Network Operations Manager

Akiva Ai•Baltimore, MD

1d•$115,000 - $160,000•Hybrid

About The Position

AKIVA is an AI-native engineering firm specializing in enterprise services, domain-specific solutions, and high-performance infrastructure from strategy through deployment. We build innovative systems that drive measurable results for commercial enterprises and government agencies. AKIVA is a certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). AKIVA is seeking a Network Operations Manager to oversee all operational aspects of a statewide enterprise network services program — including NOC performance, monitoring, ticketing workflows, incident management, network and facility maintenance, and SLA compliance. The Network Operations Manager ensures the NOC and network operations function as a fully integrated, high-performance operational center running 24x7x365. AKIVA-provided AI-assisted event correlation, anomaly detection, and predictive alerting tools may be leveraged to accelerate incident response and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in computer science, information systems, or related field (equivalent work experience of five years may be substituted for a degree)
At least 5 years of experience in network operations, monitoring, troubleshooting, and/or provisioning — including at least 2 years in a managerial or supervisory role
Proven leadership of 24x7x365 enterprise-class operations
Strong understanding of ITIL best practices, incident management, and service operations
Technical background in monitoring, routing/switching, provisioning, firewall basics, and service assurance
Full-time availability as dedicated Key Personnel; on-call during off-hours for escalations; must attend P1 and major incident bridges and operational reviews
Must be authorized to work in the United States

Nice To Haves

ITIL v4 Manager / Expert certification
Cisco CCNP or Juniper JNCIP-level certification (or equivalent)
Prior experience leading NOCs for state, federal, or large enterprise networks
Hands-on experience with ServiceNow ITSM and modern network monitoring/observability platforms
Familiarity with AI-assisted event correlation, anomaly detection, and predictive alerting tools

Responsibilities

Direct daily operations of the 24x7x365 Network Operations Center
Ensure all incidents, service requests, and outage events are handled in accordance with SLAs
Maintain operational discipline, documentation accuracy, and real-time service visibility
Supervise NOC staff, shift leads, analysts, and escalation resources; oversee NOC training programs, certification paths, and competency development
Oversee monitoring coverage, alert accuracy, and event correlation; approve and enforce NOC SOPs, alerting rules, and ticketing workflows
Coordinate with Engineering, Service Assurance, Firewall teams, ISP/OSP field teams, and the client for integrated response
Lead response efforts for Priority 1 and Priority 2 incidents; facilitate incident bridges and coordinate restoration efforts
Plan, coordinate, and execute scheduled maintenance activities; lead change management with proper approvals and testing
Conduct Root Cause Analyses (RCAs) and implement permanent corrective actions to prevent recurrence
Track and analyze network KPIs; maintain performance dashboards for internal and customer reporting; deliver operational reports and executive dashboards
Implement process improvements and introduce tools/automation to enhance operational efficiency