VP, Network Services

Flexential•Denver, CO

61d•Hybrid

About The Position

Reporting to the Chief Information Officer, the Vice President of Network Services is a strategic executive responsible for the vision, design, implementation, and performance of the company's network infrastructure. This role ensures highly secure, reliable, and scalable connectivity that drives customer success, operational excellence, and sustainable business growth. As a key member of the leadership team, this executive balances innovation with operational rigor, leveraging automation and data-driven insights to optimize network performance while delivering measurable EBITDA impact. The VP partners across Engineering, Operations, Security, and Customer Experience functions while managing critical vendor and carrier relationships to deliver world-class network services. This leader exemplifies Flexential's focus on its North Star principles focused on automation, value creation, and performance orientation-while building and inspiring high-performing teams that execute with precision and scale.

Requirements

15+ years of demonstrable, progressive experience in network infrastructure and services with a track record of driving significant business outcomes and managing global network services at scale.
Minimum 7 years in executive or senior leadership roles with P&L or significant budget responsibility.
Proven success leading network operations in complex, scaled environments.
Deep knowledge of data center network architecture, WAN/LAN/Wi-Fi design, and multi-cloud connectivity patterns.
Demonstrated experience implementing network automation and orchestration to reduce manual intervention by at least 50% and accelerate service deployment.
Strong understanding of network security principles, zero-trust architectures, and compliance frameworks.
Track record of delivering measurable business impact, including P&L responsibility for budgets of $XXX million and a proven ability to manage complex cost centers while demonstrating ROI.
Exceptional vendor management and contract negotiation capabilities.
Outstanding executive communication skills with the ability to influence C-suite stakeholders, board members, and technical teams.
Experience building, developing, and retaining high-performing technical organizations.
Ability to travel domestically 20-30% to data center facilities, vendor sites, and customer locations
Comfortable working in hybrid environments including corporate offices and active data center facilities
Flexibility to manage critical incidents and strategic initiatives outside standard business hours when necessary
Ability to navigate data center environments when required (may include temperature variations, noise levels, and equipment installations)
Driving (must possess valid driver's license and insurance)

Nice To Haves

Hands-on experience with hyperscale data center operations or tier-1 cloud service providers.
Expertise in architecting and deploying Software-Defined Networking (SDN) solutions or Network Function Virtualization (NFV) to enhance agility, manageability, and scalability across large-scale data center environments.
Hands-on experience applying AI/ML for predictive network analytics, capacity planning, and automated incident remediation.
Demonstrated financial acumen with proven impact on EBITDA, margin expansion, or cost optimization.
Advanced degree (MS/MBA) in Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or related field.
Industry certifications such as CCIE, CISSP, AWS Advanced Networking, Azure Network Engineer Expert, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

Architect a future-ready networkâ¯using a top-down, business-needs-first model. The VP will develop and execute a comprehensive network strategy encompassing WAN, LAN, Wi-Fi, and multi-cloud environments, ensuring adaptability to future requirements and market trends.
Lead the design and implementation of modern network architectures by embracing software-defined principles. This includes Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) for securing distributed access, and Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) for end-to-end security of cloud-native applications from development to runtime.
Develop robust strategies for securing and segmenting critical Internet of Things (IoT) deployments, ensuring agility, robust security with zero-trust principles, and seamless connectivity across remote users, multi-cloud services, and a growing ecosystem of connected devices.
Leverage automation for architectural evolution.â¯Integrate Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and network virtualization to build and deploy modular, scalable network components with minimal friction. This approach simplifies expansion and ensures consistent, reliable deployment across all locations and environments.
Drive continuous network optimizationâ¯through capacity planning and advanced analytics to proactively address bottlenecks and improve performance. The VP will translate network health metrics into strategic insights to guide architecture decisions and investments.
Embed resilience and high availability into network designâ¯by prioritizing redundancy, failover mechanisms, and self-healing capabilities. The architecture should be inherently resilient against disruptions and designed for high performance under load.
Establish and govern NOC operational strategy, focusing on automation-first principles to drive proactive monitoring and rapid, self-healing incident resolution.
Champion automation across monitoring, configuration management, and provisioning workflows to minimize manual intervention and accelerate service deployment.
Establish and track operational KPIs (e.g., MTTR, service availability/uptime, customer-perceived performance such as tNPS) that directly impact the superior internal and external customer experience.
Collaborate with CISO, Information Security, Compliance, leadership to implement robust network security controls and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements.
Design and regularly test redundancy, failover, and disaster recovery strategies to ensure business continuity.
Maintain a security-first mindset across all network design and operational decisions.
Elevate vendor relationships to strategic partnershipsâ¯by building trust and transparency with key telecommunications carriers and cloud service providers. The VP will leverage these partnerships to drive innovation and gain market insights, in close partnership with Procurement and Legal teams.
Negotiate outcome-based contracts and flexible SLAs that explicitly support the company's growth trajectory. The aim is not just cost savings but also scalability, flexibility, and a risk-mitigation framework that allows for rapid expansion and agile adaptation.
Define and implement a vendor segmentation and performance framework using data-driven scorecards to ensure all vendors, from strategic partners to tactical suppliers, are delivering optimal value and meeting performance targets.
Proactively evaluate and onboard emerging vendors and technologies through a structured process that informs future network architecture and drives competitive differentiation.
Develop and maintain robust contingency and exit plans for critical vendor services to mitigate risk and ensure business continuity in the event of a vendor failure or strategic change.
Shape the Future: Align network initiatives with enterprise strategy, industry trends, and emerging best practices.
Inspire Teams: Articulate a compelling vision and energize employees around innovation, collaboration, and performance excellence.
Optimize Talent: Scale the organization by implementing structured succession planning, a defined skills matrix, and targeted development programs for IT, engineering, and leaders throughout the business.
Foster Innovation: Create a culture where experimentation is encouraged, calculated risks are supported, and continuous improvement is celebrated.
Drive Accountability: Establish clear success metrics, maintain rigorous performance standards, and ensure results through data-driven decision-making.