Senior Technical Consultant SDN

AHEAD builds platforms for digital business. By weaving together advances in cloud infrastructure, automation and analytics, and software delivery, we help enterprises deliver on the promise of digital transformation.

At AHEAD, we prioritize creating a culture of belonging, where all perspectives and voices are represented, valued, respected, and heard. We create spaces to empower everyone to speak up, make change, and drive the culture at AHEAD. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and do not discriminate based on an individual's race, national origin, color, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, marital status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law, whether actual or perceived. 

We embrace all candidates that will contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives at AHEAD. 

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced Software Defined Networking (SDN) Specialist to join our team. The ideal candidate will serve as a subject matter expert in software-defined technologies, with deep hands-on expertise in Cisco ACI, Arista or Cisco VxLAN, and VMware NSX (V & T). This role involves leading the design, deployment, and support of complex data center network solutions while ensuring alignment with business goals and customer success.

The SDN Specialist will work closely with cross-functional teams and clients, participating in architectural discussions, delivering workshops, and ensuring successful implementations. Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills are essential, as well as a passion for staying current with emerging technologies. A proven track record of executing large-scale data center projects and holding relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNP/CCIE, ACI, or VMware is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

• Service as subject matter expert for software defined technologies
• Possess a strong understanding of Cisco ACI, Cisco or Arista VxLAN, and VMware NSX (V & T) technologies
• Participate in the deployment of complex solutions, create written deliverables, and conduct client workshops
• Ability to communicate and execute architecture strategy & approach in clear, concise, and understandable terms to client senior management and other client stakeholders
• Ability to implement design architecture objectives that align with client demand & business goals
• Receptive listening skills with the ability to present ideas in a clear, concise fashion to technical and non-technical audiences
• Excellent situational leadership and timely decision-making skills
• Passionate about successful customer outcomes
• Ability to work effectively within all levels of an organization (internally & externally)
• Ability to work both individually and in a team environment
• Demonstrated ability to deliver multiple IT projects on time and within budget
• Ensure knowledge transfer to relevant client teams for smooth operation of deployed solutions
• Obtain and maintain certifications with associated qualifications

Skills Required

• Minimum 7 years of data center experience in enterprise environments
• Deep hands-on technical knowledge and expertise in: Cisco, Arista, or VMware NSX large scale data center deployments/migrations
• Extensive experience with ACI (multi-pod & multi-site) from design to deployment
• Strong sense of ownership, problem solver, sense of urgency and ability to be proactive in resolving challenges
• Experience with VxLAN design, deployment a plus
• Experience with VMware NSX design, deployment, V to T migration a plus
• Depth of knowledge around underlay, overlay concepts, segmentation strategies, and solution interoperability
• Cisco CCNP, ACI, or CCIE certification required
• VMware or Arista certifications a plus

The compensation range indicated in this posting reflects the On-Target Earnings (“OTE”) for this role, which includes a base salary and any applicable target bonus amount. This OTE range may vary based on the candidate’s relevant experience, qualifications, and geographic location.  

Why AHEAD:

Through our daily work and internal groups like Moving Women AHEAD and RISE AHEAD, we value and benefit from diversity of people, ideas, experience, and everything in between.

We fuel growth by stacking our office with top-notch technologies in a multi-million-dollar lab, by encouraging cross department training and development, sponsoring certifications and credentials for continued learning.

USA Employment Benefits include: 

- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance 

- 401(k) 

- Paid company holidays 

- Paid time off 

- Paid parental and caregiver leave 

- Plus more! See benefits https://www.aheadbenefits.com/ for additional details. 

Use of AI:

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, assessing responses, or to capture recordings and create transcriptions or summaries during interviews. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.

If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please refer to the Candidate Privacy Notice or contact us at privacy@ahead.com. 

You may opt-out of the review or analysis of your application and resume by AI tools by using the General Application. Please include the role you wish to apply for in the Additional Information field. You may also choose to opt-out of recording and transcription at any time, including after joining an interview.  Candidates will not be penalized for choosing to opt-out.