Network Engineer

Purpose of the Role

The Network Engineer is responsible for the design, implementation, support, monitoring, security, and continuous improvement of Hungry Lion's network infrastructure across all operating countries. The role ensures reliable connectivity between stores, head office, cloud platforms, data centres, and third-party service providers, supporting business-critical systems including POS, payments, CCTV, ERP, and collaboration platforms.

The role will be accountable for maintaining high network availability, driving network standardisation across Africa, and supporting new store openings, acquisitions, and expansion projects.

Travel to stores, distribution centres, and regional offices is required.

Key Responsibilities

Network Operations & Support

• Manage and maintain WAN, LAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, VPN, and internet connectivity across all Hungry Lion locations.
• Monitor network performance, availability, bandwidth utilisation, and service quality.
• Troubleshoot and resolve network incidents and escalations within agreed SLAs.
• Coordinate with service providers for fault resolution and service delivery.
• Maintain network uptime targets and minimise business disruption.
• Support after-hours and critical incident response when required.

Infrastructure Design & Engineering

• Design scalable and resilient network architectures for stores, distribution centres, and corporate offices.
• Implement network solutions aligned to business growth and expansion plans.
• Standardise network deployments across multiple African countries.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements.
• Support cloud connectivity requirements for Google Cloud and SaaS platforms.

Store Connectivity & Expansion

• Design and maintain store network standards.
• Support all new store openings, relocations, refurbishments, and acquisitions.
• Ensure network readiness prior to store go-live.
• Implement dual-link and failover strategies for business continuity.
• Manage LTE backup solutions and SD-WAN deployments.

Security & Compliance

• Implement and maintain network security controls.
• Manage firewalls, VPNs, access control policies, and segmentation.
• Support cybersecurity initiatives and vulnerability remediation.
• Ensure compliance with company security policies and standards.
• Participate in audits and security assessments.

Vendor & Service Provider Management

• Manage telecommunications and network service providers.
• Review provider performance against SLAs.
• Assist with contract evaluations and technical assessments.
• Drive service improvements and cost optimisation initiatives.
• Escalate chronic service issues and manage remediation plans.

Monitoring & Documentation

• Maintain accurate network diagrams and documentation.
• Ensure all network assets are recorded and tracked.
• Produce operational and executive reports.
• Develop and maintain network standards and procedures.
• Maintain disaster recovery and failover documentation.

Projects & Continuous Improvement

• Participate in infrastructure and digital transformation projects.
• Support POS, payment, ERP, CCTV, and cloud initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve reliability, performance, and cost efficiency.
• Assist in budgeting and forecasting of network-related expenditure.
• Lead network-related project implementations.

Technical Skills & Experience

Essential

• 5+ years' experience in network engineering and support.
• Experience supporting multi-site retail environments.
• TCP/IP
• Routing & Switching
• VLANs
• VPN Technologies
• Wireless Networks
• SD-WAN
• Network Security
• DNS & DHCP
• Firewalls
• MPLS and Broadband Services
• LTE/5G Connectivity
• Experience managing service providers and ISPs.
• Strong troubleshooting and diagnostic skills.
• Experience with network monitoring platforms.

Preferred

• Experience supporting African operations and remote locations.
• Fortinet
• Cisco
• Aruba
• Ubiquiti
• Meraki
• Mikrotik
• Google Cloud networking
• Experience with PCI-DSS environments.
• Experience supporting payment systems and retail POS networks.

Qualifications

Essential

• Diploma or Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Network Engineering, or related field.
• Preferred Certifications
• Cisco CCNA / CCNP
• Fortinet NSE
• Aruba Certified Professional
• ITIL Foundation
• Network Security Certifications

Key Competencies

Technical Competencies

• Network Architecture
• Network Security
• Performance Optimisation
• Incident Management
• Problem Solving
• Technical Documentation
• Vendor Management

Behavioural Competencies

• Strong ownership and accountability
• Excellent communication skills
• Customer-focused mindset
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure
• Strong analytical thinking
• Team collaboration
• Continuous improvement mindset

Success Measures

Within the first 12 months, the successful candidate should:

• Establish complete visibility of all store connectivity across Africa.
• Standardise network deployments and documentation.
• Improve network uptime and resilience.
• Reduce recurring connectivity issues.
• Support the successful delivery of all new store openings.
• Implement proactive monitoring and reporting.
• Drive measurable network cost optimisation initiatives.

AN INTRODUCTION TO HUNGRY LION

Hungry Lion’s journey began with a single store in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, in 1997, with a simple vision: to serve great food with genuine warmth and energy. Over the years, that vision has grown into a powerful business with a strong and expanding footprint, with hundreds of restaurants across multiple African countries.

We’re growing fast and building for the future. Our ambitious expansion strategy is opening doors to new countries, new communities, and new possibilities for our teams. This means real career growth, exposure to a dynamic multinational business, and the chance to be part of a brand that’s making a powerful impact in the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry.

Our success is powered by people; passionate, driven individuals who bring energy, creativity, and excellence to everything they do. From our restaurant teams to our corporate leadership, every person plays a vital role in delivering exceptional service and growing our brand. Joining Hungry Lion means being part of a fast-paced, dynamic, and supportive environment where your ideas, skills, and ambition can make a real impact.

KoWfDf1sIb