Sr. Technical Consultant - Integrated Network Defense Division

Company DescriptionInnovative Solutions (IS) is a leading pure-player Cybersecurity company in the GCC, established in 2003 and headquartered in Riyadh, with a presence in Al Khobar, Jeddah, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. Our Cybersecurity Solutions and Services encompass Advisory Services, Technical Assurance, Solution Deployment, Professional Services, and Managed Security Services.Innovative Solutions is committed to its Mission to "Bring Trust to Cyberspace" to ensure "Your Business, Secured!."Role DescriptionThe Senior Technical Consultant will lead the Integrated Network Defense Department, overseeing the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of secure network architecture across the organization. This role ensures the seamless integration of cybersecurity controls (WAF, FW, EDR, IPS, PAM) with core network functions (routing, switching, load balancing, SD-WAN). The consultant provides expert guidance on security strategies, drives technology modernization, and ensures the resilience, availability, and integrity of the ministry's network and security infrastructure.Key Responsibilities Leadership & StrategyEstablish and lead the Integrated Network Defense Department, including vision, roadmap, and operating modelDevelop and maintain unified network and security architecture aligned with organizational goals and regulatory frameworksLead modernization initiatives, including Zero Trust, SASE, XDR, and network segmentationProvide advisory to senior management on strategic investments, technology refresh, and managed security services adoption Network & Security ArchitectureDesign and oversee enterprise-level architecture that integrates routing, switching, firewalling, WAF, EDR, IPS, NAC, VPN, IAM, and cloud securityEnsure architecture scalability and resilience across HQ, branches, data centers, and cloud environmentsDefine and enforce network security baselines, standards, and hardening guidelinesLead the evaluation and selection of next-generation technologies and vendors Operations & GovernanceEnsure continuous and secure operation of the network and security stack, including performance optimization and incident response alignmentOversee configuration management, change control, and lifecycle management for network and security assetsCollaborate with SOC, NOC, Threat Intelligence, and other cybersecurity teams to create a unified defense approachEstablish KPIs, SLAs, dashboards, and reporting mechanisms for operational visibility and decision making Technical Expertise & SupportAct as the escalation point for complex networking and security issuesProvide architecture reviews, solution designs, PoCs, and troubleshooting leadershipMentor junior engineers and guide knowledge-transfer activities with vendors and managed service providers Compliance & Risk ManagementEnsure adherence to national cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NCA, SAMA CSF) and global best practices (ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, CIS)Conduct risk assessments, gap analyses, and compliance audits on network and security controlsDefine mitigation plans for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, or architectural risksExperienceRequirements (Experience & Skills)10+ years of technical experience in network and cybersecurity domainsProven experience leading teams or departments responsible for routing, switching, firewalls, WAF, EDR, IPS, and related security controlsStrong background in designing enterprise architectures across on-prem, hybrid, and cloud environmentsHands-on expertise with Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, F5, Splunk, Elastic, and similar platformsExperience with Zero Trust implementation, micro-segmentation, and secure access frameworksFamiliarity with government, enterprise, or critical infrastructure environmentsTechnical SkillsAdvanced knowledge of routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), switching, SD-WAN, DNS/DHCP/IPAMStrong skills in firewalling, WAF, EDR/XDR, IPS, proxy, NAC, VPN, IAM/PAMExperience with load balancers, reverse proxies, and traffic engineeringUnderstanding of cloud security (Azure/AWS), microservices architecture, and API securityStrong analytical, documentation, and architecture diagramming skillsSoft SkillsStrong leadership and communication capabilitiesAbility to influence stakeholders and drive cross-functional collaborationExcellent problem-solving and crisis management abilitiesStrategic mindset with ability to translate complex technical issues to business termsCertifications (Preferred)Network CertificationsCCNP / CCIE (Routing & Switching or Security)JNCIP / JNCIEF5 Certified Technology Specialist (CTS)Security CertificationsCISSPCISMGIAC (GSEC, GCIA, GCED, GCIH)Palo Alto PCNSE / Fortinet NSE4-NSE7AWS/Azure Security Specialty (for hybrid/cloud environments)Architecture & Governance CertificationsTOGAFITIL v4