Network Operations Manager

Position: Network Operations Manager

Location: Remote

Hiring Mode: 3 to 6 Months Contract(Part time 10 hours per week)

Job Description:

A public sector client is seeking an experienced and forward -thinking Network Operations Manager to lead the development, implementation, and ongoing management of a comprehensive Network Operations Center (NOC). This role is critical to ensuring the reliability, security, and performance of enterpriselevel network infrastructure supporting government agencies, public services, and missioncritical systems.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership capabilities, and proven experience operating within public -sector or regulated environments. This position will play a central role in modernizing network operations capabilities and establishing bestinclass monitoring, incident response, and service delivery practices.

Key Responsibilities:

NOC Development & Leadership

• Design, build, and operationalize a fully functional Network Operations Center, including staffing models, workflows, monitoring tools, and escalation procedures.
• Establish 24/7/365 operational processes, including incident management, change management, and service continuity.
• Develop and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs), runbooks, and performance metrics for NOC operations.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of network analysts, engineers, and support personnel.

Network Operations & Performance

• Oversee the monitoring, maintenance, and optimization of enterprise network infrastructure, including WAN, LAN, VPN, firewalls, cloud connectivity, and data center networks.
• Ensure high availability and performance of critical publicsector systems and services.
• Coordinate with internal IT teams, government agencies, and external partners to resolve complex network issues.
• Implement proactive monitoring strategies to identify and mitigate risks before service impact occurs.

Security & Compliance

• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to ensure network operations align with federal, state, and local security requirements.
• Support compliance with standards such as NIST, CJIS, HIPAA, and other publicsector IT security policies.
• Ensure proper logging, alerting, and incident response integration with security operations.

Public Sector Governance & Collaboration

• Operate within publicsector IT governance frameworks, ensuring alignment with technology strategies, regulatory requirements, and procurement policies.
• Prepare reports, briefings, and presentations for executive leadership, oversight bodies, and agency stakeholders.
• Manage vendor relationships, contracts, and servicelevel agreements (SLAs) in accordance with government procurement rules.

Strategic Planning & Innovation

• Identify opportunities to modernize network infrastructure and improve operational efficiency.
• Lead initiatives related to network upgrades, cloud integration, redundancy, and disaster recovery.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend solutions that enhance network resilience and service delivery.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of experience in network operations, including at least 3 years in a leadership or management role.
• Demonstrated experience building or managing a Network Operations Center.
• Strong understanding of enterprise networking technologies (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, SDWAN, etc.).
• Experience with network monitoring and management tools (SolarWinds, Splunk, Nagios, etc.).
• Familiarity with publicsector IT environments, regulatory requirements, and procurement processes.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholdermanagement skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working for a state, local, or federal government agency.
• Professional certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, CISSP, ITIL, or equivalent.
• Experience with cloud networking (Azure, AWS, GovCloud).
• Knowledge of publicsector IT governance frameworks and compliance standards.

Position Impact

This role is central to strengthening the client s technology infrastructure and ensuring reliable, secure digital services for government agencies, residents, and public safety partners. The Network Operations Manager will shape the future of network operations and play a key role in the client s digital transformation.