Network Operations Manager

Are you ready to play a key role in propelling organisations on their data driven journey?

Sword builds foundations across platforms, data, and applications and our people have a shared passion for technology and solving complex business challenges for our customers.

Our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success.  Our people and culture are our highest priority in all we do. Measurable feedback is captured annually to ensure we continue to improve and develop our offering.

If these values are important to you, and you are looking to take the next step in your career with an established and growing company, we’re delighted to share a newly created opportunity to join the Sword team in the role of Network Operations Manager.

Having the right people is essential for us to deliver the exceptional levels of service that our clients deserve. Our skilled team are experts in their field with market-leading experience and accreditation levels.

This role has an expectation to go on-site to clients office within the Aberdeen area at least one day per week (or more where operationally required), with remote working supported on other days.  

Our Network Services team apply deep expertise and innovative solutions to help solve challenges for our customers.

The Network Operations Manager is responsible for the following:

• This is a client facing role and will require technical knowledge and experience of deploying and supporting Cisco Network and Security products, Cisco Nexus data centre infrastructure alongside other vendor firewalls (Checkpoint/Fortinet/Palo).
• Ability to discuss technical questions with customer and Sword Ping internal teams.
• Work closely with internal and external teams to supervise all aspects of service, across managed service and project delivery.
• Coordinate the communication and actions required for service enhancements, planned changes and service upgrades.
• Take ownership of high priority or escalated issues that requires careful stakeholder management and communicating status of those to the wider audience.
• Facilitate risk assessments to identify, assess and mitigate the risk of service gaps.
• Manage customer expectations and be accountable for the quality of service delivery and customer satisfaction as per agreed contractual SLAs.
• Be the conduit for communications between internal and external teams, acting as escalation point when required.
• Responsible for managing the workload for aligned resources.
• Alongside Service Delivery Manager, produce regular service reports and ensure effective controls are in place to continually evaluate our service performance, calling out any key risks or issues.
• Participate in service meetings and Change Advisory Board meetings, and ensure actions are documented and carried out.
• Co-ordinate and support continuous improvement initiatives and enhancing customer experience.  Encourage buy-in from key stakeholders and help coordinate engagement.
• Promote engagement from all stakeholders.

Requirements

At Sword, we are proud of cultivating a respectful workplace that values the contribution of all our people, whatever their background or stage in their career.  We welcome your application should you hold the right core experience, knowledge and your application sufficiently outlines your relevant skills or transferrable skills in this area.  If you believe you're qualified, but don't "check all the boxes", please still submit an application and we will explore your experience further.

Here are the key skills and experience relevant to this role:

Key attributes:

• Supervise the delivery of all technical services
• Point of contact between Sword and the customer
• Stakeholder management
• Support case escalations
• Track and support work plans
• Promote Customer satisfaction
• NOC support
• Projects support

Key Technical Skills:

• Network professional with 5+ years experience
• Proven experience of Cisco (and other vendor) networking technologies, switching/routing/wireless/security.
• Experience of supporting large scale multi-site networks.
• Experience of customer account management.

Benefits

Our people are supported and encouraged to develop their career with Sword through their own personal learning and development plan, alongside a competitive salary, pension, private health, wellbeing and insurance schemes, a flexible approach to working, and employee assistance programme.

Sword is committed to maintaining a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunities employer.  All applicants receive equal consideration for employment regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

If we can do anything to help make the hiring process more accessible, please let our talent acquisition team know when you apply so we can support any adjustments.