Network Engineer - Belfast

Job Title: Network Engineer
Location: Belfast/Hybrid

Hybrid - 2 days onsite per week, remainder remote. (Will on occassion involve client visits in the NI region.)
Department: IT Infrastructure & Network Services
Reports to: Operations Manager
Type: Full-time Perm

Salary - 45 - 50k GBP neg. on experience.

Candidates must possess full working rights as sponsorship is not offered for this position.

Benefits:

Car Allowance

Health Allowance

Annual Bonus (performance based discretionary - up to 10%)

Annual Leave 22 Days + NI Public Holidays

Overview:

Our client is seeking a highly skilled and customer-focused Network Engineer to join their dynamic team. This is a critical role responsible for both project delivery and 3rd level incident support across a range of enterprise clients. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise in Cisco networking (LAN, WLAN, SDA, ACI) and Fortinet technologies, with a strong focus on delivering outstanding customer service.

The Network Engineer will play a key role in the design, implementation, and support of advanced network solutions, working closely with clients, vendors, and internal teams to ensure high performance, security, and scalability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the design, deployment, and support of complex network infrastructures based on customer-specific requirements.
• Provide advanced (3rd level) technical support to clients and collaborate on the resolution of escalated network issues.
• Participate in the on-call rota to support 24x7 service availability.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation including Statements of Work, High- and Low-Level Designs, implementation plans, and test cases.
• Adhere to and support change control and security processes in customer environments.
• Act as a trusted technical advisor, presenting proposed solutions and technical updates to customers (both verbal and written).
• Liaise with internal teams, vendors, and partners to assess and implement emerging technologies.
• Transfer knowledge to the Service Operations Centre and other internal teams to support ongoing service delivery.
• Participate in relevant vendor certification programs and maintain awareness of industry trends and best practices.

Essential Skills & Qualifications:

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification (minimum requirement).
• Proven experience with Fortinet solutions (configuration, deployment, troubleshooting).
• Minimum 3 years' experience working in complex enterprise or government IT environments, ideally within a professional services setting.
• In-depth understanding of enterprise-class IP Networking and security standards.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a virtual or distributed team environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable Skills & Certifications:

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification or equivalent experience.
• Cisco Wireless accreditations (ENWLSD, ENWLSI).
• Fortinet Professional certifications.
• Experience with cybersecurity technologies including Firewalls, IPS, UTM, UTP, and SASE.
• Familiarity with MPLS technologies, Cisco wireless, and Aruba solutions.
• Experience with network Scripting and automation.
• Exposure to carrier-class network management tools and enterprise support platforms.

Key Competencies:

Technical & Business Competencies:

• Strong technical acumen and ability to troubleshoot complex networking issues.
• Exceptional time management and organisational abilities.
• High standard of customer service and satisfaction (internal & external).
• Consistent adherence to IT policies, security practices, and quality standards.

Soft Skills & Team Competencies:

• Teamwork and collaboration
• Influence and relationship building
• Problem solving and innovation
• Clear oral and written communication

Tools & Technologies:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio (essential)
• Scripting skills (desirable)

This role offers the opportunity to work with cutting-edge technologies in a fast-paced and customer-focused environment, with strong support for professional development and certification.