Job Details

Senior Network Security and Tools Manager

Position Number: 7153938
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Position Type: Computing - Network/System Administration

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.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state or local law.

Special Requirements
Background checks may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family's health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn's Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family-whatever your personal needs may be.
Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you're newly hired, you won't have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That's why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University's libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There's always something going on at Penn, whether it's a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you're right in the middle of the excitement-and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The University of Pennsylvania is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are considered for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, national origin (including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics), citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or any class protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

To apply, visit https://wd1.myworkdaysite.com/en-US/recruiting/upenn/careers-at-penn/job/3401-Walnut-Street/Senior-Network-Security-and-Tools-Manager_JR00119722-1