Sr. Manager, Network Operations at Equity Bank Kenya

Job Description

Role Purpose & Responsibilities

The Senior Manager, Network Operations, is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end support and operational integrity of the enterprise’s network infrastructure, ensuring maximum uptime, performance, and security. This role is highly operational and is tasked with leading day-to-day incident management, escalation handling, service delivery optimization, and the execution of strategic support initiatives across WAN, LAN, Datacenter Networks, Voice, and perimeter security infrastructure.

The incumbent will lead a geographically distributed support team across the group’s subsidiaries, providing centralized oversight for all network operations. They will ensure compliance with SLAs across regions, drive continuous service improvements, standardize operational practices, and contribute to the group’s digital resilience, network reliability, and overall operational excellence goals.

Responsibilities

1. Network Operations Management

· Own the operational health of the enterprise network infrastructure, including WAN (SD-WAN), Campus LAN (Cisco SD-Access), Data Center Network (Cisco Nexus), Firewalls (Cisco FTD and Checkpoint), and IP Telephony.

· Monitor and manage performance, availability, and capacity of all critical network services, ensuring alignment to defined SLAs and KPIs.

· Lead proactive problem management and root cause analysis to reduce recurrence of major incidents.

2. Incident and Problem Management

· Act as escalation point for major incidents affecting network services.

· Drive resolution through coordination with internal teams, service providers, and OEMs.

· Maintain comprehensive post-incident review and follow-up on action items.

3. Change & Configuration Management

· Ensure all changes to network infrastructure follow ITIL change management processes.

· Oversee risk assessments, rollback plans, and stakeholder communications for network changes.

· Validate proper documentation and configuration backups across the network estate.

4. Vendor & Partner Coordination

· Manage OEM and MSP support contracts for firewalls, WAN links, LAN hardware, and voice platforms.

· Track vendor SLAs, coordinate escalations, and conduct performance reviews.

· Collaborate with planning teams for alignment of lifecycle management activities.

5. Team Leadership & Strategy Execution

· Lead, mentor, and grow a team of network engineers and operations staff across multiple sites.

· Align team KPIs to business objectives such as availability targets, MTTR, change success rates, etc.

· Champion automation and standardization initiatives within network operations.

6. Compliance, Documentation & Reporting

· Ensure that network operations adhere to security and compliance standards (e.g., ISO, PCI DSS).

· Maintain up-to-date network documentation including topology diagrams, SOPs, and runbooks.

· Provide regular reports on uptime, incident trends, support KPIs, and capacity risks to IT leadership.

Key Deliverables

· Network Uptime & Availability – >99.9% availability of core and branch network services, monitored and reported monthly.

· Incident Management – SLA-compliant response and resolution for P1-P3 incidents, with full RCA documentation.

· Operational KPIs – MTTR, First Time Resolution, Change Success Rate, and Capacity Utilization Metrics tracked and improved.

· Documentation – Comprehensive and updated network topology diagrams, incident reports, SOPs, and runbooks.

· People Management – Quarterly performance reviews, training plans, and skill uplift for support engineers.

· Vendor SLAs – Managed and escalated OEM support tickets with monthly SLA compliance reports.

· Compliance – Quarterly audit-readiness status, ensuring patching, configuration backups, and policy enforcement.

· Strategic Projects Execution – Execution of approved support automation, monitoring enhancement, and network hardening projects.

Qualifications

Qualifications & Experience

· Education: Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, or related field.

· Certifications: CCNP (Mandatory), ITIL v4 Foundation (Preferred), CCIE (Added Advantage), Security Certifications (e.g., CCSA, NSE, or Cisco Security).

· Experience: Minimum of 10+ years in IP Network operations, with at least 3+ years in a senior or managerial role handling complex enterprise environments.

Skills & Competencies

· Enterprise Networking Expertise: Deep hands-on experience managing large-scale enterprise networks, including Cisco SD-WAN, SD-Access, and Nexus-based Data Center switching fabrics.

· Datacenter Operations: Strong understanding of Data Center Networks (DCN), high-availability architectures, virtualization layers, cabling standards, and critical infrastructure dependencies.

· Load Balancing & Traffic Management: Experience with enterprise-grade load balancers (e.g., F5, Citrix ADC) for application availability, SSL offloading, and traffic distribution in multi-tier environments.

· Security Operations & Compliance: Working knowledge of network perimeter defense tools including Cisco FTDs, Checkpoint Firewalls, IPS/IDS systems, ACLs, and VPNs. Familiarity with regulatory and compliance standards (e.g., ISO 27001, PCI DSS).

· Cloud & Hybrid Environments: Exposure to cloud networking and connectivity models (e.g., ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, VNET peering) in platforms like Microsoft Azure or AWS.

· ITIL Process Discipline: Sound understanding of ITIL practices for Incident, Problem, Change, and Capacity Management. Ability to implement structured processes and enforce policy adherence across regions.

· Leadership & Stakeholder Management: Proven capability in leading cross-border teams, driving performance, building skills, and aligning operations with business expectations. Strong communication and reporting abilities.

· Strategic Execution: Ability to translate high-level business continuity and service assurance strategies into executable support initiatives that reduce downtime and enhance service experience.