Description

Key Responsibilities

SD-WAN Architecture & Design

• Independently review and validate Cisco SD-WAN architecture and detailed designs against industry and implementation best practices.
• Assess topology, hub/mesh architecture, routing, segmentation, resiliency, multicast, and configuration strategies.
• Review Feature Profile ? Configuration Group ? Site Persona ? Device Variable models for scalability, consistency, and operational efficiency.
• Identify architectural gaps, technical risks, configuration sprawl, and scalability concerns.
• Recommend standardization, automation, and orchestration improvements.
• Ensure architecture is designed for repeatable deployment across diverse site types and network environments.

Cisco SD-WAN Technical Expertise

• Provide deep technical guidance on Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN / Viptela architecture and implementation.
• Review and validate configurations, templates, policies, and deployment models.
• Evaluate Cisco technical recommendations and provide independent architectural assessment.
• Troubleshoot complex SD-WAN design and implementation issues.
• Provide guidance on routing, segmentation, IPsec overlays, multicast, QoS, application-aware routing, and resiliency.

Deployment & Production Readiness

• Review lab and test results against production design intent.
• Support build, integration, testing, and production deployment activities.
• Participate in deployment readiness, cutover, rollback, and go-live planning.
• Provide architecture support during implementation and resolve complex technical issues.
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate improvements into subsequent deployment waves.
• Develop repeatable deployment standards and playbooks.

Architecture Governance

• Lead or participate in technical design reviews and architecture governance sessions.
• Maintain technical risks, issues, decisions, and action items.
• Drive closure of cross-functional technical issues and dependencies.
• Identify deviations from approved architecture and recommend remediation.
• Communicate complex technical issues and recommendations clearly to senior technical and business stakeholders.

Required Technical Skills

• 20+ years of experience in enterprise networking, network architecture, or network engineering.
• 5+ years of strong hands-on Cisco SD-WAN / Viptela experience.
• Deep expertise in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN architecture and deployment.
• Strong experience with Cisco Catalyst 8500 and 8300 platforms.

Strong knowledge of:

• Cisco SD-WAN Manager / vManage
• Feature Profiles and Configuration Groups
• Device and site templates
• Routing and segmentation
• BGP, OSPF and static routing
• IPsec and overlay architecture
• Multicast over SD-WAN
• Hub-and-spoke and hub-mesh architectures
• High availability and resiliency
• QoS and application-aware routing
• MPLS, Internet and hybrid underlay integration
• Experience designing SD-WAN for large, distributed enterprise environments.
• Strong understanding of configuration standardization and scalable deployment models.
• Ability to review and troubleshoot SD-WAN configurations at both architecture and implementation levels.

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with large-scale global SD-WAN transformation programs.
• Experience designing and deploying SD-WAN across hundreds of sites.
• Experience working directly with Cisco technical and architecture teams.
• Experience migrating legacy WAN/MPLS environments to SD-WAN.
• Experience supporting multiple site personas and complex enterprise network environments.
• Knowledge of SD-WAN automation, APIs, scripting, and orchestration.
• Experience developing reusable configuration templates, standards, and deployment playbooks.
• Experience supporting production cutovers and network transformation programs.
• CCIE or equivalent-level Cisco networking expertise preferred.

Leadership & Behavioral Competencies

• Strong architectural judgment and independent decision-making.
• Ability to constructively challenge technical recommendations and drive the right architectural outcome.
• Strong customer and stakeholder management skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication.
• Ability to work effectively across customer, vendor, architecture, and delivery teams.
• Strong ownership and accountability for technical outcomes.
• Ability to translate complex technical discussions into clear decisions and actions.
• Strong documentation and governance discipline.
• Comfortable operating in complex, fast-paced transformation environments.

Key Deliverables

• SD-WAN Architecture & Design Review
• Technical Gap Analysis and Remediation Recommendations
• Architecture Standards and Configuration Guidelines
• Technical Risk, Issue and Decision Tracking
• Deployment and Cutover Readiness Assessment
• SD-WAN Deployment Playbook

Key Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree