Lead Network Engineer

ITN is one of the UK’s leading independent content production companies, trusted for over 70 years to tell the world’s most important stories. From BAFTA- and Emmy-winning journalism and impactful factual content to creative entertainment and branded storytelling, ITN brings truth and innovation to every platform. Making over 70 hours of live programmes a week and reaching 1 billion digital views a month, we are a content powerhouse that has an ambition to keep growing, with audiences across the UK and around the world.

Our people are at the heart of our success. With a reputation built on integrity and creativity, ITN continues to evolve with an ambitious growth strategy — investing in new technology, premium content, and future talent. We’re proud to foster an inclusive, collaborative culture where everyone can thrive and help shape the next chapter of ITN’s story.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer where everyone’s contribution matters. We’re committed to building a culture that reflects the audiences we serve — one where people feel included, supported, and inspired to do their best work.

How We Work

At ITN, how we work is as important as what we do. Our values describe what you can expect when you work here — and what ITN expects of you.

Ambition

– We set bold goals, take ownership, and keep learning. We look for new opportunities and better ways to make an impact.

Courage

– We speak up with honesty and respect, challenge ideas constructively, and value open, direct communication.

Team

– We collaborate, celebrate others’ successes, and make sure every voice is heard. We put the team’s success first.

We also recognise the importance of balance and wellbeing, so we welcome flexible working, part-time roles and job shares across all areas of ITN.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced Lead Network Engineer to take technical ownership of ITN’s corporate and broadcast-critical network environments. This is a senior hands‑on leadership role that requires a broad, in-depth understanding of modern networking technologies and proven experience delivering high‑availability, low‑latency networks at scale.

You will work across both enterprise IT and broadcast engineering domains, ensuring seamless operation of the networks that underpin live production, content delivery, and corporate services. A significant part of the role involves bridging the gap between traditional IT networking and the demands of real‑time media transport — someone who is as comfortable discussing BGP route policy as they are exploring PTP synchronisation is exactly the kind of engineer we want to hear from.

You will lead a small team of network engineers, act as the primary escalation point for all network‑related incidents and projects, and work closely with the Head of Engineering, broadcast engineering, project, and cyber security teams.

Key tasks and responsibilities / what you’ll be doing

Network Architecture & Operations

• Provide technical leadership and architectural oversight for corporate and broadcast network infrastructure across all ITN sites
• Design, implement, and operate mission‑critical IP networks supporting live broadcast, streaming, and corporate services
• Own network performance, capacity planning, and resilience for both broadcast and corporate systems
• Define and maintain network standards, architectures, configuration baselines, and operational best practices
• Ensure networks are secure, scalable, well‑documented, and operationally robust
• Manage relationships with external suppliers and carriers on circuit provision, SLA management, and connectivity projects

Broadcast & Live Event Networking

• Take a lead role in planning and delivering network services for large‑scale, high‑profile live events where downtime is not an option
• Act as the escalation point for complex network incidents, particularly in multicast and broadcast‑centric environments
• Lead the design and optimisation of multicast routing for streaming video and broadcast workflows
• Collaborate with broadcast engineering and production teams to ensure smooth integration of new systems into the IP production environment
• Support special event planning including elections, royal events, and major outside broadcasts from a network and connectivity perspective
• Line manage network engineers, responsible for day‑to‑day management, development, mentoring and performance
• Act as technical lead and escalation point for the wider network team on complex or high‑risk issues
• Contribute to the design and delivery of capital projects where network infrastructure is a critical‑path item
• Represent the network function in project and engineering forums, providing clear assessments of risk, resource requirements, and delivery timelines

These are the main requirements of the role and is not an exhaustive list of duties. It is intended to reflect the nature, range, and context of the work, which will change over time.

Key attributes

• Significant industry experience across a wide range of network technologies and architectures
• Strong hands‑on expertise in routing protocols (BGP, OSPF), switching, VLANs, and WAN connectivity
• Solid experience with VXLAN/EVPN overlay architectures
• Deep knowledge of multicast networking: PIM, SSM, IGMPv2/v3, Rendezvous Points, and troubleshooting at scale
• Experience with VPN technologies (site‑to‑site and remote access)
• Proven experience operating networks in high‑pressure, live, or real‑time environments where availability is paramount
• Deep understanding of network resilience, failover, and high‑availability design
• Strong troubleshooting skills across Layer 2–4 and multicast domains
• Experience leading or mentoring a small technical team
• Confident communicator who can explain network concepts clearly to non‑technical stakeholders

Broadcast & Streaming Experience (Highly Desirable)

• Deep knowledge of multicast in streaming video or live broadcast environments
• Experience working in or alongside the broadcast or media industry
• Understanding of, or strong interest in, IP‑based broadcast standards and workflows including SMPTE ST 2110, PTP (IEEE 1588), and NMOS (IS-04/IS-05)
• Familiarity with timing‑sensitive networking and live production requirements
• Familiarity with SDN principles and their application in broadcast IP fabrics
• SMPTE membership or formal IP media training

Desirable Certifications

• Cisco CCNP or equivalent
• Relevant vendor or industry certifications in network design or security

Technology Environment

• You will operate in a multi‑vendor, best‑of‑breed environment including:
• Arista — core broadcast and data centre fabric
• Cisco — corporate and campus networking
• Palo Alto — firewalls and security
• Routed and switched networks spanning corporate, data centre, and broadcast domains

Personal Attributes

• Calm, methodical, and confident under pressure particularly during live transmission
• Able to operate at both strategic architectural and hands‑on engineering levels
• Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to bridge IT and broadcast teams
• Passionate about networking, media technology, and continuous improvement
• Detail‑driven with a strong sense of ownership and accountability

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