North Carolina State University

Posting Number PG194106EP

Internal Recruitment No

Working Title Network Operations Manager

Anticipated Hiring Range $115,000 - $135,000

Work Schedule M-F 8-5; after hours as needed

Job Location Raleigh, NC

Department Communication Technologies

About the Department

Communication Technologies (ComTech) is dedicated to delivering exceptional communication and network services with a strong emphasis on customer service. We serve the diverse and growing NC State University community, which includes over 38,000 students and more than 10,000 faculty and staff. As the university’s primary network and telephony service provider, we proudly manage a premier enterprise network. ComTech is responsible for designing, maintaining, and supporting the data and voice infrastructures, critical facilities, and all associated components.

Our mission is to provide seamless and reliable communication services that empower the university’s academic, research, and administrative goals. ComTech offers a comprehensive range of services, including, wired, wireless and secured networks, telephony, life safety systems and critical facilities, ensuring the university community stays connected and supported at all times.

Essential Job Duties

The Network Operations Manager position will manage a team of 7 direct reports ensuring operational excellence across all supported service offerings. This role requires extensive experience in network infrastructure, including leadership and expertise in enterprise networking, specifically switching/routing, wireless, firewalls, and related services. Candidates should have a strong understanding of ITIL frameworks and incident management, as well as the ability to lead crisis management and troubleshooting efforts. Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills are essential for this role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Network Operations team, ensuring operational support of the university’s wired, wireless, network security, and remote access networks.
• Oversee the daily monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting of the university’s enterprise network infrastructure.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performance team environment, ensuring staff are well-trained, engaged, and equipped to support mission-critical services.
• Prioritize network-related tasks, incidents, and projects, ensuring service excellence and operational efficiency.
• Work closely with senior engineers to support large-scale network upgrades, security improvements, and infrastructure enhancements, network troubleshooting, and incident resolution.

Incident Response & Troubleshooting

• Act as an escalation point for network operations, guiding teams through root cause analysis and resolution.
• Manage high-priority incidents, ensuring minimal service disruption and timely resolution of network failures.
• Develop and implement standardized troubleshooting workflows to enhance efficiency in diagnosing and resolving network issues.
• Participate in response efforts during critical network disruptions, ensuring effective communication and rapid resolution.

Network Performance & Automation

• Oversee network monitoring tools, optimizing their use for proactive issue detection and resolution.
• Support/lead automation efforts of operational tasks to improve network performance, availability, and incident response.
• Collaborate with DevOps engineers to implement network automation and AI-driven analytics for predictive monitoring.

Documentation & Knowledge Management

• Maintain comprehensive documentation of network operations, ensuring consistency in processes, workflows, and troubleshooting guides.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, ensuring team members have access to updated training, documentation, and best practices.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with senior leadership, IT teams, and campus stakeholders to ensure alignment between operational needs and institutional goals.
• Provide regular updates/reports on network health, incident response, and operational improvements.

Other Responsibilities

• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Master’s degree and at least five year of relevant experience OR
• Bachelor’s degree with at least seven years of relevant experience OR
• 10+ years of IT network infrastructure experience AND 3-5 years in a leadership role

Other Required Qualifications

• Expertise in enterprise network operations, security compliance, and ITIL-based service management.
• Demonstrable knowledge of enterprise networking, with a minimum of CCNA certification or equivalent practical experience. This includes in-depth knowledge of switching/routing, firewalls, VPNs, DNS/DHCP/IPAM systems, and wireless technologies.
• Hands-on experience with campus networking switching/routing, firewalls, VPNs, DNS/DHCP/IPAM systems, and wireless.
• Demonstrated ability to lead crisis management efforts and oversee incident resolution.
• Experience managing large-scale network operations and troubleshooting mission-critical infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of ITIL frameworks, incident/change management, and automation technologies.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Network Certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, CISSP, ITIL or equivalent.
• Background in higher education or state government
• Familiarity with network automation frameworks.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required Yes

Commercial Driver's License required No

Job Open Date 05/21/2025

Anticipated Close Date Open until filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with your completed application, please include as attachments a resume and the contact information for at least three professional references.

Position Number 00008044

Position Type EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week) 1.0

Appointment 12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events Mandatory - Fire/Explosions, Mandatory - Medical Emergencies, Mandatory - Hazardous Material Incidents, Mandatory - Transportation Accidents, Mandatory - Evacuations/Natural Hazards, Mandatory - Utilities/Infrastructure Failure, Mandatory - Threats of Violence/Terrorism/Interpersonal Emergencies

Department ID 516001 - Communication Technologies

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

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