Designs target network architectures, standards and connectivity strategy.
Entry
Expert
Coding
Medium
Key skills
Common progression
Career overview
The Network Architect defines how the network evolves over years: topology, redundancy, segmentation, cloud interconnect and the balance between cost and performance. Decisions here are felt across the whole IT estate.
Main responsibilities
- Architect network solutions
- Design LAN, WAN and interconnection architectures
- Align stakeholders and report progress
- Own the technical roadmap of the perimeter
- Keep technical documentation up to date
- Coordinate with software vendors and third parties
- Prepare and execute change requests in production
- Mentor junior team members and review their work
- Follow capacity, performance and resource usage
- Automate recurring tasks with scripts
Technical skills
Technologies
Education level
Education requirements vary depending on the company, country and experience. Professional experience, certifications and technical skills can sometimes compensate for formal education.
High School / Bac
Less common
Bac+2 (2-year degree)
Less common
Bac+3 (Bachelor)
Less common
Bac+5 (Master / Engineering)
Common entry point
Experience & coding level
Experience level
Coding level
Useful certifications
Certifications are never mandatory. They are one way among others to prove a skill.
- CCIE
- Cisco Certified Architect
- AWS Advanced Networking
Where can this career take you?
Multiple paths are possible. Click a role to open its profile.
Direct progression
Possible branches
Common trajectories
Where can you go next?
Realistic next career moves, with compatibility and a transition roadmap for each.
Overlap: 48% · Difficulty: Medium
Skills to learn: Landing zones, Migration, Governance
View roadmapOverlap: 37% · Difficulty: Easy
Skills to learn: Capability mapping, Stakeholder management, Roadmapping
View roadmapOverlap: 48% · Difficulty: Easy
Skills to learn: Solution design, Stakeholder management, Documentation
View roadmapOverlap: 23% · Difficulty: Hard
Skills to learn: Technology vision, Innovation, Stakeholder management
View roadmapWhere can you go from here?
A typical progression built from real career relationships. Click any role to open its profile.
Soft skills
- Strategic thinking
- Big-picture thinking
- Clear communication
- Leadership
- Negotiation
- Documentation writing
Common previous careers
Roles that frequently lead into this career.
Overlap: 66% · Difficulty: Hard
Skills to learn: Vendor strategy, Cost modelling
View roadmapOverlap: 61% · Difficulty: Medium
Skills to learn: SD-WAN, Vendor strategy, Cost modelling
View roadmapRelated resources
Continue your career exploration
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A documented transition from this role to the next.
Network ArchitectCloud Architect
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