Lead Technology Specialist, Network

At Equitable, we realize that your work life is not just about performing a job; it's about being part of a workplace that helps you grow and reach your full potential. Within our friendly and collaborative work environment, we recognize that the key to our growth and success is a dedicated, motivated and client-responsive staff. Join Equitable today.
**Position Title**: Lead Technology Specialist, Network
**Reports To**: Lead Technology Manager, Core Infrastructure
**Department**: IT
**Term**: Permanent Full-Time
**Work Arrangements**: This is a hybrid role. You will work in our office in Waterloo, ON a minimum of two (2) assigned, consecutive days every other week, plus a fifth (5th) assigned day per month. You are welcome to work from the office more than the minimum requirement and there may be some roles that are required to work in our office more than the minimum requirement.
**The Opportunity**: Equitable Life is looking to add a Lead Technical Specialist, Networks to our team Reporting to the Lead Technology Manager, Core Infrastructure and Cloud, the Lead Technology Specialist, Networks is responsible for the overall execution, operations, and success of highly available, complex networks solutions to meet customer needs. They will also work in tandem with the Senior Technology Architect, Networks to assist with the planning and design aspects of the networking infrastructure.
**What you will be doing**:

- Lead the design, implementation, and management of the company’s enterprise data networking systems and platforms.
- Manage and prioritize the workload planning and resource assignment for team members; also responsible for mentoring, training and escalation support for team members.
- In support of the Manager, actively participate in hiring and onboarding as well as contribute technical performance assessments of team members.
- Design and implement data network infrastructure and security services to ensure the effective uptime to meet a 24x7 business systems infrastructure.
- Recommend, develop and set network operations and management controls, processes, policies, and standards for the Company.
- Ensure network infrastructure is designed, implemented and managed to meet necessary security, performance, capacity, demand and availability requirements.
- Establish, monitor and meet key performance indicators in support of IT infrastructure and Company operational metrics.
- Support response to networking and shared infrastructure platforms incidents (including highly critical, performance impacting) and problems.
- Jointly responsible for asset, vendor, and financial management activities related to data networking systems.
- Actively participate in IT infrastructure, architecture and services community.
- Prepare IT to networking and shared infrastructure platforms presentations and management information and communicates to all levels within in the company up to and including Sr. Management.

**What you will bring**:

- Significant experience within IT with exposure to a senior data network management/design role.
- Arista, Juniper, Cisco or similar technical certifications.
- GIAC or similar security certifications a strong asset.
- ITIL v3 Foundations certification a strong asset.
- Proficiency/expertise in public cloud networking (Azure/AWS/O365)
- Expert knowledge and experience designing and managing an enterprise network environment, inclusive of WANs, LANs, WLANs, VPNs, DNS, and web services.
- Expert knowledge and experience designing and managing perimeter network security capabilities (Palo Alto/Akamai/Netskope)
- Strong knowledge and experience unified fabric technologies and network convergence (voice/data/video).
- Expert knowledge of and experience with network systems management processes and practices including monitoring, scripting, automation, IaC and maintenance.
- Strong knowledge and experience with network workload shifting, policy
- based orchestration and network virtualization.
- Strong understanding of overall enterprise data center and hosting technologies (with focus on Microsoft and VMWare) and the implications to networking.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with focus and attention to detail.
- Strong innovator and critical thinker.
- Strong communication (written, verbal, presentation) and negotiation skills and experience with conveying complex, technical information to non-technical audiences.
- An ability to handle extremely critical and sensitive information with the strictest confidentiality and privacy.
- Solid experience with resource management as it pertains to scheduling, project execution and daily operations.
- An outstanding team player, focused on customer service excellence, technical execution, diligence to the process, and doing the right thing.

**What’s in it for you**:

- A healthy work-life balance with employee wellness top of mind
- Annual bonus program, annual vacation allowance, and company-paid benefits program
- An ad