IT Networks Infrastructure Consultant - M&A Integration

Sword is a leading provider of business technology solutions within the Energy, Public and Finance Sectors, driving real transformation change within our clients. We use proven technology, specialist teams and domain expertise to build solid technical foundations across platforms, data and business applications. We have a passion for using technology to solve business problems, working in partnership with our clients to help in achieving their goals.

To support significant M&A and Integration projects across a range of domain sectors, this ongoing contract role will lead the definition, design, and delivery of network integration strategies across a range of complex environments, ensuring secure connectivity, operational consistency, and alignment to regulatory standards. You will act as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders, shaping network architecture, migration approaches, and the convergence of multi-vendor environments while maintaining stability in a highly regulated setting.

•Assess network environments and define target-state architecture aligned to business, operational, and regulatory requirements.

• Lead network due diligence activities for mergers, acquisitions, and divestments, identifying risks, dependencies, and integration priorities.

• Develop network standardisation and consolidation strategies across multi-vendor environments, including technologies such as Cisco, Meraki, and Palo Alto.

• Produce high-level and low-level design documentation, migration runbooks, validation steps, and rollback plans for transition activity.

• Define integration approaches including coexistence, migration, and full transformation models depending on business and technical needs.

• Create structured implementation plans that minimise disruption to business-critical services and support controlled delivery within regulated environments.

• Design and guide delivery across LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, data centre, cloud networking, secure connectivity, wireless, NAC, and IP telephony integration.

• Work closely with application, security, infrastructure, and leadership teams to align network decisions with wider integration and transformation objectives.

• Translate complex technical designs into clear executive-level summaries and act as a key advisor in strategic decision-making.

Requirements

• Strong expertise in routing and switching technologies including BGP, OSPF, VLANs, and spanning tree, with experience across enterprise network environments.

• Proven experience designing and delivering SD-WAN architectures, ideally with Cisco SD-WAN or Viptela, alongside wider LAN and WAN modernisation.

• Hands-on knowledge of firewall and secure connectivity technologies, with a strong understanding of Zero Trust principles, VPN, ZTNA, and SASE concepts.

• Demonstrable experience supporting network integration during mergers, acquisitions, divestments, or large-scale transformation programmes.

• Experience working in multi-vendor environments and leading convergence across platforms such as Cisco, Meraki, Palo Alto, and equivalent enterprise technologies.

• Strong understanding of regulated environments, ideally within UK financial services, including awareness of FCA and PRA expectations, resilience, and segmentation standards.

• Experience integrating IP telephony or unified communications platforms, such as Cisco Call Manager, Webex Calling, or Microsoft Teams Voice, across changing business structures.

• Strong documentation capability, including production of HLDs, LLDs, migration runbooks, validation plans, and rollback strategies.

• A consultative approach with the ability to engage senior stakeholders, assess risk effectively, and lead through fast-paced and high-change environments.

Benefits

This opportunity is offered on a contract basis and can operate Outside IR35 or an a PAYE basis. There will also be the option of a permanent staff role for suitably qualified and experienced candidates.

At Sword, our core values and culture are based on caring about our people, investing in training and career development, and building inclusive teams where we are all encouraged to contribute to achieve success. We offer comprehensive benefits designed to support your professional development and enhance your overall quality of life. In addition to a Competitive Salary, here's what you can expect as part of our benefits package:

• Personalised Career Development: We create a development plan customised to your goals and aspirations, with a range of learning and development opportunities within a culture that encourages growth.
• Flexible working: Flexible work arrangements to support your work-life balance. We can’t promise to always be able to meet every request, however, are keen to discuss your individual preferences to make it work where we can.
• A Fantastic Benefits Package: This includes generous annual leave allowance, enhanced family friendly benefits, pension scheme, access to private health, well-being, and insurance schemes.

At Sword we are dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and are proud to be an equal opportunities employer, ensuring that all applicants receive fair and equal consideration for employment, regardless of whether they meet every requirement. If you don’t tick all the boxes but feel you have some of the relevant skills and experience we’re looking for, please do consider applying and highlight your transferable skills and experience. We embrace diversity in all its forms, valuing individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. Your perspective and potential are important to us.

If we can do anything to help make the hiring process more accessible, please let our talent acquisition team know when you apply so we can support any adjustments.