Network Specialist (10), Network Communications Team

REF SUPP101226
1
School or Division/
Address:

JOB DESCRIPTION

IT Services, Computer Centre, University of Bristol, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol,

BS8 1UD

Academic Faculty / Support Services Division:

Network Communications, IT Services

(Supplementary information for recruitment only)

Professional and
Job Family / Grade:
Administrative / Grade J
Hours of work:
100% time

Salary range:

Contract type:

1.1

Work pattern:

35,256 - 39,685 per

annum
Full time

Open ended

Main Job Purpose

To be responsible, working closely with other members of the team and being guided by more senior
members, for the installation, configuration, management, support, and operation of the Universitys data
network and the services and devices that run on it, including its links to JANET (Joint Academic Network),
UHBristol, and NBHT, undertaking the wide variety of work that is associated with this.
To be responsible for providing network security using the Universitys main firewalls and also for other
firewalls located throughout the University to provide additional network security where this is needed.

1.2

Statement of Responsibilities

Analysis, Reporting and Documentation

Install, configure, procure, upgrade, decommission and maintain the University network
hardware/software and infrastructure; this includes routers, switches, wireless devices, media
converters, voice over IP phones, and other associated equipment, and the software that runs on
these devices, working closely with other University staff. This hardware must be made safe and
secure, taking note of health and safety issues, and installed in an appropriate way.
To be responsible for all network cabling, both fibre optic and copper, in the Computer Centre
communications and machine room being very careful not to disturb any existing cables or network
devices. To assist with all network cabling anywhere else in the University. To label all cables and to
keep a record of this information in a cables database (this information must be kept up-to-date to
allow for quick resolution of network faults).
Network device configuration management. To keep all configuration files backed up on secure
servers current and up-to-date, to allow the quick resolution of faults.
Produce documentation, including network diagrams and device configuration files.
Customer Services & Support
Act as a point of contact for internal and helpdesk staff, and to initiate work on their behalf.
Give advice to members of the University on firewall/security matters.
Give advice and guidance on procurement, prices and suitability of different equipment options.
Planning & Organising
Plan, schedule and prioritise important network upgrades and installations, to make sure these are
implemented smoothly and efficiently to avoid network downtime.
Liaison
Act as the main point of contact for external bodies such as SWERN (South Western Regional
Network), UKERNA (United Kingdom Education and Research Networking Association)/JANET
(Joint Academic Network), and to initiate work on their behalf.
Decision Making
Responsibility for the management and organisation of the Computer Centre communications room.
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Problem Solving
Diagnose and resolve network faults, anywhere in the University.
Continuous Improvement
Keep abreast and up-to-date with new technology and trends in networking, and to find, assimilate
and apply technical documentation on products, technologies and/or legislation, in a rapidly changing
environment.
People Management
Provide help and advice to ResNet (Residential Networking) and work closely with them, as required.
Teach and advise new members of staff in the work of the network team.

1.3

Relationships and Contacts

Line manager:

Network Specialist (8)

Line manager to (where appropriate):

Internal Contacts
Contact with whom?

Nature of relationship

Purpose

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Line manager

For direct supervision

Zonal Team Members

For fault reporting, network

upgrading, network installation
and configuration, to implement
policies and to give network
support and advice to.

ITSStaff

To work with colleagues in the

Network Communications team
and attend a weekly team
meeting, to give network
support and security advice to
and to implement services and
policies they require.
For
fault
reporting,
to
implement network policy for
and to give advice and support
to.
For the upkeep of University
infrastructure and for liaising
with for installations and big
projects.
For advice on network security
matters, to give security
policies for implementation and
configuration
(firewall
configuration information does
also come from ITSstaff,
computer officers, JANET or
the post holder, other than just
the security manager) and to
discuss future policies and
trends.
For network faults, advice,
installations
and
network
policies.
Deliveries
(sending
and
receiving
goods),
allowing
security access for contractors
and general building security
matters.

Academic staff/Post Graduates

Estates, CMI, Project Office,

external consultants

University Information Security

Manager

Specialists and Supervisors in

my own and other ITS teams
Porters/security

External Contacts
Contact with whom?

Nature of relationship

Purpose

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JANET Network Contacts

(UKERNA/SWERN):
Equipment/Software Sales
Suppliers (Including Capita,
Cisco, Brocade)
Network service suppliers
(VirginMedia, BT, C&W
andVerizon)

Contractors (AMP, Select,

Siemon)
Staff in other academic
institutions

For network fault reports,

hardware/software installation
and network configuration.
For procuring new equipment,
hardware/software
fault
resolution and support
For
network
installation,
network fault resolution and
escalation
(for
example,
Telewest supplies many remote
connections to the main
University backbone network
whose maintenance involves
liaison and hardware fixes).
For network cabling installation
and cabling faults.
To give and take advice and for
liaising on projects.

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1.4

Organisation Charts
CIO IT Services

Assistant Director
Infrastructure/Ops

Admin Team

Network & Data

Centre Manager

Residential &
Mobile IT Manager

Senior Network
Specialist x 3

Network Specialist
x2

Network
Specialist x 3

Mobile Technology
Specialist

Director HPC

Assistant Director Sys.

Dev.

Programme Manager

Assistant Director
Service Delivery

R&D/ILRT Director

Data Centre
Administrator

Systems & Ops Manager

Team Leader, Systems &
Ops x 2
Telecommunications
Manager

Senior Systems
Administrator x 6

Telephony Ops
Manager

Senior IT Support
Specialist x 2

Telecoms Engineer

Systems Administrator x 3

Switchboard Operator
x3

Systems Administrator/
Developer x 2
IT Support Officer

2
2.1

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Relevant Experience, Skills and Knowledge

Essential

Proven computing/networking work

experience.
Good communication skills, both verbal and
written.
Methodical, meticulous, thorough and
adaptable.
Able to prioritise multiple, and often
conflicting, demands.
Able to find, comprehend and apply
appropriate highly technical information.
Ability to quickly learn new skills and adapt to
new technology which is constantly evolving.
Able to work on own initiative, but not afraid
take advice if necessary.
Good understanding of TCP/IP, data
networking and concepts, the hardware
involved in the movement of data between
computers e.g. routers, switches etc, Local
(LAN), Metropolitan (MAN) and Wide (WAN)
Area Network technologies and many other
network protocols.
Have Cisco IOS programming experience
and system administration skills.
Knowledge of transmission media e.g. optical
fibre, wireless and associated standards e.g.
Cat5e, IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n

Desirable

Knowledge of health and safety issues.

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2.2

Good understanding of firewalls, especially

Cisco PIX or FWSM (Firewall Services
Module), and network security.
Good knowledge of using network and cable
test equipment.
Knowledge of working in highly complex
communication and machine rooms.
Good general PC, operating system and
office package etc. skills.

Relevant Qualifications
Essential

2.3

Desirable

Degree/HND, in Computer Science (or

related discipline), or equivalent work
experience.

CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is

highly desirable.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Essential

2.4

Desirable

Good at problem resolution.

Good interpersonal skills.
Team player.

Additional Criteria
Essential

Desirable

3
3.1

The School/Division

3.2

Information Services

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Information Services (IS) provides IT services and library services and support for teaching and learning,
research and administration across the University. It comprises four service groups as well as a planning
and administration group and the Institute for Learning and Research Technology (ILRT). Each of these
groups is headed by an Assistant Director of Information Services.
The Director of Information Services, who is also the Deputy Registrar of the University, together with the
Directors of Library Services, Information Systems and Computing and the Institute for Learning and
Research Technology and the Assistant Director (Planning and Administrative Support) make up the
Information Services Executive. This Executive, together with other Assistant Directors of Information
Services and the Information Processes and Systems (IPS) Programme Director, make up the IS Senior
Management Team.
3.3

Information Services is spread across 16 sites, has just over 320 staff in total and is split into four
service groups:
Client Services, which is responsible for developing and maintaining links between Information
Services and faculties and departments of the University. It is also responsible for ICT training and
consulting, for teaching information skills, and for communication about and marketing of Information
Services.
The Public Services group is responsible for the provision of high quality, user-focused, front-line
library services to all members of the University and to a wider client base. This includes loan
services, the provision of photocopiers and other equipment, and matters relating to access to library
facilities.
The Information Management group acquires, processes and catalogues the information content
which enables colleagues in the other parts of Information Services to support the Universitys
teaching and research.
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The Information Systems and Computing group is responsible for delivering information systems and
computing services to all students and staff and to other members of the University.

In addition to these groups, the Information Services Central Administration group is responsible for
secretarial and administrative services to Information Services; financial management; human resource
management; management of health and safety and services to disabled users.
The Institute for Learning and Research Technology works on multiple aspects of technologies in education
through services, research, development, teaching and consultancy at local, national and international
levels.
3.4

Information Systems and Computing (ISYS)

Information Systems and Computing (ISYS) is responsible for delivering Information Technology (IT)
services to all staff, students and other members of the University. The Department is organised into
functional teams of specialists, each team being led by an experienced manager. Teams are responsible for
a significant component of the University's IT services, for example, IT Help Desks & Support, the University
Network, Corporate Systems development and support. Much of the development work of the Department is
to deliver and implement the University's Information Processes and Systems and Information and
Communication Technology Strategies, which underpin primary strategies for Research and Education and
enable operational activities of other Support Services.
3.5

The Network Communications team

The University network consists of over 1000 networking devices (routers and switches, see Glossary
below). These devices range in cost from 100s to over 100,000. The total value of this equipment (not
including cabling and ducts) exceeds 2,500,000. To interconnect these devices and the computers which
use the network, we have (very approximately):
18,000 sockets on the wall and 15,000 ports on the networking devices themselves
over 1,000km of copper cabling &
over 200 km of optical-fibre.
The network carries over 2 Terabytes (2,000,000,000,000 bytes) of information every day, while the email
system handles over 1.5 million emails every week.
The main University firewall handles and blocks, as traffic passes through it to and from the Internet,
hundreds of millions of connections a day.
The Network Communications team is involved in the following areas:

network design and development

network operation, monitoring, administration

and support
network security

provision of advice and support to home users

installation, maintenance and upgrading of data

networks
wireless and conference networking facilities
data networks in students residence

The ResNet Team manage the large and extensive network for students in nearly all of the University
provided accommodation. They have about 4,500 users connected over a network of 300 devices across 23
sites in Bristol.
Glossary
The following are extremely simple definitions intended only to give a broad feeling for what the devices
which form the basic building blocks of the network do.
Cisco IOS:
Router:
Switch:

The programming language (and operating system) used to control the actions of Cisco
routers and switches.
A network device that forwards packets from one network to another. In UoBs network these
are typically devices that cost between 30k-100k.
This is a device which connects together a group of computers and creates a network. The
cost of these, in UoBs network, range from 100s-50,000.
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It should be added that a large number of the devices actually used in UoBs network carry out BOTH
functions and are sometimes referred to as Layer 3 switches.

3.6

The University and the City of Bristol

The University of Bristol's roots date back to 1876. Since its formation it has become one of the leading
institutions among the UK's Russell Group of universities and operates globally, where it is recognised for its
research and academic excellence.
The University has a strong interdisciplinary approach and regularly features among the top ranking
institutions in global league tables.
The University of Bristols mission is 'to pursue and share knowledge and understanding, both for their own
sake and to help individuals and society fulfil their potential'. This is underpinned by a vision where the
University of Bristol is an international powerhouse of learning, discovery and enterprise, whose excellence
is acknowledged locally, nationally and globally, and that is:

dedicated to academic achievement across a broad range of disciplines, and to continuous

innovation and improvement

research-intensive, supporting both individual scholarship and interdisciplinary or thematic research

of the highest quality

a centre for intellectually demanding, research-informed education that nurtures independence of

mind and helps students achieve their personal goals and serve societys needs, both during and
after their time here

an inclusive and collaborative community of scholarship that attracts and retains people with
outstanding talent and potential from all walks of life and all parts of the world

a stimulating and supportive environment for all students and staff, distinguished by a commitment to
high standards, respect for the individual and a strong sense of collegiality

committed to operating in a sustainable manner

engaged with societys interests, concerns, priorities and aspirations

a major contributor culturally, environmentally and economically to Bristol and the South West

well led and responsibly run, with an emphasis on consultative decision-making and open
communication as well as personal responsibility and accountability

Key to Bristols vision is a clear and consistent articulation of and dialogue with its many stakeholder and
publics about the wide range of research carried out at the Institution and hence is often featured in many
national and international media. It has a proud history of two way dialogue as part of its research activities
and addresses the worlds key challenges through an interdisciplinary approach.
The University also plays a lead role in the city of Bristols cultural and economic well being and carries out
an extensive programme of events and activities on behalf of the city, as well as being a keen supporter of
partner organisations activities.
For more information, please see http://www.bris.ac.uk/university/

3.7

The Universitys commitment to Equality and Diversity and a Positive Working

Environment

As a leading global institution we are keen to attract the most highly talented individuals from a diverse range
of backgrounds. Further information on our commitment to equality and diversity can be found at:

http://www.bris.ac.uk/jobs/diversity.html
The Universitys Positive Working Environment (PWE) agenda is an ongoing process with the aim of making
working life at the University of Bristol productive, rewarding, enjoyable and healthy for all colleagues. To
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find out more about PWE please visit http://www.bristol.ac.uk/pwe/

APPLICATION PROCESS

Please visit our web site at www.bris.ac.uk/jobs, enter the vacancy number SUPP101226 into the job search
and follow the link to the on line application process.
The closing date for applications is 11 December 2014.
Further
information
on
the
Universitys
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/application-process.html

application

process

can

be

found

at:

SELECTION PROCESS

It is expected that the selection process, including interviews, will be held on 19 December 2014.

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