Network Administrator at Gulf African Bank

Key Responsibilities:
Network Administration

• Administer, maintain, and support enterprise network infrastructure including LAN, WAN, WLAN, and data center networks.
• Configure and manage network devices including routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and VPN gateways.
• Install, configure, and upgrade network hardware and software.
• Monitor network performance and ensure optimal availability and uptime.

Network Performance and Optimization

• Monitor network traffic, identify bottlenecks, and optimize performance across all network segments.
• Conduct capacity planning and recommend upgrades to support business growth and digital channels.
• Analyse network trends and implement improvements to enhance efficiency and resilience.

Security and Compliance

• Implement and enforce network security controls including firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPNs, and network segmentation.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and security standards (CBK, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001, etc.).
• Conduct regular network security assessments, vulnerability scans, and audits.
• Collaborate with the Information Security team to mitigate risks and respond to threats.
• Backup, Disaster Recovery, and High Availability
• Design and maintain network redundancy and failover mechanisms.
• Support disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BCP) strategies for network infrastructure.
• Participate in DR drills and ensure network readiness for failover scenarios.

Monitoring and Incident Management

• Monitor network systems using enterprise monitoring tools and respond to alerts proactively.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex network issues within agreed SLAs.
• Perform root cause analysis and implement preventive measures.
• Ensure all incidents, problems, and service requests are logged and tracked.

Vendor and Stakeholder Management

• Work with service providers, ISPs, and vendors to ensure service delivery meets SLAs.
• Participate in procurement, evaluation, and onboarding of network solutions and services.
• Collaborate with application, database, and systems teams to support business systems.

Automation and Documentation

• Automate routine network tasks using scripting tools where applicable.
• Maintain up-to-date network diagrams, configurations, and documentation.
• Develop reports on network performance, availability, and security posture

Project Implementation

• Participate in network-related projects including upgrades, migrations, and new deployments.
• Ensure projects are delivered within scope, time, and budget.
• Support rollout of new banking systems, branches, and digital platforms.

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity

• Support and test network recovery procedures during DR/BCP exercises.
• Ensure redundancy and failover mechanisms are properly configured and tested.
• Maintain DR documentation and network recovery plans.

Qualifications, experience and job specific competencies

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or related field.

Experience

• Minimum 4 years’ experience in network administration within a complex, mission-critical environment.
• Proven experience in enterprise network environments, preferably in banking or financial services.
• Experience managing LAN/WAN, data center, and cloud networking environments.

Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of networking protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs, DNS, DHCP).
• Hands-on experience with network devices (Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto, or equivalent).
• Experience with firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and network security technologies.
• Familiarity with virtualization platforms (VMware, Hyper-V) and their networking components.
• Experience with monitoring tools (SolarWinds, Zabbix, or equivalent).
• Understanding of operating systems (Windows Server, Linux).

Certifications

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or equivalent
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) (minimum requirement)
• Fortinet NSE / Palo Alto certifications (added advantage)
• ITIL Foundation (added advantage)

Core competencies

• Customer Focus – Deliver reliable and secure network services to support business operations.
• Accountability – Ensure network uptime, performance, and security.
• Problem Solving – Diagnose and resolve complex network issues effectively.
• Performance Management – Maintain high availability and optimal performance