SD-WAN Solution Architect

Role Overview

We are seeking a Cisco SD-WAN Solution Architect with deep expertise in enterprise SD-WAN architecture, design assurance, and large-scale deployment.

The role will focus on independently reviewing SD-WAN architecture and implementation approaches, providing technical guidance, identifying design and scalability risks, and ensuring alignment with industry and implementation best practices. The architect will work closely with customer engineering teams, technology partners, and delivery teams through design, validation, deployment, and production readiness.

Key Responsibilities

SD-WAN Architecture & Design

• Independently review and validate Cisco SD-WAN architecture and detailed designs against industry and implementation best practices.
• Assess topology, hub/mesh architecture, routing, segmentation, resiliency, multicast, and configuration strategies.
• Review Feature Profile Configuration Group Site Persona Device Variable models for scalability, consistency, and operational efficiency.
• Identify architectural gaps, technical risks, configuration sprawl, and scalability concerns.
• Recommend standardization, automation, and orchestration improvements.
• Ensure architecture is designed for repeatable deployment across diverse site types and network environments.

Cisco SD-WAN Technical Expertise

• Provide deep technical guidance on Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN / Viptela architecture and implementation.
• Review and validate configurations, templates, policies, and deployment models.
• Evaluate Cisco technical recommendations and provide independent architectural assessment.
• Troubleshoot complex SD-WAN design and implementation issues.
• Provide guidance on routing, segmentation, IPsec overlays, multicast, QoS, application-aware routing, and resiliency.

Deployment & Production Readiness

• Review lab and test results against production design intent.
• Support build, integration, testing, and production deployment activities.
• Participate in deployment readiness, cutover, rollback, and go-live planning.
• Provide architecture support during implementation and resolve complex technical issues.
• Capture lessons learned and incorporate improvements into subsequent deployment waves.
• Develop repeatable deployment standards and playbooks.

Architecture Governance

• Lead or participate in technical design reviews and architecture governance sessions.
• Maintain technical risks, issues, decisions, and action items.
• Drive closure of cross-functional technical issues and dependencies.
• Identify deviations from approved architecture and recommend remediation.
• Communicate complex technical issues and recommendations clearly to senior technical and business stakeholders.

Required Technical Skills

• 20 years of experience in enterprise networking, network architecture, or network engineering.
• 5 years of strong hands-on Cisco SD-WAN / Viptela experience.
• Deep expertise in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN architecture and deployment.
• Strong experience with Cisco Catalyst 8500 and 8300 platforms.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Cisco SD-WAN Manager / vManage
  • Feature Profiles and Configuration Groups
  • Device and site templates
  • Routing and segmentation
  • BGP, OSPF and static routing
  • IPsec and overlay architecture
  • Multicast over SD-WAN
  • Hub-and-spoke and hub-mesh architectures
  • High availability and resiliency
  • QoS and application-aware routing
  • MPLS, Internet and hybrid underlay integration
• Experience designing SD-WAN for large, distributed enterprise environments.
• Strong understanding of configuration standardization and scalable deployment models.
• Ability to review and troubleshoot SD-WAN configurations at both architecture and implementation levels.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Experience with large-scale global SD-WAN transformation programs.
• Experience designing and deploying SD-WAN across hundreds of sites.
• Experience working directly with Cisco technical and architecture teams.
• Experience migrating legacy WAN/MPLS environments to SD-WAN.
• Experience supporting multiple site personas and complex enterprise network environments.
• Knowledge of SD-WAN automation, APIs, scripting, and orchestration.
• Experience developing reusable configuration templates, standards, and deployment playbooks.
• Experience supporting production cutovers and network transformation programs.
• CCIE or equivalent-level Cisco networking expertise preferred.