We are looking for a Principal Network Engineer to join a high-profile Government Digital function. In this role, you will act as the Technical Design Authority (TDA) for a national-scale digital infrastructure, providing strategic leadership for one of the most complex network estates in the UK.

As a Principal Engineer, you won’t just be managing technology; you will be managing the technical roadmap. You will bridge the gap between high-level policy requirements and low-level engineering execution, ensuring a secure-by-design, resilient, and automated network environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Design Authority: Lead the architectural direction and serve as the final escalation point for complex network routing, switching, and security issues.
• Strategic Transformation: Drive the migration from Legacy infrastructure to a modern, automated SD-WAN and Multi-Cloud ecosystem (AWS/Azure).
• Leadership & Governance: Manage technical relationships with Tier 1 Implementation Partners and internal delivery teams to ensure alignment with departmental standards.
• Automation Strategy: Champion “Network as Code” initiatives, overseeing the deployment of CI/CD pipelines for network configuration and monitoring.
• Stakeholder Influence: Provide authoritative advice to Senior Civil Service (SCS) leaders on risk, budget, and technological investment.

Technical Stack & Requirements

• Routing & Switching: Expert-level knowledge of Juniper (Mist/SSR) and/or Cisco enterprise solutions.
• SD-WAN: Proven experience designing and implementing tunnel-less or session-smart routing architectures.
• Public Cloud: High proficiency in AWS Cloud WAN, Azure ExpressRoute, and secure transit gateway connectivity.
• Security: Deep understanding of Palo Alto or Fortinet Firewalls within a Zero Trust framework.
• Infrastructure as Code: Hands-on experience with Terraform, Ansible, and Python for network automation.
• Standards: Strong familiarity with NCSC security principles and GDS service standards.

Essential Criteria

• Current SC Clearance: You must hold active SC clearance to be considered.
• Principal Level Experience: Demonstrable experience leading large-scale network departments at senior level
• Communication: Exceptional ability to translate complex technical jargon into strategic business value for non-technical leaders.