Network Specialist

Role – Network Specialist

Experience

• Minimum 8+ years of hands-on experience in the Networking domain.
• Prior experience in the Retail industry preferred.
• Strong working knowledge of:
• Routing & Switching, Firewall Management, Load Balancers, Wi‑Fi Technologies, IPS/IDS ,Proxy Solutions , ISP Link Management
• Proven experience managing large projects across the full project lifecycle.
• Preference for candidates with strong core networking backgrounds and leadership experience.
• Practical experience with network monitoring, diagnostics, and analytics tools.

Education & Certifications

• B.E. / B.Tech in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related discipline.
• CCNA is mandatory; CCNP/CCIE certification preferred.

Roles & Responsibilities

Network Operations & Planning

• Lead, plan, and oversee all activities of the Network Operations team, including implementation, review, and monitoring of key business projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional leadership teams to align network operations with organizational goals.
• Manage network performance, proactively identify issues, minimize customer impact, and ensure optimal service delivery.

Network Management & Technical Expertise

• Strong experience in IP networking, switching, routing, and deep packet analysis using tools for routers, switches, WLAN, WAN optimizers, and load balancers.
• Expert understanding of routing and switching protocols, with required hands‑on experience in Fortinet SDWAN (Software‑Defined WAN), Meraki LAN & Wireless.
• Solid understanding of routing protocols (EIGRP, OSPF, BGP) and switching; hands‑on experience with MPLS, QoS, and VoIP.

Security & Information Security

• Experience with firewalls, proxy, VPN, IPS/IDS, and knowledge of security incident response processes and best practices.
• Implement and support security standards like PCI‑DSS for network devices; perform device hardening as per industry benchmarks.
• Assist in defining and maintaining organizational security policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of evolving network & information security technologies and incorporate improvements accordingly.

Monitoring, Troubleshooting & Support

• Provide L3-level support, ensuring ownership and resolution of incidents and problem cases.
• Monitor network systems, analyze logs, and set up proactive alert mechanisms.
• Troubleshoot, diagnose, and resolve complex network issues; work closely with end users and L3 teams as required.
• Operate master consoles to track network and system performance.

Vendor & Partner Coordination

• Manage vendor relationships for network infrastructure and services.
• Coordinate with ISPs, partners, and remote engineering teams to resolve issues or support project deployments.

Documentation & Best Practices

• Maintain a central repository of technical documents, ensuring knowledge sharing and adherence to best practices.
• Support Agile project methodology to enhance the capabilities of SSL Infrastructure services.
• Ensure timely ticket resolution as per SSL’s ticket management processes.

Business Continuity & Security Programs

• Develop, maintain, and oversee key security program elements including:
• Vulnerability Management
• Risk Management
• Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Planning
• Contribute to policy dissemination, user training, and governance activities.

Projects & Innovation

• Participate in major incident reviews, POCs, and evaluation of new technologies with the SSL Infra team.
• Support and implement network-related infrastructure projects across the organization.

General

• Manage support cases to ensure fast, customer‑focused resolutions.
• Leave policies will align with Shoppers Stop guidelines.