Network Lead - Wireless

Job Description - Network Specialist (Wireless, SD-WAN, CCIE) – Willing to Travel Abu Dhabi

• We are looking an experienced and highly skilled Network Specialist with a CCIE Enterprise certification to join with our client.
• Minimum 10+years of experience with in-depth expertise across enterprise network infrastructure, including Cisco Campus SD-Access, Cisco Wi-Fi 7, Cisco ACI, Infoblox, F5 load balancing, advanced routing protocols, and strong cloud networking experience.
• CCIE Enterprise certification (Active).
• Proven expertise in Cisco Campus SD-Access, Identity-Based Network Access Control (Cisco ISE NAC) and Cisco Wi-Fi 7 wireless solutions.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco ACI (fabric, policies, contracts, tenants).
• Proficiency with Infoblox for DNS, DHCP, and IPAM.
• Strong hands-on experience with F5 Load Balancers (LTM, GTM).
• Deep understanding of routing & switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, STP).
• Experience with network automation tools like Ansible, Python, and Terraform.
• Architect and implement enterprise network solutions using Cisco SD-Access, aligning with best practices for scalability, segmentation, and security.
• Lead WiFi 7 wireless network design and optimization efforts, including site surveys, RF planning, and capacity forecasting.
• Develop and maintain high-availability network designs, incorporating redundancy, failover, and disaster recovery strategies.
• Ensure zero-downtime architecture through HA, fast failover, and redundant paths to support mission-critical operations.
• Deploy and manage Cisco ISE to enforce 802.1X-based NAC policies, device profiling, and posture assessment for wired and wireless endpoints.
• Integrate ISE with Active Directory, MFA, and security logging tools to support strong authentication and compliance reporting.
• Define and maintain security policies for employee, contractor, and guest access, and respond to NAC-related security events in real time.
• Work closely with InfoSec teams to implement zero trust access and dynamic VLAN assignment based on user identity and posture.
• Design, deploy, and manage Cisco ACI fabric, including tenant configurations, endpoint groups (EPGs), bridge domains, and policies.
• Collaborate with application and data center teams to align ACI policies with workload requirements.
• Troubleshoot ACI-specific issues and monitor health scores and fabric performance.
• Administer and optimize Infoblox DDI solutions for IP address management, DHCP scopes, DNS zones, and record management.
• Ensure IPAM hygiene, manage network blocks, and provide detailed IP documentation.
• Integrate Infoblox with automation / orchestration tools where applicable.
• Configure and manage F5 BIG-IP LTM and GTM appliances, including iRules, SSL offloading, and application health monitoring.
• Work with application teams to deliver high-performing and secure web applications.
• Ensure traffic is efficiently balanced across backend systems with minimal downtime.
• Implement, monitor, and troubleshoot complex routing protocols including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, and route redistribution scenarios.
• Support Layer 2 / 3 infrastructure, VLAN segmentation, spanning tree optimization, and link aggregation (LACP).
• Perform routine health checks, traffic analysis, and infrastructure upgrades.
• Design and support hybrid cloud connectivity, including VPNs, Direct Connect (AWS), and ExpressRoute (Azure).
• Collaborate with cloud engineers to extend enterprise networks into AWS, Azure, or GCP.
• Implement cloud-native networking constructs like VPCs, security groups, NSGs, and virtual appliances.
• Implement segmentation, access control policies, and network ACLs to protect critical assets.
• Collaborate with security teams to monitor for threats and vulnerabilities in the network layer.
• Ensure compliance with organizational standards, industry regulations, and audit requirements.
• Use enterprise-grade tools like Cisco DNA Center, Thousand Eyes, and ACI monitoring tools for real-time network analytics.
• Proactively resolve issues impacting low-latency trading systems, batch processing jobs, or real-time transactions.
• Maintain KPIs and SLAs in line with financial system requirements.
• Maintain audit-ready documentation of network configurations, change logs, and policies.
• Ensure all changes follow ITIL change management practices with rollback procedures.
• Develop SOPs and BCP / DR runbooks for all critical network operations.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams including IT security, infrastructure, cloud, and application teams.
• Participate in technical workshops, change advisory boards, and project planning meetings.
• Lead and / or support network-related projects from concept to completion, ensuring on-time delivery.
• Preferably immediate joiner