Prin Network Operations Center Analyst

Consumers Energy•Jackson, MI

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

Consumers Energy is Michigan’s largest energy provider, serving 6.8 million residents across 68 Lower Peninsula counties. The company is committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy 24/7. This Principal Network Operations Center (NOC) Analyst position is responsible for leading IT incident response, coordinating issue resolution, and driving problem management. The role involves advanced technical troubleshooting, mentoring junior analysts, and collaborating with engineering teams to optimize infrastructure performance. Key responsibilities also include developing technical documentation, advancing strategic initiatives, and acting as the primary escalation point for complex issues. The ideal candidate possesses extensive expertise across multiple IT domains, including network administration, and can communicate effectively with stakeholders of varying technical proficiencies.

Requirements

Extensive knowledge of enterprise network technologies, including DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, routing, switching, VPN, Layer 7 firewalls, packet capture analysis, authentication protocols, and general system administration.
Extensive knowledge of enterprise compute technologies, including cloud computing, directory services, virtualization, Microsoft Windows operating systems, and Linux operating systems.
Working knowledge of the ITIL framework and its application within an enterprise environment.
Familiarity with the NIMS-defined Incident Command System (ICS) and the ability to apply its concepts during coordinated crisis response.
Strong leadership and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical issues to diverse audiences, including senior leadership.
Ability to teach technical concepts and coach junior team members in alignment with company culture and values.
Demonstrates strong teamwork and exemplifies humility, drive, and interpersonal effectiveness.
Ability to perform effectively under pressure while managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
Strong analytical and critical-thinking abilities with exceptional attention to detail.
Ability to work outside standard business hours—including nights and weekends—and participate in an on-call rotation.
Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field and seven (7) or more years of experience in Network Operations, Infrastructure Operations, System Administration, or a related IT role OR Associate’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field and nine (9) or more years of experience in Network Operations, Infrastructure Operations, System Administration, or a related IT role OR High School Diploma/GED and eleven (11) or more years of experience in Network Operations, Infrastructure Operations, System Administration, or a related IT role.

Responsibilities

Leads the organization’s Incident and Problem Management programs by establishing standards, ensuring compliance, and driving process improvements across all teams.
Coordinates IT efforts to assess outage risks, strengthen infrastructure resilience in partnership with platform owners, and implement monitoring enhancements to increase service reliability.
Leads incident triage and root cause analysis by applying deep knowledge of IT infrastructure dependencies, monitoring tools, and application behavior to correlate events, resolve cascading impacts, and prevent recurrence.
Serves as the primary escalation point for the NOC, facilitating the resolution of complex technical issues through expert-level troubleshooting and guidance.
Develops and maintains monitoring thresholds for core infrastructure platforms, ensuring scalability and resilience across on‑premises and cloud environments.
Acts as a key stakeholder with application owner teams to identify, design, and operationalize monitoring improvements that strengthen proactive detection of technology issues.
Collaborates with engineering teams to coordinate and implement network changes and performance enhancements.
Independently fulfills both standard and non‑standard service requests as defined by the Network Operations Center.
Tracks and assesses team performance against established KPIs, implementing corrective actions as needed.
Creates and maintains operational documentation, knowledge base articles, and detailed troubleshooting guides for the Network Operations team.
Mentors and coaches junior NOC analysts, fostering a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and professional development.
Stays current on emerging IT technologies and evolving security threats, providing leadership with actionable insights and recommendations.
Performs other duties as assigned.