Software-Defined Network Modernization Manager

oin GDIT to support the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) through our Network, Engineering, Design, Implementation, and Infrastructure Support (NEDIIS) program. As the Software‑Defined Network Modernization Manager, you will lead teams that design, operate, and modernize software‑defined network capabilities across VA’s enterprise. This role supports the VA Office of Information Technology (OIT), delivering secure, adaptable, and cost‑effective network services that power the VA’s mission nationwide.

HOW THE SOFTWARE‑DEFINED NETWORK MODERNIZATION MANAGER WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

• Lead teams that design, operate, and modernize software‑defined networks including SD‑WAN, cloud networking, and enterprise network infrastructure.
• Oversee network architecture, design development, configuration review, and technical refresh activities.
• Provide Tier IV escalation support for complex network and telecom engineering issues.
• Interface with customers and internal stakeholders to gather requirements and deliver high‑quality, standards‑aligned solutions.
• Identify, evaluate, and recommend technologies that support modernization and mission objectives.
• Guide infrastructure and network design functions to ensure efficient, timely, and technically sound delivery.
• Support incremental revenue opportunities through solution development and customer engagement.
• Collaborate across internal teams and customer groups to develop strategy and support implementation.
• Build and maintain strong technical relationships with leadership and technology partners.
• Communicate technical trends, project updates, and design impacts clearly to stakeholders.
• Research emerging technologies, conduct pilots, evaluate vendors, and develop business cases.
• Support escalations by assessing issues and implementing solutions.
• Mentor and train staff on technologies, processes, and professional skills.
• Develop test plans and project timelines.
• Contribute to budgeting efforts and assess financial impacts of technology decisions.
• Write functional requirements and technical specification documents.
• Stay current on emerging infrastructure technologies and competitor approaches.
• Guide evaluation, selection, implementation, and deployment of new technologies.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEED

Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Computer Science, or IT; four additional years of related experience may be substituted for a degree.

Required Experience:
• 5+ years of experience (10+ years desired) in telecom or IT operations delivering secure enterprise voice, video, data, and messaging services.
• Previous experience supporting large‑scale U.S. government agencies or customers.
• Ability to support 24×7×365 operations and Tier II–IV engineering escalation coverage.
• Experience managing PWS‑required network reporting (Elevator Reports, Weekly Ops Reports, Capacity Reports).
• Experience leading tech refresh cycles, configuration audits, and enforcing VA baselines and STIGs.
• Experience overseeing SD‑WAN rollouts, MPLS/VRF, WAN provisioning, and transport migrations.
• Experience managing monitoring tools (SolarWinds, NetScout, LiveAction) and compliance monitoring.
• Experience supporting transition‑in/transition‑out, SOP development, and monthly documentation updates.
• 10+ years developing network architectures for LAN, WAN, MPLS, and SD‑WAN.
• 10+ years planning, implementing, and managing scalable and secure enterprise network infrastructure.
• 10+ years leading network modernization and cloud connectivity projects.
• Hands‑on experience with SD‑WAN, routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), VoIP/SIP/PBX, firewalls, VPNs, and AWS/Azure cloud networking.
• Demonstrated leadership mentoring network engineers and telecom specialists.
• Experience improving MTTR, change failure rate, and operational cost efficiency.
• Experience with NIST SP 800‑53/RMF, Zero Trust/TIC 3.0, FedRAMP, and ATO sustainment.
• Leadership experience in multi‑vendor/SIAM environments with shared KPIs and cross‑domain coordination.
• Experience with monitoring tools such as SolarWinds, Splunk, DataDog, Wireshark, ODL, Cisco vManage, Juniper Contrail, and NetBrain.
• Networking & Identity: VPC/VNet design, hub‑and‑spoke, SD‑WAN integration, DNS, NAT, firewalling, service mesh, SSO, PIV/FIDO2, JIT/PIM/PAM.
• Observability & SRE: OpenTelemetry, Prometheus/Grafana, log analytics/SIEM, SLO/error budgets, synthetic and RUM monitoring.
• Security & Compliance: CIS/STIGs, vulnerability orchestration, encryption, secrets management, least‑privilege patterns, RMF ConMon evidence generation.

Desired Certifications:
• CCNA
• CCNP
• CCIE
• Enterprise SD‑WAN Implementation Certification
• Network+

Security Clearance Level: Must be able to obtain a Public Trust clearance
Visa Sponsorship: Will Not Be Provided For This Position
Location: Hybrid, based out of Martinsburg, WV or Austin, TX.

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE

• At GDIT, the mission is our purpose, and our people are at the center of everything we do.

• Growth: AI-powered career tool that identifies career steps and learning opportunities

• Support: An internal mobility team focused on helping you achieve your career goals

• Rewards: Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages, 401K with company match, competitive pay and paid time off

• Community: Award-winning culture of innovation and a military-friendly workplace

OWN YOUR OPPORTUNITY
Explore an enterprise IT career at GDIT and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your desire to drive operations forward.