Lead Director - Network Core Infrastructure Operations

Lead Director - Network Core Infrastructure OperationsWe're building a world of health around every individual — shaping a more connected, convenient and compassionate health experience. At CVS Health®, you'll be surrounded by passionate colleagues who care deeply, innovate with purpose, hold ourselves accountable and prioritize safety and quality in everything we do. Join us and be part of something bigger - helping to simplify health care one person, one family and one community at a time.CVS Health is seeking a highly motivated and experienced network leader to join our Infrastructure Operations & Service Delivery organization as the Lead Director - Network Core Infrastructure Operations.

You will lead the engineers who keep our core routing and switching environment running - infrastructure that spans over 10,000 applications (approximately 4,100 cloud-hosted), serves 190,000 users, encompasses 10,000+ locations, and includes multiple datacenters and multi-cloud environments.As the Lead Director - Network Core Infrastructure Operations, you will be accountable for the stability, performance, and security of the company's WAN and LAN, the core network services (DNS, DHCP, and IPAM) that everything else depends on, and the day-to-day operations of a Level 1-3 network operations team. This is a deliberately balanced leadership role: we are looking for a leader who still knows the technology deeply and can go hands-on when it matters, while coaching the team, managing vendors, setting operational strategy, and driving problem and change management.Key Responsibilities:Network Infrastructure Management (Core Routing and Switching):Own the operational health, performance, and security of the core routing and switching environment across datacenter, campus, WAN edge, and cloud connectivity, built primarily on Cisco platforms (e.g., Nexus, Catalyst, ISR/ASR)Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of resilient WAN and LAN networks to ensure high availability, performance, and securityManage routing and switching operations — BGP, OSPF/EIGRP, VLANs, spanning tree, VXLAN/EVPN, VRFs, QoS, and access control — including turn-ups, changes, and remediationCore Network Services (DNS / DHCP / IPAM):Operate and safeguard DNS (Domain Name System), DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), and IPAM services using Infoblox for reliable name resolution and address management across the enterpriseMaintain supporting services such as NTP and network authentication (e.g., RADIUS / 802.1X) in partnership with identity and security teamsSDN, SD-WAN, and Connectivity:Implement and oversee software-defined networking and SD-WAN capabilities (Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN and ACI) to enhance network agility, efficiency, and scalabilityManage connectivity to multi-cloud environments and coordinate carrier / WAN servicesNetwork Monitoring:Ensure network device monitoring is captured, acknowledged, and reported, and streamline monitoring into a single-pane-of-glass viewCreate automated reporting on network health, outages, and status, and maintain a defined process for keeping all network monitoring tools current and accurateNetwork Stabilization and Problem Management:Proactively identify potential network issues and vulnerabilities, implementing solutions to prevent downtime or service disruptionsLead problem-solving initiatives, investigating and resolving complex, high-impact network issues promptly and efficiently, including root-cause analysisChange Control and Implementation:Develop and enforce robust change control processes to manage network configuration modifications effectivelyCollaborate with cross-functional teams to implement changes while minimizing impact on ongoing operationsReview daily network changes with the team and provide a workflow that drives a high success rate for all approved network changesTeam Leadership and Mentoring:Lead and develop a Level 1-3 network operations team, providing direction, guidance, mentorship, and career growth while fostering a collaborative, high-accountability cultureManage staffing and shift coverage to sustain a stable, flexible, and available network for all customersMetrics, Capacity, and Strategic Planning:Develop and track KPIs for network performance, reliability, and efficiency, and use them to identify areas for improvement and build strategic plansLead capacity planning and forecast investment needs across the core routing and switching estateAutomation and AI-Assisted Operations:Drive practical automation of routine operational tasks — diagnostics, configuration compliance, and reporting — governed by change control, approvals, testing, and rollbackWhere it adds value, adopt AI-assisted / AIOps capabilities (e.g., telemetry-based anomaly detection, alert correlation and noise reduction, assisted troubleshooting) to reduce detection and resolution times, with engineers reviewing and approving all recommendationsRequired Qualifications:10+ years of enterprise network infrastructure operations and engineering experience5+ years of hands-on experience in enterprise routing and switching on Cisco platforms (Nexus, Catalyst, ISR/ASR), including BGP, OSPF or EIGRP, VLANs, spanning tree, VXLAN/EVPN, VRFs, QoS, and ACLs3+ years of experience leading teams - equally comfortable setting direction and going hands-on3+ years of experience operating core network services - DNS, DHCP, and IPAM (Infoblox) - at enterprise scale3+ years of WAN and LAN experience across datacenter, campus, and multi-site environments, including MPLS and/or SD-WANPreferred Qualifications:Experience with load balancing (F5) and working alongside security teams on firewall, proxy, and segmentation at the network edgeDemonstrated ownership of incident, problem, and change management in a 24x7 operations environment, with a strong monitoring and observability backgroundA working automation baseline — able to use scripting/automation (e.g., Python or Ansible) to automate routine tasks, configuration audits, and reportingExcellent leadership, communication, and mentoring skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and levels of the organizationFamiliarity with AI-driven network operations (AIOps) — telemetry-based anomaly detection, event correlation and noise reduction, and AI-assisted troubleshootingExperience with streaming telemetry, SNMP, NetFlow/IPFIX, and syslog data pipelines at scaleAdvanced automation / infrastructure-as-code (NETCONF/YANG, Ansible, Terraform)Hands-on experience with Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN, ACI, or Catalyst Center (DNA Center)Multi-cloud networking experience (AWS and/or Azure - e.g., Transit Gateway, Route 53, PrivateLink)Experience in a large, regulated enterprise (e.g., healthcare, HIPAA / PCI DSS) operating thousands of locationsIndustry certifications such as Cisco CCNP or CCIE (or equivalent), and ITILEducation:Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (HS diploma + 4 years relevant experience)The typical pay range for this role is:$144,200.00 - $288,400.00This pay range represents the base hourly rate or base annual full-time salary for all positions in the job grade within which this position falls. The actual base salary offer will depend on a variety of factors including experience, education, geography and other relevant factors.

This position is eligible for a CVS Health bonus, commission or short-term incentive program in addition to the base pay range listed above. This position also includes an award target in the company's equity award program.Our people fuel our future. Our teams reflect the customers, patients, members and communities we serve and we are committed to fostering a workplace where every colleague feels valued and that they belong