Network Architect

What if you were given the opportunity and responsibility to make a difference? It is time to embrace your Infinite Possibilities. This is your opportunity to be part of International Paper, a Fortune 500 company and global leader in paper and packaging products. IP is known for our commitment to the environment and to cutting-edge technology. We have spent more than 100 years creating new ideas, and we are looking for people who can collaborate to help us build on our history, while creating future success. We are committed to attracting, preparing, promoting and supporting our teams. At International Paper, you control your destiny. We offer benefits, challenges, global opportunities and total rewards. When we say Infinite Possibilities, we mean it.

The Network Architect provides consultation, design and engineering support for data center, Azure, WAN and supporting services for the enterprise.  The position creates and supports new and existing network solutions, and develops metrics, performance monitoring, reporting, business continuity and disaster recovery plans for those solutions.  The Network Architect is a technical liaison between Global Telecom and other teams, including Information Security, Cloud Architecture and Enterprise Architecture.  The position provides network and cloud architectural support and overall direction, guidance and stewardship for projects sponsored by other IT groups within International Paper. The position collaborates with network engineers to lab test, document and generate engineering templates and guidelines for repeatable rollouts. This position reports to the Manager of Architecture, Processes and Metrics, who reports to the Global Telecom Senior Manager.

Responsibilities:

• Create, validate and refine network architecture roadmaps and standards, which includes colocation data centers and cloud data centers (Azure)
• Develop and ensure consistency in how Global Telecom architecture is implemented, including support and lifecycle management
• Provide stewardship over all of the applications and data that rely on networking components
• Advance enterprise-wide Global Telecom standards and strategies that support current and future IP business requirements
• Participate in planning, design, documentation, implementation and support of the WAN, Internet, data center, colocation and cloud infrastructures
• Ensure architecture provides a security-first emphasis and includes support documentation
• Develop and supervise implementation of QoS strategy supporting voice, video and business applications
• Identify, communicate and implement potential opportunities for architecture, management and automation improvements
• Set and support the measuring of solution service levels, in order to meet and surpass the expected customer performance
• Develop and adhere to standard and repeatable processes for the delivery and support of network solutions
• Research and plan proactive changes that must be performed to prevent problems
• Provide technical escalation support to address immediate, complex problems

Key Accountabilities: 

Solutions that Maximize Value for the Business and IT

• Translate requirements into the conceptual and logical architecture components required for solutions while ensuring alignment with architecture strategies, IT goals and industry direction
• Consult with application development teams and application vendors on new applications and systems
• Lead technical project requirements, such as documentation, presentations and implementations
• Ensure that solutions maximize ROI and provide the most effective service possible at the lowest cost
• Collaborate with other IT groups to integrate network solutions with their IT infrastructure components
• Prescribe the use of existing tools and new products to manage solutions’ health and capabilities
• Provide low-level designs and configuration templates for the deployment of project solutions and technology enhancements
• Provide technical guidance on networking solutions, technology roadmaps and vendor products
• Maintain relationships and product knowledge of key vendors and partners

Standards and Roadmaps

• Develop technology roadmaps, integrating product lifecycles, and determine the overarching direction of solutions
• Gather requirements, provide design, and implement solutions that align with the defined roadmap
• Communicate with internal IT service providers, concerning architectural standards and best practices
• Design, test proof-of-concepts using network models and the lab, execute pilots of new solutions in production, and regularly audit solutions after implementation
• Guide vendor relationships and enterprise-wide agreements, researching and recommending vendor products
• Maintain a proper record of the networks, including network drawings, text descriptions and equipment configurations
• Document processes, installation procedures, and issue / resolution procedures
• Troubleshooting network architecture and making recommendations for system findings and enhancements
• Making recommendations for leveraging network installations and reducing operational costs
• Stay current with IT industry trends, in order to leverage new designs in the enterprise network
• Research, design, engineer and planning for on-premise, hybrid & cloud networking environments
• Document and drive best practices throughout Global Telecom
• Solve complex problems with given limitations of processes and technologies
• Provide consulting, coaching and training to the enterprise, in regards to Global Telecom architectures

Maintenance and support of all data center network technologies and services with end-to-end ownership

• Connect architecture to Global Telecom engineering teams
• Execute applicable enterprise networking roadmaps, standards and support processes
• Coordinate engineers, facility management and vendor related activities, regarding all service activities
• Develop Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity strategies and solutions, and participate in planned exercises
• Monitor and maintain network solutions using appropriate toolsets and key metrics
• Provide root cause analysis of problems, looking for inefficient or broken processes, and consider ways to automate
• Lead and manage a cross-functioning technology team and solve complex problems with many variables

Qualifications: 

• A Bachelor’s Degree in an IT-related field or equivalent experience operating enterprise networks
• 10 years of network engineering / architecture experience in design and support of enterprise networks
• 2 years of experience working within Azure cloud, Azure network operations and Azure automation
• 2 years of professional experience architecting network technologies
• Cisco CCNP and Microsoft Azure certifications or equivalent experience
• Experience operating large-scale data center environments is required
• Cisco ACI, EPGs, Contracts, APIC controller-based experience
• Cisco ASR and ISR router, IWAN, SDWAN, overlay and underlay networking experience required
• Cisco Catalyst switching and Nexus 9K, 7K, 5K and 2K technology experience required
• An advanced understanding and practical application experience for most of the following technologies, services, vendors:
• Layer 2 technologies, including Spanning-Tree, VLANs, VTP, UDLD, VDC and CDP
• Layer 3 technologies, including IPv4, BGP, EIGRP, OSPF, IPv6, HSRP, VRRP, MPLS and IPSec
• VXLAN, VDCs, OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, QoS, performance monitor, tuning and packet decodes
• Experience with routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, IPS’s and other technologies
• Cisco LAN, wireless and firewall, NetScaler load balancing solutions, Riverbed WAN optimization
• Cisco’s Defined Network (SDN) technologies for WAN, LAN, data center and NFV
• Management applications, including SolarWinds, LiveAction, Splunk, GNS3, Wireshark, Nmap, Syslog, SNMP, Netflow and SIEM
• Cisco IPT and collaboration is a plus
• Ansible, Python, Perl, TCL, Bash or EEM scripting (preferred)
• Data center related technology and collocation environment experience, preferably Equinix
• Experience with Azure cloud networking and an understanding of cloud network security
• Understanding of virtualization and cloud solutions offered by VMWare in an Azure environment
• Must be highly self-motivated to succeed, flexible with changing requirements and able to learn on the fly
• Prioritizes responsibilities and work under tight deadlines
• Proven ability to manage complex group dynamics and interpersonal situations
• Professional and courteous attitude towards all team members
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Able to work independently and easily collaborate with others
• Can mentor others and lead by example
• Demonstrate practical application of the following competencies: Command Skills; Customer Focus; Decision Quality; Innovation Management; Political Savvy; Presentation Skills; Process Management; Technical Savvy; Written Communications

International Paper is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

Memphis TN 38197