Product Owner (Network Automation) (RARR Job 6450)

We are seeking a visionary and results-driven Product Owner for Network Automation to lead the transformation of our global network infrastructure. In this role, you will bridge the gap between strategic business objectives and technical execution. With 10-12 years of deep expertise in networking and automation, you will assess our current automation maturity, define the future-state roadmap, and champion the delivery of robust, scalable automation solutions.

You will be the vital link between stakeholders and a dedicated vendor engineering team, ensuring that our automation pipeline drives operational efficiency, reduces time-to-market, and minimizes manual intervention across our network estate.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Roadmap Vision: Evaluate the current state of our network automation capabilities. Define, prioritize, and maintain the product backlog translating business requirements into actionable user stories and a comprehensive automation roadmap including enhancements to existing scripts and net-new use cases.
• Vendor Delivery Management: Direct and drive the external vendor development teams responsible for writing and implementing the automation scripts. Ensure their deliverables align with architectural standards, timelines, and business logic.
• Project Leadership: Act as the hands-on lead for end-to-end network automation initiatives, ensuring cross-functional alignment and on-time delivery using Agile/Scrum methodologies.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Partner with Network Engineering, Security, and Operations teams to understand pain points, gather requirements, and evangelize the adoption of automation tools.
• Metrics Governance: Define and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the success, efficiency gains, and ROI of implemented network automation solutions.

Qualifications

• Experience Leadership
  • 10-12 years of experience in network engineering with a heavy emphasis on network automation design and implementation.
  • Proven track record of leading complex, large-scale network automation projects from conception through to production.
  • Demonstrated leadership skills with experience managing distributed teams, vendor partners, and driving accountability in a fast-paced environment.
  • Strong understanding of Agile frameworks serving effectively as a Product Owner. Scrum/PO certifications like CSPO or POPM are a significant plus.
• Technical Competencies
  • Hands-on expertise with Infrastructure as Code (IaaC) concepts and configuration management tools, specifically Ansible.
  • Proficiency in Python and modern Python-based network automation frameworks (e.g., Nornir, Nautobot, NetBox).
  • Deep architectural understanding of core networking concepts: Routing/Switching, BGP, OSPF, VPNs, Load Balancing across multi-vendor environments (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, etc.).
  • Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI), version control (Git), and REST APIs for network integration.