RQ10525 Technology Architect Senior

Deliverables:

This Senior Technology Architect role requires extensive knowledge of modern network and network security technologies network infrastructure broadband connectivity industry options and internet technologies with demonstrated hands-on experience designing and developing modern networks and network security solutions. The role also requires proven experience in analyzing configuring implementing and troubleshooting software-defined networking (SDN) and network security solutions ideally within the K-12 education sector.

This resource will act as a strategic bridge between complex technical network architecture and executive decision-making providing clarity and alignment and ensuring leadership understands the reference architecture its purpose and strategic path for its evolution. This includes updating and evolving network reference architectures translating technical realities into clear actionable insights to support informed decision-making by school boards and executive and sector stakeholders.

The resource will be responsible for but not limited to:

• Leading the development maintenance and evolution of network reference architectures for Ontarios K-12 education and Broader Public Sector environments ensuring architectures clearly articulate:
  
• Current-state and target-state designs
  
• Trust boundaries dependencies and failure domains and
  
• Alignment with security identity and cloud strategies.
  
• Contributing to the development of implementation and strategic roadmaps based on new and emerging network architecture solutions and technology trends and industry analysis.
  
• Providing subject matter expertise strategic advice solution and architecture guidance consultancy training implementation guidance and hands-on troubleshooting and configuration for:
  
• Security service edge (SSE) / secure access service edge (SASE) including integration of network and security functions e.g. secure web gateway (SWG) cloud access security broker (CASB) zero-trust network architecture and firewall-as-a-service (FWaaS)
  
• Network security and network operations centre (NOC) technologies and services
  
• SDN technology including software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN)
  
• Complex network performance issues with network performance management tools (e.g. Wireshark Network Analyzer PRTG (Paessler Router Traffic Grapher) NetFlow)
  
• Network data monitoring and management
  
• Operation technology (OT) security
  
• Advanced intrusion prevention systems (IPS) intrusion detection systems (IDS) network access control and distributed denial of service (DDoS) protection
  
• Endpoint protection platforms (EPP) endpoint detection and response (EDR) and extended detection and response (XDR) solutions
  
• Identity security and authentication solutions (password less password-based certificate-based MFA) and
  
• Incident Response and Incident Management (IR and IM) solutions.
  
• Providing subject matter expertise in network operations centre (NOC) and security operations centre (SOC) technologies services and tools including but not limited to:
  
• Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
  
• Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) and
  
• Network traffic analyzer network performance monitoring and network configuration management tools.
  
• Translating technical architectures and other technical materials into clear executive-ready visuals and narratives bridging technical teams and senior decision-makers through concise plain-language communications for school boards executives and sector stakeholders.
  
• Developing materials for and presenting to school board senior management executives and sector stakeholders including executive briefings working sessions and stakeholder forums.
  
• Reviewing and validating architectural approaches proposed by vendors managed security services providers and integrators.
  
• Coordinate effectively across multiple stakeholder groups to ensure architectural coherence unified and consistent messaging and alignment with established standards and policy direction.
  
• Creating/updating detailed system documentation and technical specifications for various solutions and architecture including software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) network technology network security network protection and NOC solutions.
  
• Assessing new and emerging network and network security solutions technology trends and industry analysis.
  
• Delivering training and operational guidance to board IT and security teams.
  
• Providing subject matter expertise in the development and delivery of technical training courses to support boards.
  
• Providing regular status updates and project reports on assigned deliverables.
  
• Taking a collaborative approach to solution definition development and implementation with multiple stakeholder groups with differing needs and expectations.
  
• Delivering on other duties as assigned.
  

• This work involves working in close partnership with various government departments the K-12 education sector telecommunications providers and network and cyber security technology vendors to develop tailored approaches and implementation plans. To support various stakeholders the resource must be available to at the client site as required. Therefore the resource must be available to travel same day or overnight in Ontario as needed.
  
• The unit manager may assign other related board work for other unit or branch initiatives as required.
  

Requirements

Experience and Skill Set Requirements:

Must Haves:

• 5 years of experience in network security within advanced SDN environments
  
• 5 years of experience with network security and network protection solutions and technologies
  
• 2 years of experience with data analysis and data visualization tools to develop network dashboards (e.g. Tableau Microsoft Power BI).
  
• Demonstrated experience with secure access service edge (SASE) platforms and solutions.
  
• 5 years of experience with network infrastructure solutions and technologies (e.g. LAN/WAN VPN VLAN) and hardware (e.g. switches routers firewalls).
  
• 5 years of experience with software-defined networking (SDN) / software-defined area network (SD-WAN) technologies in particular Fortinet Meraki and Palo Alto
  
• 5 years of experience presenting to senior and executive management and stakeholders
  
• Proven experience communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences including executive and senior management and stakeholders
  
• Degree in computer science engineering or a related discipline
  

Nice To Have:

• postgraduate degree (e.g. . M.A. Adand/or Ph.D.) preferred
  
• Cyber security credentials e.g. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
  

Skill Set Requirements:

Network Security:

• 5 years of experience in network security within advanced SDN environments preferably in Ontario K12 school boards.
  
• 5 years of experience with network security and network protection solutions and technologies preferably for Ontario K-12 school boards including:
  
• Next-generation firewalls (specifically Fortinet Meraki Palo Alto)
  
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) protection
  
• Advanced Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
  
• Network access control (e.g. HPE Aruba ClearPass FortiNAC)
  
• Endpoint protection and cloud-based security solutions
  
• 5 years of experience with authentication solutions and technologies including:
  
• Password-based authentication
  
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
  
• Certificate-based authentication
  
• Biometric authentication (e.g. Fast Identity Online (FIDO) Universal 2nd Factor (U2F) FIDO2 Google Authenticator Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML))
  
• 2 years of experience with data analysis and data visualization tools to develop network dashboards (e.g. Tableau Microsoft Power BI).
  
• Demonstrated experience assessing and evaluating new and emerging network security technologies with pilots and proof-of-concepts.
  
• Demonstrated experience with secure access service edge (SASE) platforms and solutions.
  
• Excellent knowledge and exposure to IoT security issues and data-capturing mechanisms.
  

Network Technology:

• 5 years of experience with network infrastructure solutions and technologies (e.g. LAN/WAN VPN VLAN) and hardware (e.g. switches routers firewalls).
  
• 5 years of experience with software-defined networking (SDN) / software-defined area network (SD-WAN) technologies in particular Fortinet Meraki and Palo Alto preferably for Ontario K-12 school boards.
  
• 5 years of hands-on experience in data network and performance monitoring and management tools (e.g. SolarWinds FortiManager Panorama) preferably for Ontario K-12 school boards.
  
• 5 years of experience with traffic analysis tools data logging mechanisms and technologies (e.g. Syslog IPFix NetFlow).
  
• 5 years of experience configuring troubleshooting and administering network protocols (e.g. MPLS VPLS VLAN Trunking Protocol).
  
• 5 years of experience with machine learning tools in network data analysis and prediction.
  
• Hands-on experience performing network load testing testing analysis performance analysis and risk assessments to ensure sound network architecture preferably for Ontario K-12 school boards.
  
• 
  

Communications and Stakeholder Engagement:

• 5 years of experience presenting to senior and executive management and stakeholders.
  
• 5 years of experience coordinating and leading complex technical work with multiple IT teams and stakeholders.
  
• 5 years of experience preparing written materials (e.g. status reports executive reports recommendations).
  
• Proven experience communicating complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences including executive and senior management and stakeholders.
  
• Experience operating in advisory and/or consulting roles within complex organizations.
  

Public Sector Experience:

• Familiarity with Government of Ontario standards (e.g. GO-ITS) policy and relevant legislation (e.g. Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act 2024 (EDSTA)).
  
• Experience working within or alongside the Broader Public Sector (education preferred).
  

Relevant Degrees / Industry Certifications:

• Degree in computer science engineering or a related discipline postgraduate degree (e.g. . M.A. Adand/or Ph.D.) preferred.
  
• Relevant industry certifications or equivalent experience.
  
• Cyber security credentials e.g. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) considered an asset but not mandatory.