Senior Manager, Edge and Distributed Network Engineering

Overview

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Manager, Edge and Distributed Network Engineering to lead the strategy, engineering, implementation, and operational reliability of enterprise network services across distributed facilities, corporate locations, warehouses, critical business sites, and edge environments. This role is responsible for driving network modernization, standardization, resiliency, and security across LAN, WAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, internet edge, cloud connectivity, and related infrastructure platforms. The ideal candidate will be a strategic and hands-on technology leader with deep enterprise networking experience, a proven track record managing high-performing engineering teams, and the ability to deliver scalable, secure, and operationally resilient network solutions that support business continuity, M&A integration, facility expansion, and digital transformation.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the design, engineering, deployment, and lifecycle management of enterprise edge and distributed network infrastructure, including LAN, WAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, internet edge, cloud connectivity, and site-based network services.
• Own network engineering standards, reference architectures, deployment models, and operational guardrails for new facilities, remodels, M&A integrations, and distributed business locations.
• Manage talent acquisition, development, retention, and performance management for network engineering resources across multiple locations and technical disciplines.
• Partner with Infrastructure, Security, Cloud, Operations, Facilities, Enterprise Architecture, Procurement, and business stakeholders to deliver secure, reliable, and scalable network solutions.
• Lead delivery of network modernization initiatives focused on resiliency, standardization, automation, observability, cost optimization, and reduction of legacy infrastructure.
• Direct and develop a multidisciplinary network engineering team, fostering a culture of accountability, technical excellence, operational discipline, and continuous improvement.
• Establish clear objectives, measure performance, and provide coaching and career development support to strengthen team capability and leadership depth.
• Drive adoption of network automation, infrastructure-as-code, configuration standardization, and repeatable deployment processes using Python, Ansible, Terraform, and vendor-native automation platforms where applicable.
• Ensure network designs align with Zero Trust principles, segmentation requirements, compliance expectations, vulnerability management, and enterprise security standards.
• Proactively partner with Network Operations to manage network health, reliability, capacity, incident trends, MTTR, change success rates, and service performance through telemetry, monitoring, and observability platforms.
• Maintain responsibility for engineering prioritization, project intake, resource planning, vendor coordination, and delivery execution across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Regularly engage in one-on-one career development discussions with direct reports, identifying development opportunities that support professional growth and succession planning.
• Provide timely, direct, and actionable feedback to improve team performance, strengthen accountability, and support individual career progression.

Additional Primary Responsibilities

• Align edge and distributed network engineering strategy with enterprise business objectives, facility expansion, M&A activity, digital transformation, security posture, and operational reliability goals.
• Drive technology innovation that improves network scalability, resiliency, cost efficiency, automation, and user experience across distributed environments.
• Evaluate and incorporate emerging network technologies, including SD-WAN, SASE, cloud networking, wireless-first design, network access control, segmentation, telemetry, and AI-assisted operations where business value is justified.
• Build strong partnerships with internal technology teams, business stakeholders, vendors, managed service providers, and procurement to ensure network initiatives are aligned, funded, and executed effectively.
• Own vendor and service provider engagement for network platforms, circuits, hardware, licensing, support contracts, and professional services, ensuring performance, accountability, and cost transparency.
• Support financial planning, forecasting, and TCO analysis for network infrastructure investments, including CapEx, OpEx, licensing, support renewals, and lifecycle replacement planning.

Minimum Qualifications

• At least 8 years of experience in enterprise network engineering, infrastructure technology delivery, or network operations, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership role managing technical teams across multiple locations.
• Experience leading teams responsible for enterprise LAN, WAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, internet edge, branch networking, data center connectivity, and cloud network integration.
• Strong understanding of enterprise routing, switching, wireless, and security technologies, including BGP, OSPF, VLANs, QoS, VPN, network segmentation, high availability, and resilient network design.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex infrastructure delivery initiatives in fast-paced, distributed organizations with multiple business stakeholders and geographically dispersed sites.
• Proven track record building and sustaining high-performing engineering teams capable of modernizing infrastructure while meeting operational and project commitments.
• Experience managing external vendors, telecom providers, managed service providers, hardware manufacturers, licensing partners, and professional services firms.
• Experience driving adoption of new technology standards through documentation, training, governance, communication, and organizational change management.
• Strong operational discipline with experience in incident management, change management, root cause analysis, risk management, and continuous service improvement.
• Ability to communicate technical strategy, risks, tradeoffs, and investment needs clearly to senior technology and business leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with enterprise networking platforms and ecosystems such as Cisco, Arista, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Meraki, Aruba, or equivalent technologies.
• Experience with SD-WAN, SASE, Zero Trust Network Access, network access control, micro-segmentation, cloud connectivity, and hybrid-cloud network architecture.
• Experience supporting large distributed environments, including warehouses, corporate offices, retail/distribution locations, manufacturing sites, or other business-critical facilities.
• Experience leading network infrastructure delivery for new facilities, remodels, acquisitions, divestitures, or large-scale site standardization programs.
• Experience with wireless-first design, enterprise WLAN architecture, RF planning, controller-based wireless platforms, and secure guest/corporate wireless segmentation.
• Experience with network observability and performance management platforms such as LiveAction/LiveNX, SolarWinds, Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center), NetFlow, SNMP, syslog, or equivalent tooling.
• Experience developing automation or infrastructure-as-code capabilities using Python, Ansible, Terraform, APIs, Git-based workflows, or vendor automation frameworks.
• Experience managing network hardware lifecycle, licensing models, support renewals, capacity planning, and financial forecasting for enterprise infrastructure investments.
• Knowledge of compliance and security frameworks such as NIST, PCI-DSS, CIS Controls, or equivalent standards as they relate to network design and operations.
• Strong executive communication skills with the ability to translate technical recommendations into business impact, risk reduction, operational resilience, and total cost of ownership outcomes.

Physical Demands

• Physical demands include a considerable amount of time sitting and typing/keyboarding, using a computer (e.g., keyboard, mouse, and monitor) or adding machine
• Physical demands with activity or condition may occasionally include walking, bending, reaching, standing, and stooping
• May require occasional lifting/lowering, pushing, carrying, or pulling up to 20lbs