Manages the network operations team, SLAs, vendors and roadmap.

Entry

Expert

Coding

Low

Key skills

Team managementNetwork operationsSLA & KPIVendor management

Career overview

The Network Operations Manager runs the network run organisation: staffing, SLAs, vendor contracts, capacity and the automation roadmap. They balance stability, cost and the demand for new connectivity.

Main responsibilities

  • Coordinate operations across teams and geographies
  • Align stakeholders and report progress
  • Manage budget, scope and risks
  • Respect SLA response and resolution targets
  • Mentor junior team members and review their work
  • Run steering committees and project rituals
  • Prepare and execute change requests in production
  • Lead incident resolution and post-mortem analysis
  • Keep technical documentation up to date
  • Produce operations reporting and KPIs

Technical skills

Team management85%
Network operations80%
SLA & KPI80%
Vendor management75%
Budget70%
ITIL70%
Strategy70%
Reporting75%

Technologies

ServiceNowPower BIExcelZabbixPRTGTeamsJiraConfluenceCiscoAnsibleGitSlackMFAVPNGrafanaPower Automate

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

Entry LevelJuniorIntermediateSeniorExpert

Coding level

No codingLowMediumHighVery High
Technical difficulty55%

Useful certifications

Certifications are never mandatory. They are one way among others to prove a skill.

  • ITIL 4 Managing Professional
  • Cisco CCNP
  • PRINCE2 Foundation

Where can this career take you?

Multiple paths are possible. Click a role to open its profile.

Direct progression

Network Operations ManagerNetwork Architect
Where Can Your IT Career Take You?

Where can you go next?

Realistic next career moves, with compatibility and a transition roadmap for each.

Overlap: 24% · Difficulty: Hard

Skills to learn: Routing & switching, Cloud networking, Security

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Where can you go from here?

A typical progression built from real career relationships. Click any role to open its profile.

Soft skills
  • Leadership
  • Clear communication
  • Decisiveness
  • Organisation
  • Negotiation
  • Mentoring
Common previous careers

Roles that frequently lead into this career.

Overlap: 97% · Difficulty: Medium

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Network Operations ManagerNetwork Architect

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