Director, Global Network Services

Job Summary

The Director, Global Network Services is a senior technology leader responsible for defining, evolving, and operationalizing the enterprise strategy for global network infrastructure across Vertiv's worldwide operations. This role provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for all network services — including data center connectivity, manufacturing plant networks, branch office infrastructure, and cloud networking — ensuring seamless, secure, and resilient connectivity that supports Vertiv's mission-critical business operations and continued global growth.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the global network services strategy aligned with Vertiv's business objectives, digital transformation initiatives, and manufacturing operations
• Develop and maintain a multi-year network technology roadmap encompassing SD-WAN, MPLS, cloud connectivity, wireless, and next-generation architectures
• Partner with executive leadership to translate business requirements into scalable, secure network solutions that support 40+ country operations
• Drive innovation through evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies (SASE, Zero Trust Network Access, network automation, AIOps)

Operational Excellence
 

• Oversee the design, deployment, and operation of enterprise network infrastructure across global data centers, manufacturing plants, distribution centers, and corporate offices
• Establish and maintain network performance SLAs, ensuring 99.99%+ availability for mission-critical environments
   
• Direct network capacity planning and optimization to support business growth, M&A integration, and new facility buildouts
   
• Implement robust monitoring, observability, and incident management frameworks to ensure rapid detection and resolution of network issues

Team Leadership & Development
 

• Lead, mentor, and develop a globally distributed team of network engineers and architects (direct and matrixed)
   
• Build a high-performance culture of continuous improvement, operational discipline, and customer service excellence
   
• Manage vendor and service provider relationships, including contract negotiations, SLA governance, and strategic partnerships
   
• Develop and manage the annual network services budget, ensuring cost-effective delivery of services

Security & Compliance
 

• Collaborate with Cybersecurity to ensure network architecture adheres to Zero Trust principles, segmentation strategies, and regulatory compliance requirements (SOX, GDPR, industry standards)
   
• Ensure network designs support audit readiness and governance frameworks across all regions
  Drive network security posture improvements including firewall management, intrusion detection/prevention, and DDoS mitigation

Stakeholder Engagement
 

• Serve as the primary escalation point and subject matter expert for all global network services matters
   
• Communicate network strategy, performance, and risk posture to senior IT leadership and business stakeholders
   
• Partner with application, cloud, and infrastructure teams to ensure network readiness for new business initiatives and technology deployments
   

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related network experience
• 12+ years of progressive experience in network engineering and operations, with 5+ years in a senior leadership role managing global network services
• Deep expertise in enterprise networking technologies: routing/switching (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), SD-WAN, MPLS, firewalls, load balancers, DNS/DHCP, wireless (Wi-Fi 6/6E), and cloud networking (AWS, Azure)
• Proven track record of leading large-scale network transformation programs in complex, multinational manufacturing or industrial environments
• Experience managing geographically distributed teams across multiple time zones
• Strong vendor management skills with major network providers (Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, Aruba, Zscaler)
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage multi-million-dollar budgets
• Preferred:
  • Industry certifications: CCIE, CCNP, PCNSE, or equivalent
  • Experience in manufacturing/industrial environments with OT/IT network convergence
  • Familiarity with network automation tools (Ansible, Terraform, Python scripting)
  • ITIL certification or demonstrated experience with ITSM frameworks
  • Experience supporting M&A integration from a network infrastructure perspective
• Leadership Competencies: