Principal Network Engineer – Network & Security Patching (Banking Domain)

Hi,

We have an urgent requirement for Principal Network Engineer – Network & Security Patching (Banking Domain) is required for our banking clients in Abu Dhabi ,UAE Principal Network Engineer to manage patching and lifecycle maintenance of network and network security infrastructure within a regulated banking-- Must Strong Experience Firewalls (Fortinet, Palo Alto, F5, Cisco, Check Point)WAF / IPS / DDoS protection technologies, Routing & switching (BGP, OSPF, VLANs)-- Must Expertise in patch management and upgrade lifecycle for network/security devices.--- Must Strong understanding of vulnerability management and security hardening.--- Must Provide L2/L3 support for network and security operations, including: Incident troubleshooting and resolution Critical outage handling and escalation Root Cause Analysis (RCA) participation-- Must Certificate :CCNP,CCIE,CISSP -- Any one must -NSE PCNSE ITIL— preffered Strong Banking Domain -- Must Role Summary We are seeking an experienced Principal Network Engineer to manage patching and lifecycle maintenance of network and network security infrastructure within a regulated banking environment. The primary responsibility is to ensure timely remediation of vulnerabilities through controlled patching processes , while maintaining high availability, security posture, and regulatory compliance The role requires strong expertise in risk assessment, impact analysis, and stakeholder communication , ensuring all changes are executed with minimal disruption and in full alignment with governance processes.In addition, the engineer will provide secondary support to Network & Security Operations (L2/L3) for incident handling and operational stability. Note: This role involves planned after-hours and weekend work aligned with approved maintenance windows for production systems. Key Responsibilities 1. Network & Security Patch Management (Primary Role)

• Own end-to-end patch management lifecycle for network and security appliances (firewalls, WAF, IPS, routers, switches, VPN, etc.).
• Perform scheduled upgrades, patches, hotfixes, and firmware updates in line with vendor advisories and internal policies.
• Ensure all devices are compliant with security baselines, vulnerability remediation timelines, and audit requirements.
• Maintain up-to-date inventory and patch status of all in-scope infrastructure.
• Risk, Impact & Compliance Management
• Perform pre-change impact analysis and risk assessment, including dependency mapping and business impact evaluation.
• Ensure all activities follow formal Change Management (CAB) processes with proper approvals and documentation.
• Conduct patch testing in non-production environments and validate stability prior to production rollout.
• Define and maintain rollback/contingency plans for all changes.
• Ensure adherence to:

• Central Bank and internal regulatory requirements
• PCI-DSS / security compliance standards
• Audit and risk governance frameworks

• Stakeholder Communication & Reporting
• Communicate patch schedules, risks, and expected service impact to technical teams, business stakeholders, and management.
• Provide real-time updates during maintenance windows and post-implementation reports.
• Ability to translate technical risk and impact into business-friendly communication.
• Coordinate with application owners, infrastructure teams, security teams, and vendors for seamless execution.
• Operational Support (Secondary Role)
• Provide L2/L3 support for network and security operations, including:

• Incident troubleshooting and resolution
• Critical outage handling and escalation
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA) participation

• Support BAU operations for firewalls, WAF, IPS, VPN, and routing/switching environments.
• Work closely with SOC/NOC and operational teams to maintain service availability.
• Governance, Documentation & Continuous Improvement
• Maintain audit-ready documentation for all patching activities, approvals, and implementation outcomes.
• Support internal/external audits by providing evidence of patch compliance and change controls.
• Identify opportunities to improve:

• Patch automation
• Deployment cycles
• Risk mitigation processes

• Contribute to standard operating procedures (SOPs) and best practices.
• After-Hours / Weekend Activity
• Execute majority of patching during approved maintenance windows (after-hours/weekends) to minimize business impact.
• Provide on-call support during critical patching or incident scenarios.

Required Skills & ExperienceTechnical Skills

• 4–7 years of experience in network/security engineering within enterprise environments (banking preferred).
• Proven experience in:

• Firewalls (Fortinet, Palo Alto, F5, Cisco, Check Point)
• WAF / IPS / DDoS protection technologies
• Routing & switching (BGP, OSPF, VLANs)

• Hands-on expertise in patch management and upgrade lifecycle for network/security devices.
• Strong understanding of vulnerability management and security hardening.

Soft Skills

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to assess risk and articulate impact clearly to business and leadership.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to work under pressure during critical maintenance or incidents.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science / IT / related discipline.
• certifications:

• CCNP / CCIE
• NSE / PCNSE
• CISSP / ITIL

Working Conditions

• Role requires regular after-hours and weekend work aligned with banking change windows.
• Operates in a highly regulated, audit-driven environment with strict adherence to governance controls.

Skills: patching,security,network