Solution Architect – Shared SD WAN, Wireless, and Routing & Switching

Summary of role:

The Solution Architect – Shared SD WAN, Wireless, and Routing & Switching is responsible for designing, documenting, and governing enterprise network solutions across shared SD WAN, wireless, and routing/switching domains. The role focuses on translating business and technical requirements into scalable, secure, and high availability network architectures, supported by high-quality High-Level Design (HLD) and Low-Level Design (LLD) documentation.

Responsibilities:

Architecture and design:

• Lead requirements gathering and analysis with business, technical, and operational stakeholders.
• Design end to end network solutions covering:
  • Shared SD WAN architectures
  • Enterprise and campus Wireless (Wi Fi) environments
  • Routing and Switching (LAN/WAN, core, distribution, access)
• Produce and maintain High Level Designs (HLDs) and Low-Level Designs (LLDs) aligned to enterprise standards.
• Define logical and physical network architectures, traffic flows, segmentation, resiliency, and failover.

SD WAN and WAN:

• Architect shared SD WAN solutions supporting multi-tenant or multi business environments.
• Define WAN connectivity, internet breakout strategies, QoS, application steering, and redundancy.
• Ensure designs support scalability, performance, and operational simplicity.

Wireless and LAN:

• Design enterprise wireless solutions including RF architecture, controller based or cloud managed models.
• Define LAN switching designs including VLANs, IP addressing, routing, segmentation, and redundancy.
• Ensure compliance with performance, security, and availability requirements.

Governance and standards:

• Ensure designs adhere to architectural principles, security standards, and best practices.
• Contribute to network standards, reference architectures, and design templates.
• Review and validate designs produced by delivery or partner teams.

Stakeholder and delivery support:

• Present technical designs to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Provide design handover and guidance to delivery, implementation, and operations teams.
• Support solution planning, sizing, and cost estimation.

Qualifications:

• Matric and a Tertiary Qualification
• Relevant tertiary qualification in IT, Networking, or Engineering (Advantageous)
• Industry certifications (Advantageous), such as:
  • Cisco (CCNP / CCIE)
  • SD WAN vendor certifications
  • Wireless certifications

Skills:

• Strong experience in network solution architecture across SD WAN, wireless, and routing/switching.
• 8+ years networking experience, with several years in architecture or design roles.
• Solid understanding of:
  • WAN technologies (MPLS, DIA, broadband, LTE/5G)
  • Enterprise LAN switching and routing (Layer 2/3, OSPF, BGP)
  • Enterprise wireless design principles
• Understanding of network security concepts (segmentation, firewall integration, authentication).
• Experience working with enterprise or service provider network environments.