Senior Network Engineer

Job summary

Please note this role requires you to pass Security Check clearance. For further information, please see 'Selection process details'.

Do you want to shape resilient, large-scale network services that millions rely on every day?

If so, come and join us as a Senior Network Engineer within DWP Digital.

This Senior Network Engineer role is suited to an experienced practitioner who acts as a role model for Infrastructure excellence. The position sits at the heart of Network Services, promoting best practice across the department and supporting teams to deliver high-quality, reliable Infrastructure products.

The role contributes to the design and evolution of Infrastructure and Network services, working collaboratively with Architecture and Engineering colleagues to ensure alignment with agreed principles, standards and long-term strategy.

Accountability spans the full range of Network Services, with close collaboration across internal teams, external partners, stakeholders and customers. A strong focus is placed on maintaining operational stability, resilience, availability and service quality across DWP networks.

The role also encompasses active backlog management, driving reliability and resilience improvements and leading the automation of low-value tasks, balancing continuous improvement with wider delivery commitments.

Job description

As a Senior Network Engineer, you will:

• Lead and develop the team of Infrastructure engineers inputting into the selection, design and delivery of infrastructure services/solutions ensuring they are aligned to and help achieve IT and Departmental strategy.
• Effectively communicate at different levels, across support and engineering, business users, architecture and 3rd party suppliers.
• Manage the implementation of complex technical solutions, recognising and managing dependencies and risks, driving through to successful implementation.
• Design and manage VXLAN Overlays for scalable Datacentre networking.

It would be beneficial to have experience in the following areas when starting the role, although this is not essential: Arista, Palo Alto, Aruba, AWS and Azure. Familiarity with network automation coding and techniques (Python and Ansible) is a plus.This role includes participation in an on-call rota and may require occasional out-of-hours working to support critical service delivery and operational requirements.

Person specification

See selection process for further details.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact [email removed].

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Technical Breadth

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,961, Department for Work and Pensions contributes £17,081 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave – at least 25 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (pro–rata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 year’s continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Women’s Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

Hybrid Working

This role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work.

If a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for the role and for you, you will normally be required to spend a minimum of 60% of your contracted working hours from your DWP office.

If you have a disability, caring responsibilities, or other circumstances that may affect your ability to meet the minimum office attendance requirement, please discuss this with us using the contact details in this advert.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from £58,961 to £74,399.

The maximum salary for the grade is £69,399, however a Digital Allowance of up to £5,000 per annum is available for exceptional candidates. Digital Allowance is non-salary, and non-pensionable, and is classed as a temporary allowance. It is reviewed annually where it could be retained, amended, or removed.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer will maintain their current substantive salary.

Civil Servants who gain promotion will move to the bottom of the grade pay scale or receive a 10% increase applied to their current substantive salary, whichever is greater.

Any temporary allowances that you are currently in receipt of will not form part of the calculation to determine your pay. Any allowances that are in payment will cease when you move into your new role.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of four parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Employment history - this should contain your work experience and any skills, qualifications and accomplishments relevant to the jobs you have completed