Senior Network Security and Tools Manager

Job Details

Senior Network Security and Tools Manager

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn's distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America's Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Senior Network Security and Tools Manager

Job Profile Title

Information Technology Manager Senior

Job Description Summary

Information Systems & Computing (ISC) is the University of Pennsylvania's central IT organization, providing the core network, data, voice, video, and enterprise application infrastructure and services upon which Penn's numerous Schools and Centers build their unique tools and capabilities.

ISC's 300-plus employees work closely with the University's IT organizations in order to create, deliver and support products and services that help Schools and Centers operate efficiently and effectively. We strive to be easy to work with, and to serve as a trusted advisor to Penn's IT community, faculty, staff and students in support of an environment of discovery and progress.

ISC's focus on customer service and the high-quality, cost-effective, reliable implementation of modern IT solutions advances the mission of the University, as well as that of each individual School and Center. At Penn, technological freedom and departmental autonomy represent dearly held core values. ISC supports those ideas by providing foundational services and cogent counsel, empowering individuals and departments to employ their distinct strengths in support of their goals.

Learn more about us by visiting https://www.isc.upenn.edu/about or www.linkedin.com/company/penn-information-systems-computing/.

The Senior Network Security and Tools Manager will report to the Director of Networking in ISC Technology Services. This technical leader will manage a team of network engineers providing networking services for the complex, multi-vendor, dual-stack enterprise network. This role will serve as the service owner for firewall services, monitoring tools, and critical network services such as DNS, DHCP, and IPAM. The manager will also partner closely with the network architecture team to drive automation initiatives, oversee the transition from traditional network monitoring to full observability, and ensure our tools and processes deliver reliability, scalability, and efficiency.

This role demands a strategic thinker with hands-on technical knowledge and the ability to lead transformative initiatives in a complex environment. Excellent communication and customer management skills are critical for success in this role.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities:

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of engineers responsible for network security and critical network services.
• Provide strategic direction for network security, including the use of firewall and VPN technologies.
• Define standards, methods, and best practices for network tools and automation processes.
• Build automation using Python and other related tools.
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions.
• Recommend technical direction and oversight, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture and operational goals.
• Partner with the Office of Information Security and other teams to drive innovation in network security technologies.
• Partner with vendors and external providers for product evaluation and integration.
• Maintain expert-level knowledge of networking, network security, and automation technologies; benchmark across industry.
• Maintain expert knowledge of DNS, DHCP, and IPAM. Make policy decisions related to these technologies.
• Drive adoption of observability platforms and modern monitoring strategies.
• Represent the organization on technical committees and lead special projects, including enterprise-wide initiatives.
• Manage complex team dynamics, including navigating and leading difficult conversations when needed.
• Ensure delivery against key goals, timelines, and service-level objectives.
• Promote a proactive, action-oriented mindset across the team.
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 4 to 6 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Proven experience leading network security teams and initiatives in a complex, enterprise environment.
• Proven ability to establish a clear vision and operating model, then ensure execution through measurable goals, regular progress reviews, and decisive course correction.
• Expert knowledge of networking: IPv4 & IPv6, dynamic routing protocols such as BGP & OSPF, overlay technologies such as MPLS & VXLAN.
• Expert knowledge of firewall technology.
• Proven experience managing a large enterprise networks, preferably in a higher education environment.
• Experience leading teams of engineers.
• Experience with Linux administration and Python scripting skills.
• Experience building strong vendor partnerships to deliver on strategic goals.
• Ability to define and enforce standards, methods, and best practices.
• Strong decision-making skills, with the ability to evaluate pros and cons and translate them into clear recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to challenge assumptions and think critically to drive better solutions.
• Excellent communication and customer service skills.

Skills:

• Expert knowledge of networking & firewalls.
• Experience leading technical teams.
• Ability to define and enforce standards and best practices.
• Ability to grow technical skillset for self and team.
• Python scripting.
• Excellent communication, team-building, and customer management skills.

Preferred:

• Hands-on experience with Palo Alto and/or FortiNet firewalls
• Experience with Efficient IP SolidServer products
• Experience providing services in a higher-education environment
• Experience with Carrier-Grade NAT devices

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Information Systems and Computing

Pay Range

$101,750.00 - $150,000.00 Annual Rate Salary offers are made based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, and in alignment with salary ranges based on external market data for the job's level. Internal organization and peer data at Penn are also considered.