MetLife

EMEA IT Network Manager 

*we will consider applications from European locations where MetLife has a presence. Warsaw, Poland would be the preference.

Our company is currently undergoing significant transformation across the EMEA region. We operate six regional data centers that play a key role in supporting our test environments. Historically, each region has managed its own processes and infrastructure independently. However, we are now moving toward a more unified, global operating model. The goal of this transformation is to strengthen our internal knowledge base and improve collaboration between regional and global teams. By consolidating expertise and standardizing our practices, we aim to increase efficiency and reduce duplication of effort. This shift will also allow us to provide more consistent and scalable support worldwide. This transformation also focuses on improving collaboration with our internal business partners and responding more effectively to their needs.

The Team You Will Join 

You will join the EMEA Data Centre Platform Team supporting 6 Data Centers and over 25 Offices across EMEA.  This is a newly formed team that has the goal of delivering a first-class solution for MetLife.  When fully built there will be 6 Direct reports to this role.

The Opportunity 

EMEA IT Network Manager is responsible for managing the EMEA team of Senior Network engineers to deliver the design, build out, optimization and Operationalization of current and emerging network technologies in support of the MetLife business in the EMEA Region.

This EMEA IT Network Manager role requires expertise in many of the following network architectures, including route/switch, VPN, Load Balancing, Firewalls, Telephony, WAN acceleration, Cloud Security, Zero Trust, SDN, Micro Segmentation

This EMEA IT Network Manager role also covers Day to Day BAU requirements

How You’ll Help Us Build a Confident Future (Key Responsibilities)

• Team Leadership: Managing technicians, fostering professional development, and ensuring high performance.
• Design and planning - Develop and maintain architectural blueprints for networks.
•  Technology selection - Evaluate, select, and integrate modern technology solutions and ensure they meet performance and security standards
•  Project oversight – Help lead infrastructure-related projects, ensuring successful implementation and transition from conception to completion
•  Security and compliance - Implement security policies, conduct risk assessments, and ensure compliance with regulations and standards
•  Regulatory Compliance - Ensure all system designs meet the required regulatory standards.
•  Performance and optimization - Monitor system performance, manage capacity, and identify areas for improvement
•  Collaboration - Work with project managers, business leaders, and other IT professionals to align infrastructure with business goals
•  Documentation and standards - Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for infrastructure processes and standards
•  Disaster recovery - Develop and lead disaster recovery and business continuity planning for the Network. 

What You Need to Succeed (Required Qualifications)

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information Systems or related field preferred, or 8+ years equivalent work experience, that includes: 
• 5+ years of people management experience running a Network team
•  8+ years of IT & Network Security experience working in an infrastructure or security architecture environment with proven experience with Cisco's range of products including Catalyst and Nexus Switches Cisco ASA, Cisco ISE
•  8+ years of hands-on experience with Layer 4 through Layer 7 technologies and expert level understanding of mainstream protocols such as TCP, HTTP, SSL, FTP and DNS
•  8+ years of IT & Network Security experience with focus on Firewalls, Site- Site VPN, URL filtering and Remote Access VPN
•  In depth working knowledge of the following technologies:

• Cisco Networking, including Cisco SD-WAN, Cisco LAN/Wireless, Cisco Catalyst Center (routing / Switching etc)
• Micro Segmentation
• Cisco ISE 
• Palo Alto Firewall
• SAN Fabric
• Azure networking,
• Global Load Balancers
• Relevant Cisco certifications, (CCIE is expected), or other high level specialist networking credentials
• Solid knowledge of WAN, LAN and Wi-Fi technologies
• Must have strong analytical skills, excellent understanding of application and network architecture, and must be able to assess security designs independently
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work as part of a creative team.
• Attention to detail: dedication to quality and excellent documentation skills are key.
• Team Player & Hands-on work style with advanced communication and collaboration skills
• Experience working with global teams.
• Proactive in nature: can-do attitude

What Can Give You an Edge (Additional Skills)

• Experience with Arista Networks
• Experience working with Agile development methodologies.
• Familiarity with Hyperconverged systems (VxRail)
• Familiarity with a wide range of network platforms
• Familiarity of Storage Area Networks
• 3+ years of Working knowledge of programmability – proficiency desired for understanding and ability to implement solutions leveraging the use of APIs, XML, JSON, Python scripting and any other automation tools is highly desirable