasibility studies and providing technical input during the project planning phase.
• Work closely with vendors and internal teams to ensure proper delivery and installation of hardware and software components.
• Ensure that all network configuration changes are thoroughly tested and comply with security and performance standards before deployment.
• Provide regular updates on project tasks, milestones, and challenges to the project manager and relevant stakeholders.
• Assist in maintaining detailed documentation of all project-related network configurations, topologies, and system changes.
• Provide ongoing support after the completion of network projects, including monitoring the new configurations and responding to any issues that may arise.

Qualifications: 

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Management Information Systems, or an equivalent industry experience.
• One or more current IT Network & Security certification such as CCIE, CCNP, CISSP, CompTIA Network/Security+, Microsoft Azure Certifications
• Industry certification in Cloud architecture design and operation.

Experience:

• 3-5 years of experience working with the installation, configuration, and management of WAN and LAN networks in an enterprise or mid-sized environment.
• Practical experience in configuring and maintaining routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points from major vendors (e.g., Cisco, Aruba, Fortinet).
• Experience in diagnosing and resolving common network issues, including connectivity problems, slow performance, or routing misconfigurations.
• Hands-on experience using troubleshooting tools such as Wireshark, ping, traceroute, and network monitoring systems (e.g., Nagios, SolarWinds).
• Exposure to network security concepts and technologies, including firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection systems (IDS).
• Experience in implementing or supporting network security protocols such as ACLs (Access Control Lists) or network segmentation.
• Experience in creating and maintaining accurate network diagrams, documentation of network topologies, and records of device configurations.
• Exposure to documenting troubleshooting steps and solutions for recurring network issues.
• Experience working with virtual network environments, such as configuring VLANs or managing network interfaces in virtualized platforms (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V).
• Exposure to cloud-based networking technologies (e.g., AWS, Azure) and hybrid network environments is a plus.
• Experience working in environments that require adherence to network security policies and industry standards (e.g., ISO 27001, NESA, GDPR).
• Demonstrated experience in securing enterprise network environments and implementing best practices for network defence.
• Experience in coordinating with network hardware or software vendors for troubleshooting, procurement, and implementation of networking solutions.

Knowledge:

• Comprehensive understanding of networking concepts, including the OSI model, IP addressing (IPv4 and IPv6), subnetting, routing, switching, and VLANs.
• Knowledge of various network protocols such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, ARP, and ICMP, and how they function within a WAN/LAN environment.
• Knowledge of networking concepts such as WAN connectivity, transport types and protocols, and experience with wireless technology and Wireless deployment for a user base over 500 users per site.
• Understanding of network management practices, including IP address management, network performance monitoring, and maintaining network diagrams and documentation.
• Familiarity with managing network configurations and changes, including backing up and restoring configurations.
• Basic understanding of cloud-based networking services (e.g., AWS, Azure) and virtual network infrastructure (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V).
• Knowledge of virtual LANs (VLANs), network virtualization, and software-defined networking (SDN) concepts.
• Familiarity with configuring and managing network services on various operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc.).
• Knowledge of network-related services such as Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP and their integration within a network.
• Understanding of network segmentation, virtual LANs (VLANs), DMZs, and how to design secure network architectures.
• Comprehensive knowledge of network security protocols, such as SSL/TLS, IPsec, VPNs, and SSL-VPNs.
• Knowledge of encryption methods such as AES, RSA, DES, and public key infrastructure (PKI) for securing communications.
• Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools, including task tracking, timeline management, and coordination with cross-functional teams during network projects.

Competencies:

• Strong understanding of network protocols, IP addressing, subnetting, and WAN/LAN technologies.
• Competency in configuring and troubleshooting network devices like routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Proficiency in using diagnostic tools for identifying connectivity, performance, and configuration problems.
• High level of accuracy in managing network configurations, ensuring consistent and reliable network performance.
• Diligence in maintaining comprehensive documentation for network changes and incidents.
• Expertise in configuring and managing security technologies such as firewalls (e.g., Cisco ASA, Palo Alto, Fortinet), intrusion detection/prevention systems, and endpoint security tools.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and stay updated on the latest networking trends and security threats.
• Experience in vulnerability scanning, patch management, and security auditing to ensure compliance with security standards.