Director, Network & Security Operations
Ministry of Finance
Total des années d'expérience :12 years, 9 Mois
In this role, I have the accountability to organize and oversee the daily operations of the network and security operation centers at the Ministry of Finance. This role also includes:
➢ strategic planning to enhance the ministry's network and security infrastructure
➢ governance responsibilities to ensure that operation runs as per the ministry's policies and procedures
➢ supervise operations and play an essential role in the ministry’s IT decision making
➢ lead strategic projects such as tier 4 data center migration project as well as disaster recover data center
➢ lead infrastructure design and information security responsibilities to maintain the ministry’s objectives of operational excellence
➢ build an excellent team that covers essential domains: Network, Telecom, Security, and Design
Designation Chronology:
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• May 2016 - September 2018: Network Manager
• Feb 2016 - May 2016: Chief Network Security Engineer
• Oct 2013 - Jan 2016: Sr. Network Security Engineer
Joined as Sr. Network Security Engineering and progressed to position of Chief Network Security Engineer and currently promoted as Network Manager.
Accomplishments:
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• Successfully led the planning and construction of a large network for Saudi Stock Exchange (TADAWUL) within a challenging and dynamic environment to keep up with changing organizational needs.
Key Responsibilities:
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• Handling steadily increasing roles of responsibility, ensuring the availability of optimized resource and took ownership right from hiring, performance management and their trainings and development plans.
• Providing both technical and operational support to the organization, overseeing the operational work as per the planned SLAs & OLAs.
• Monitoring the performance of network devices and circuits to work optimally in a highly controlled manner which results in conforming to all external regulations and internal control requirements.
• Developing and implementing programs/ unit’s processes to ensure that infrastructure is configured and managed in a manner that is robust and stable at all times to ascertain high level of performance, service availability, scalability and quality..
• Serving as a key technical interface between the business units and network vendors, maintaining cordial vendor relations and evaluating their performance periodically.
• Tracking unit’s budget for IT based on developmental requirements and submitting regular reports to top management about the unit’s performance.
• Continually striving to improve service quality/efficiency by managing strategic network projects including Network Infrastructure Upgrade Project.
• Keeping current on emerging technologies, research their impact on business operations and make recommendation of implementation. Initiate training and development opportunities.
Key Project Handled for the Saudi Stock Exchange (TADAWUL):
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Sept 2014 - Sept 2015: Remote Access Infrastructure Upgrade Project (TADAWUL):
• Instrumental in providing a secure remote access system that allows the Exchange’s staff and consultants to connect to its network in a secure and encrypted mechanism.
• Permitted limited access to other sites\partners and allowed them to establish a Lan-to-Lan VPN connectivity to Tadawul’s network and infrastructure.
May 2016 - Sept 2018: Network Infrastructure Upgrade (TADAWUL):
• Driving service improvement programs by enhancing and upgrading the network infrastructure to support the Exchange’s future IT Infrastructure for the next 5-10 years.
• Upgrading the network with state-of-art next-generation technologies promoting measures to improve the security of the Exchange’s network.
Key Responsibilities:
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• Organized requirements definition for, and selection of, productivity enhancing technologies and their application for business process optimization in alignment with organization mission.
• Coordinated evaluation, deployment and management of current and future IT infrastructure investments to meet strategic goals in regards to service delivery.
• Planned and devised ways of optimizing existent resources to improve throughputs thus addressing requests for operations support.
• Installed, configured, upgraded and migrated software/tools as per requirements. Administered security and access control policies for maintaining database integrity in highly controlled environment.
• Assured updates and maintenance are performed on current systems to keep up with the changing needs and instrumental in implementing the Network.
• Evaluated latest & most innovative technologies, to help organization achieve established goals in an efficient and effective manner.
Key Responsibilities:
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• Helped TADAWUL run programs cost-effectively and serve program with improved outcomes and deliver on its promises through people, process and technology.
• Lead daily operations and developed plans to safeguard network infrastructure against accidental or unauthorized modification to meet network security.
• Managed the daily operational incidents and change requests as well as L3 network firewalls and maintaining the logical zoning for DMZ, Trading, Server and User Farms.
• Performed security risk assessment and mitigation for all VPN Remote Access services for Tadawul’s partners, staff, and consultants.
• Administered the local and cloud DNS servers; local and global load balancers; L7 application firewalls to protect Tadawul’s public services and network management systems (NMS) (i.e. SolarWinds and Infoblox).
• Analyzing, troubleshooting and correcting network problems and protecting the Tadawul’s infrastructure (e.g. DDoS Attacks) during L3 attacks and Tadawul’s public services (e.g. SQL Injections) during L7 attacks.
• Managing critical Network Security Infrastructure Services and departmental network projects (e.g. Remote Access Infrastructure Upgrade Project).
Key Responsibilities:
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• Installed, configured and tested network devices including switches, routers and computer resources like Hardware, Software, Peripherals within established guidelines for new ATMs and branches
• Developed processes to ensure that infrastructure is configured and managed in a manner that is robust and stable at all times to ascertain high level of performance, service availability, scalability and quality.
• Drove technology enablement initiatives and troubleshooting the incidents related to the network devices of ATMs and branches and enabled circuits migration projects of the Bank’s branch network
• Monitored operational status and provided network and host based security, incident response, firewall and VPN management and administration.
• Supported world-class service delivery, introduced advanced technologies and network security enhancements (e.g. GETVPN Project)
• Provided innovative technology solutions for troubleshooting WAN connectivity for different technologies including Fiber Optic, Wireless Microwave, and VSAT Technology.
• Developed sector knowledge and implemented network strategies tailored to fit the most challenging business needs and provided technical support in managing different network management systems (NMS) encompassing SolarWinds and Statseeker)
Key Responsibilities:
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• Ascertained the effectiveness of sales operations inclusive of attending initial meeting with clients, to ensure high client satisfaction.
• Collected customer feedback and market research, kept abreast of customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts, successfully resolved customer complaints regarding sales and service.
• Proffered pre sales support to the sales encompassing drafting technical proposals, business planning, and prepared action plans based on knowledge of varied telecommunication technologies.
• Developed and maintained contacts with the customers to identify customer requirements, issues faced by them and offered solutions in conformity with organizational standards.
• Assisted in creating/ maintaining shorter operational procedures and simpler process to accomplish greater operational effectiveness/ efficiency by addressing all technical hurdles.
• Built and nurtured cordial with the key decision makers and within the customer accounts for profitable growth.
Certifications, Trainings, and Courses: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Oct 2016: Analytical and Conceptual Thinking • Oct 2016: Certified Information Systems Security Professional Course (CISSP) • Apr 2016: Business Continuity Management Certification Course (BCLE-2000) • Jan 2016: Implementing Cisco IOS Network Security • Sept 2015: Project Management Professional Certification Course (PMP) • Aug 2015: Persuasion and Influence Using Emotional Intelligence • May 2015: Advanced Communication Skills • Nov 2014: ITIL V3 Foundation Course • Nov 2014: Securities Operations Foundation Course (SOFC) • Apr 2014: Configuring F5 BIG-IP LTM v11: Local Traffic Manager • Apr 2014: Configuring F5 BIG-IP ASM v11: Application Security Manager • Aug 2013: Implementing Cisco IP Routing (ROUTE) • Aug 2013: Implementing Cisco IP Switched Networks (SWITCH) • Oct 2011: Cisco Certified Design Associate (CCDA) Technical Competencies: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ • Network Design • Network Administration • Network Security • Network Load Balancing • Network Management Systems • Wireless Networking • VPN & Secure Remote Access • L3 Firewalls • L7 Firewalls • IP Telephony • Web Application Security • DoS Mitigation • DNS Management • Design with Microprocessors • Software Development • Unix, C, C++, Java, Web Development • HTML, ASP, PHP, JavaScript, AJAX, MySQL • ITIL • Project Management Systems Handled: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- • Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance Firewall (ASA) • Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS) • Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client • Cisco Adaptive Security Device Manager (ASDM) • EMC Authentication Manager (RSA) • F5 BIG-IP Local Traffic Manager (LTM) • F5 BIG-IP Application Security Manager (ASM) • F5 BIG-IP Global Traffic Manager (GTM) • Neustar Managed DNS Service (UltraDNS) • Prolexic Routed Solution (PLXrouted) • Prolexic DNS Solution (PLXproxy) • SolarWinds Network Management System • Statseeker Network Management System.