Network Lead (m/f/d)

The Network & Network Security Lead will play a major role in ensuring the integrity, performance, and security of the organization’s networking environment. This role goes beyond operations, demanding an expert-level understanding of complex network and security architectures, a hands-on ability to troubleshoot high-impact issues, and the capability to lead cross-functional teams in delivering secure and resilient infrastructure for a regulated financial environment.

Key Responsibilities & Duties:

• Architecture & Design Leadership:
• Lead the design and evolution of enterprise network and security architecture aligned with business and compliance requirements.
• Ensure integration of network security principles in all architectural decisions.
• Collaborate with the design & architect team for the new project or new initiative
• Advanced Troubleshooting & Problem Resolution:
• Own and resolve high-severity incidents by diving deep into Layer 1–7 issues spanning networking, firewalls, routing, DNS, proxies, and cloud networking.
• Lead root cause analysis and implement long-term preventive measures.
• Multiskilling & Cross-Functional Expertise:
• Provide mentorship across routing, switching, firewalls (NGFW), load balancers, VPNs, SD-WAN, ACI, SD-Access, and network access control (NAC).
• Encourage skill development across multiple technology domains within the team.
• Security Posture & Threat Management:
• Implement and maintain network segmentation, access control, and zero-trust strategies.
• Collaborate with the cross-departmental teams on incident response and threat mitigation.
• Operations Oversight & Optimization:
• Oversee the performance, availability, and efficiency of the network and its security services.
• Develop and enforce network operations procedures, ensuring compliance with industry and regulatory standards.
• Project Leadership:
• Lead critical infrastructure projects, including migrations, upgrades, and partner connectivity.
• Coordinate cross-departmentally to ensure secure rollout of new services and systems.
• Vendor & Contract Management:
• Evaluate, select, and manage vendors and service providers.
• Ensure SLA compliance and conduct regular performance reviews.
• Compliance & Audit Readiness:
• Maintain documentation and policies to meet the requirements of financial sector audits and compliance checks (e.g., PCI-DSS, ISO 27001).
• Monitoring & Incident Detection:
• Experience with proactive monitoring for performance and threats using tools like SIEM, NMS, and flow analysis.
• Define thresholds, alerts, and escalation workflows for operational and security incidents.
• Team Development:
• Provide coaching, conduct regular performance reviews, and build development plans for team members.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous learning.
• Documentation:
• Strong experience using documentation tools (Microsoft Office 365, Visio, Lucid chart).
• Ensure all documentation aligns with compliance, audit, and organization standards.
• Strong presentation skills.
  
  

Skills & Qualifications:

• Typically, 7+ years of relevant work experience in industry, with a minimum of 3 years in a similar role
• Deep hands-on expertise in enterprise networking, SDN solutions, network security, and firewall administration (Cisco, Aruba, Fortinet, Palo Alto, etc.).
• Full-stack network knowledge (routing, switching, DNS, VPN, proxies, load balancers, SD-WAN, NAC, Wi-Fi, ACI, SD-Access).
• Strong experience designing and managing secure, scalable, and high-performance networks.
• Proficient in troubleshooting complex multi-vendor, multi-layer issues under pressure.
• Understanding of secure cloud networking (Azure/AWS) and hybrid environments.
• Familiar with compliance frameworks such as Cybersecurity Framework, NCA, ISO 27001, NIST.
  
  

Education & Certifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, or a related field.
• Preferred certifications:
• Cisco CCIE (DC, Enterprise, Security) preferred Enterprise.
• CISSP / CISM (a plus for security leadership)
• Cloud certifications (AWS/Azure Network Specialty)
  
  

Working Conditions:

• Based in Saudi Arabia with on-site visits to data centers and site offices.
• Availability for critical incidents and changes outside of normal working hours.
• Hybrid collaboration with global teams, regulators, and auditors.
  
  

Halian Group:

With over 28 years of experience, we have come to understand that innovation is the only way to provide agile, practical solutions that transform businesses and careers.

Our resourcing and smart services help you to realize tomorrow’s potential. Discover the amazing things possible when you bring the right people and the right technologies together.

At Halian, we recognize that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are essential to building high-performing teams for our clients. We are committed to connecting organizations with top talent from all backgrounds, ensuring that every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives. We encourage applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of race, gender, disability, or any other characteristic that makes them unique. By fostering diverse and inclusive workplaces, we help our clients drive innovation, enhance collaboration, and better reflect the communities they serve.

Network Lead in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia