United Kingdom · Technology and data · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Global Network Infrastructure

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
Direct reports25-100+ reports
Reports toVP of Global Infrastructure & Operations
UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of International Networks · VP, Network Engineering · Global Network Director

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Networking) ATHE Ltd · Level 7 · covers 1 of 10 standards

ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing ATHE Ltd · Level 7 · covers 1 of 10 standards

ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (General Route) ATHE Ltd · Level 7 · covers 1 of 10 standards

Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma in IT-Networking Qualifi Ltd · Level 5 · covers 4 of 10 standards

Qualifi Level 5 Diploma in IT-Networking Qualifi Ltd · Level 5 · covers 4 of 10 standards

Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma in Information Technology Qualifi Ltd · Level 5 · covers 4 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Networking and Infrastructure Development ATHE Level 7 Extended Diploma in Computing Technologies (Networking)

Network Design and Administration Qualifi Level 5 Extended Diploma in IT-Networking

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision

AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly

Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs

Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner

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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Global Network Infrastructure

2 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

Networking and Infrastructure Development ATHE Ltd · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 7
Network Design and Administration Qualifi Ltd · covers 4 of 10 standards Level 5

These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Global Network Infrastructure?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skill this role is being asked for

AI-Driven Strategic Decision Making

Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluencyworking with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluencyturning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluencyusing AI responsibly
Automation Fluencybuilding AI into how work runs
Foresight Fluencyseeing round the corner

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Global Network Infrastructure plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

This job means overseeing the design and running of a global network, connecting offices and keeping systems secure and reliable.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Datadog/SolarWinds NPM (Strategic) Strategic

Defining the enterprise-wide observability strategy, integrating monitoring data with business intelligence tools (like Power BI), and using aggregated data for executive reporting on network health and performance. You're not building dashboards, but defining what needs to be on them for strategic insight.

Ansible/Python (Netmiko) (Strategic) Strategic

Architecting the overall network automation framework, championing GitOps for network changes, and justifying investment in automation to reduce OpEx. You'll be defining the 'what' and 'why', not writing the 'how'.

VMware VeloCloud/Cisco Viptela (Strategic) Strategic

Developing the global SASE/SD-WAN strategy, selecting vendors, modelling Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) vs. Return on Investment (ROI), and presenting the business case to the C-suite for multi-million pound deployments.

Palo Alto Panorama/FortiManager (Strategic) Strategic

Defining the global network security posture, ensuring alignment of network segmentation with Zero Trust principles, and overseeing risk and compliance reporting to the board using GRC tools. You'll be setting the security policy, not configuring individual rules.

AWS/Azure/GCP Cloud Networking (Strategic) Strategic

Creating the multi-cloud connectivity strategy, making build vs. buy decisions on cloud network appliances, and managing the multi-million pound cloud networking budget. This means optimising spend and ensuring resilient connectivity across all our cloud footprints.

Anaplan/Workday Adaptive Planning (Strategic) Strategic

Modelling network spend, forecasting carrier costs, and justifying multi-million pound capital expenditures for network refreshes and strategic projects. This is about financial planning and strategic resource allocation.

Diligent/BoardVantage (Strategic) Strategic

Preparing and presenting board-level summaries on network resilience, security posture, major project status, and strategic roadmap. This involves clear, concise communication of complex topics to non-technical executives.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choice	Coming in	Where you are now	The step above
Global Network Architecture & Strategy	N/A (Escalate to Senior Engineer)	N/A (Escalate to Lead Architect)	Recommends and designs solutions for specific workstreams, consults with Director.
Budget Allocation & Spending	N/A (Escalate all spending requests)	Approves minor operational expenses (e.g., £500 for tools), escalates project spend.	Approves project-specific spending up to £5K, recommends larger investments to Lead/Manager.
Vendor & Carrier Selection	N/A (Escalate all vendor interactions)	Provides technical feedback on vendor products, no selection authority.	Evaluates technical capabilities of vendors, recommends preferred options to Lead/Manager.
Talent Acquisition & Team Structure	N/A (No hiring authority)	Participates in interviews, provides feedback on candidates.	Leads technical interviews, mentors junior staff, provides input on team needs.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Global Network Availability

Overall uptime of our critical international network services and connectivity.

Target · Achieve and maintain 99.99% ('four nines') uptime for core network services.

If our core network has 52 minutes of unplanned downtime in a year, that's a 99.99% availability. Anything more, and you'll be explaining why to the board.

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Reduction

Reducing the overall spend on global network infrastructure, including carrier costs, hardware, software licences, and operational expenses.

Target · Reduce annual global carrier spend by 5% (£1M+) through strategic initiatives like SD-WAN implementation and circuit optimisation.

Implementing a new SD-WAN solution that allows us to downgrade expensive MPLS circuits, resulting in a £1.2M saving on carrier contracts this year.

Mean Time to Recovery (MTTR) for P1 Incidents

The average time it takes to restore service after a critical (Priority 1) network incident impacts the business.

Target · Reduce average MTTR for P1 incidents from 4 hours to 2 hours.

A major fibre cut in Germany used to take 5 hours to reroute and restore service; now, with better automation and procedures, we're aiming for 2 hours.

Strategic Programme Execution

Successful delivery of key global network transformation programmes.

Target · Successfully complete 100% of the global data centre consolidation project within 18 months, or the international SASE rollout within 24 months.

Rolling out SASE to 50 international offices on time and within the allocated £5M budget, demonstrating tangible security and performance improvements.

Strategic Influence & Thought Leadership

Your ability to shape the company's long-term network strategy and be recognised as a trusted advisor.

Regularly invited to C-Suite strategic planning sessions
your proposals for network investment are typically approved
you're seen as the go-to expert for complex connectivity challenges, not just within IT but across business units. People actually listen when you talk about the future of networking.

Team Development & Retention

The effectiveness of your leadership in building a high-performing global network team.

Low attrition rates in your direct reports and their teams
positive feedback in 360-degree reviews about your leadership style
successful internal promotions from within your organisation
your team is seen as a desirable place to work, attracting top talent.

Risk Management & Compliance Posture

How well you identify, mitigate, and report on network-related risks and ensure regulatory compliance.

Clean audit reports from internal and external auditors regarding network security and operational controls
proactive identification of potential vulnerabilities before they become incidents
clear, concise reporting to the Board on our network's security and resilience posture. No nasty surprises.

Stakeholder Satisfaction

How satisfied your internal and external partners are with the network services and your team's responsiveness.

Positive feedback from business unit leaders on network performance and project support
strong, collaborative relationships with key vendors and carriers, leading to better service and pricing
you're seen as a partner, not just a service provider, by other IT departments.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy

Driving Global Transformation

You'll spend your days strategising about how to move our entire network to a SASE model, or how to connect our new offices in emerging markets. You'll be building the roadmap for multi-year projects that fundamentally change how our business operates.

Leading the charge to transition our entire global WAN from traditional MPLS to a modern SD-WAN architecture, seeing the tangible improvements in performance and cost savings across the business.

Leading & Developing High-Performing Teams

A significant part of your week will involve mentoring your managers, helping them navigate complex technical and people challenges, and ensuring your teams have the skills and resources they need to excel. You'll be building the next generation of network leaders.

Coaching a Network Engineering Manager through a challenging team reorganisation, resulting in a more efficient and motivated team that delivers better results.

Solving Complex, High-Stakes Problems

You'll be tackling issues like how to secure our network against the latest nation-state level threats, or how to provide seamless, low-latency connectivity to a new, remote manufacturing plant. These aren't easy problems, and the stakes are always high.

Architecting a multi-cloud connectivity solution that ensures business continuity across three different public cloud providers, even during a regional outage.

What frustrates people

The 'It's The Network' Default: You'll still be the first team blamed for any application slowdown, forcing your teams to spend precious time proving it's not the network. You'll need to manage this narrative at an executive level.
Budgeting for Invisibility: Securing a multi-million pound budget for a core router refresh or a major security upgrade can be incredibly difficult. If you do your job perfectly, the end-user notices absolutely nothing, which makes justifying the investment a constant uphill battle.
Carrier Call Centre Hell (by proxy): While your managers will deal with the day-to-day, you'll still be involved in escalating major incidents with global carriers. Expect frustrating calls and slow responses when you need them most.
The 3 AM Outage Call: Yes, even as a Director, you're on the hook for major P1 incidents. Your sleep will be shattered for problems in data centres eight time zones away, often followed by a full workday.
Political Wrangling: You'll spend a fair bit of time mediating between competing business unit demands, security mandates, and application team requirements, trying to get everyone on the same page for network standards and priorities.

What this role does not give you

Daily hands-on configuration or troubleshooting (that's for your teams now).
A quiet, predictable work schedule without urgent, global incidents.
The ability to make technical decisions without significant financial or strategic justification.
A role where your impact is immediately visible at a granular technical level.

8Who you work with

This role directly drives multi-year business unit transformation by providing the foundational network capabilities needed for growth, new market entry, and digital initiatives. Your decisions will significantly impact our market position through service reliability and security, and you'll be accountable for a substantial portion of the IT budget and operational expenditure.

Inside the business

C-Suite (CEO, COO, CFO, CISO)
Board of Directors (especially Audit & Risk Committees)
Business Unit Heads (e.g., Head of EMEA Sales, Head of APAC Operations)
Other IT Directors (e.g., Cloud, Security, Applications)
Legal & Compliance Teams
Procurement Department

Outside the business

Major Global Telecommunications Carriers (e.g., BT, AT&T, Orange Business Services)
Network Hardware & Software Vendors (e.g., Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, VMware)
Cloud Service Providers (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP)
Industry Analysts and Consultants
Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

Proven experience leading large, complex global network engineering or operations teams.
Demonstrable track record of defining and executing multi-year network strategies that delivered significant business value.
Expert-level understanding of core networking protocols (BGP, OSPF, MPLS) and modern network architectures (SD-WAN, SASE, Cloud Networking).
Strong financial acumen, including experience managing multi-million pound budgets and building compelling business cases.
Exceptional executive communication skills, with a proven ability to present complex technical topics to C-Suite and Board-level audiences.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) Architectures

SASE is rapidly becoming the de facto standard for secure, high-performance connectivity, especially for distributed global workforces. You'll need to understand how to evolve our current SASE implementation, integrate new security services, and optimise it for performance and cost across all international regions. This isn't a 'set it and forget it' technology; it's a continuous journey.

Unified Policy Management · Edge Computing Integration · SASE Performance Optimisation · Vendor Consolidation & Ecosystems

This quarter: Review our current SASE implementation's performance and identify key areas for improvement or expansion.
Next 6 months: Engage with leading SASE vendors to understand their roadmap and next-generation capabilities.
Next 12 months: Develop a multi-year SASE evolution strategy, including potential new service integrations or vendor shifts.
Ongoing: Monitor industry trends and competitor adoption of advanced SASE features.

Quick win: Task your Lead Architects with a deep dive into SASE performance metrics for a specific region and identify immediate optimisation opportunities. This provides data for your strategic decisions.

Quantum Networking & Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC)

While still nascent, quantum computing poses a significant long-term threat to current cryptographic standards. As a Director, you need to begin understanding the strategic implications of quantum networking and the transition to post-quantum cryptography to future-proof our network security. This is a long game, but one you need to start thinking about now.

Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) · Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Standards · Quantum Internet Concepts · Migration Strategies to PQC

This year: Read executive summaries and whitepapers on quantum computing and PQC. It's about awareness, not deep technical expertise.
Next 1-2 years: Engage with security and research teams to understand the company's overall PQC strategy and how network will contribute.
Longer term: Begin to factor PQC readiness into long-term network hardware and software procurement decisions.
Ongoing: Attend industry webinars and conferences focused on the future of cybersecurity and quantum threats.

Quick win: Task your Head of Network Security with a brief on the current state of PQC and its potential impact on our current encryption standards. Get it on your radar.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up

Participating in executive leadership programmes focused on strategy, finance, and organisational development.
Engaging in industry forums, conferences (e.g., Gartner IT Symposium, Cisco Live, RSA Conference), and peer groups to stay abreast of market trends and build a professional network.
Mentoring rising talent within the organisation and actively participating in internal leadership development initiatives.
Pursuing board-readiness training or gaining experience on advisory boards to understand governance at the highest level.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Driven Strategic Decision Making

AI and advanced analytics are becoming indispensable for predicting network issues, optimising performance, and even forecasting future capacity needs. As a Director, you'll need to understand how to harness these tools to make more informed, data-driven strategic decisions, rather than relying solely on intuition or traditional reporting.

AIOps Integration
Predictive Analytics for Capacity
AI for Security Posture
Ethical AI & Bias Mitigation

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) Mastery
Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA)
Cloud Networking Design Patterns
ITIL Framework Application (Strategic)
Carrier & Vendor Contract Negotiation
Capacity Planning & Performance Forecasting (Strategic)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

1
Network Engineering Manager (International)
3-5 years at Manager level
Skills to master
- Mastering people management across diverse cultures, managing large operational budgets, driving operational excellence, and leading significant regional network projects. This means demonstrating you can lead leaders.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a team of 10+ engineers across multiple time zones.
- Consistently met or exceeded operational KPIs for your managed network domains.
- Developed and retained key talent within your teams, with clear succession plans.
- Demonstrated strong financial acumen in managing your team's budget and identifying cost savings.
2
Lead Network Architect (Global Projects)
4-6 years at Lead Architect level
Skills to master
- Architecting complex, multi-vendor network solutions for global initiatives, setting enterprise-wide technical standards, and influencing technical direction across the organisation. This means you're not just designing, but leading the design function.
You're ready to move on when
- Designed and oversaw the implementation of multiple complex global network solutions (e.g., data centre interconnects, global SD-WAN).
- Recognised as a subject matter expert who can influence technical decisions at a senior level.
- Mentored and guided other architects and senior engineers.
- Developed and maintained enterprise-level network architectural standards and roadmaps.
3
Head of Network Security
3-5 years in a dedicated network security leadership role
Skills to master
- Deep expertise in network security architecture, incident response, and compliance, combined with strong leadership and strategic planning skills. This path requires a strong understanding of the broader network landscape beyond just security.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led a global network security team and managed major security initiatives.
- Developed and implemented enterprise-wide network security policies and frameworks.
- Managed responses to significant network security incidents.
- Demonstrated strong understanding of regulatory compliance related to network security.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to positions such as Chief Information Officer or Chief Technology Officer, where technology strategy meets wider business leadership.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Global Network Infrastructure is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Networking and Infrastructure Development, worked against Director of Global Network Infrastructure.

Networking and Infrastructure Development Level 7

Applied to your work in Director of Global Network Infrastructure

This unit aims to provide learners with an understanding of different network infrastructures and the importance of network security. Learners will describe the characteristics and applications of wireless networks, and explain how to support and maintain a network infrastructure, including troubleshooting.

How the thinking builds

1 Remember
2 Understand
3 Apply
4 Analyse
5 Evaluate
6 Create

An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration

Director of Global Network Infrastructure

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) Mastery
Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA)
Cloud Networking Design Patterns
ITIL Framework Application (Strategic)
Carrier & Vendor Contract Negotiation
Capacity Planning & Performance Forecasting (Strategic)

This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Global Network Infrastructure is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

VP of Global Infrastructure & Operations
3-5 years as Director

Level 7 (C-Suite)
- Multi-Domain Leadership Leading leaders across diverse infrastructure domains (network, compute, storage, cloud, operations).
- Large-Scale Budget Oversight Managing a significantly larger, multi-departmental IT infrastructure budget (£10M+).
- Vendor Ecosystem Management Strategic management of the entire infrastructure vendor ecosystem, not just network-specific.
Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
5-8 years as Director (or VP)

Level 7 (C-Suite)
- Full Technology Stack Oversight Strategic leadership across all technology domains, from infrastructure to applications and data.
- Market-Shaping Technology Strategy Defining how technology can create competitive advantage and new business opportunities.
- Advanced Digital Transformation Leading company-wide digital transformation initiatives.
- Strategic Partnership Development Forging technology partnerships that drive business growth.

Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, as a Director of Global Network Infrastructure, your time is precious. You're juggling strategic planning, budget approvals, vendor negotiations, and board presentations. The last thing you need is to get bogged down in manual data analysis or drafting endless reports. This is where AI comes in—not to replace your strategic brain, but to amplify it.

Imagine cutting through the noise, getting critical insights faster, and automating the grunt work that eats into your strategic thinking time. Our AI productivity hub is designed to help you, the network leader, reclaim your schedule and focus on what truly matters: driving the future of our global network. Frankly, if you're not using AI to your advantage at this level, your competitors probably are.

Predictive Outage Detection (AIOps)

AI sifts through terabytes of network telemetry data—logs, latency, jitter, packet loss—to predict potential link saturations or hardware failures before they cause an outage. It can even proactively create tickets and suggest remediation actions. For you, this means fewer 3 AM calls and more time for proactive strategy.

Intelligent Traffic Analysis & Optimisation

Forget hours of sifting through NetFlow data. AI ingests and analyses traffic patterns to automatically identify anomalous behaviour, pinpoint bandwidth-hogging applications, and even suggest QoS policy changes or routing optimisations. This gives you instant insights into network performance and cost-saving opportunities, without the manual deep dive.

CVE & Vendor Research Assistant

Staying on top of the latest critical vulnerabilities (CVEs) from Cisco, Palo Alto, and other vendors is a full-time job in itself. An AI assistant can summarise these, assess their specific impact on your deployed hardware models, and even draft an initial remediation plan or risk assessment for your review. This frees up your Lead Architects for more complex design work.

Executive & Incident Comms Drafting

AI can help you draft clear, concise incident reports for non-technical stakeholders, translate complex technical root cause analyses into impactful business statements, and build compelling budget justification narratives. This means less time wordsmithing and more time refining your strategic message for the C-Suite and Board.

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Global Network Infrastructure?

Common routes in include Network Engineering Manager (International) (3-5 years at Manager level), Lead Network Architect (Global Projects) (4-6 years at Lead Architect level) and Head of Network Security (3-5 years in a dedicated network security leadership role). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Global Network Infrastructure progress to?

This role can lead on to VP of Global Infrastructure & Operations (3-5 years as Director) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) (5-8 years as Director (or VP)), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Global Network Infrastructure?

Increasingly, AI-Driven Strategic Decision Making. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.

Director of Global Network Infrastructure

Where should we send it?

Two short quizzes about you

Will AI change your work as a Director of Global Network Infrastructure?

What's rising in its place

AI-Driven Strategic Decision Making

Skills this role draws on

Technical

How you actually get there, here

Network Engineering Manager (International)

Lead Network Architect (Global Projects)

Head of Network Security

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

Roles this leads to

One to one, on the work you already do

Everything else the record holds

The career path, and where it branches

VP of Global Infrastructure & Operations

Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Where AI is starting to help

Predictive Outage Detection (AIOps)

Intelligent Traffic Analysis & Optimisation

CVE & Vendor Research Assistant

Executive & Incident Comms Drafting

Common questions

Want a read on where you stand?