Network Services Director

Who we are:

Farm Credit Bank of Texas is a $42.2 billion wholesale bank that has been financing agriculture and rural America for over 100 years. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, we provide funding and services to rural lending associations in five states, and we are active in the nation's capital markets.

While you may not be familiar with our name, Farm Credit Bank of Texas plays a critical role in supporting the businesses that make it possible for America to maintain access to an affordable and safe food supply, an industry which is one of the most innovative and evolving of our time. And while you help us deliver on our mission, we deliver on our commitment to you as a valued employee by providing competitive compensation, generous health and wellness benefits packages, and a collaborative workplace culture.

We seek out top talent in their fields, whether it be technology, finance, accounting, credit, human resources, or other administrative functions, and welcome you to join us in our mission to feed the world.

Position Description

The Network Services Director is responsible for the leadership, strategy, architecture, security, and operational management of the Bank's enterprise network services environment. This role leads a team of network professionals responsible for delivering reliable, secure, and scalable network infrastructure supporting critical business operations across the organization.

Working as part of the Information Technology organization, the Network Services Director partners closely with infrastructure, security, application, and business teams to ensure network services align with organizational priorities and technology strategy. The role oversees network architecture, operations, automation, vendor management, roadmap development, budgeting, and service delivery while ensuring compliance with established controls and standards.

The position focuses on maintaining highly available network services, advancing modernization initiatives, strengthening security, and supporting the Bank's long-term technology objectives. The Network Services Director serves as the senior escalation point for complex network issues and provides leadership for enterprise networking projects, operational improvements, and infrastructure transformation efforts.

Operating with a high degree of accountability and leadership, the Network Services Director helps ensure technology services remain secure, resilient, and aligned with the evolving needs of the Bank and its customers.

Day-to-Day Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of network professionals responsible for enterprise network services and infrastructure operations.
• Assign and prioritize operational and project work to ensure resources are aligned with business priorities and service commitments.
• Oversee the design, implementation, security, and ongoing operation of enterprise network services and infrastructure.
• Serve as the senior escalation point for network performance, connectivity, availability, and security issues.
• Develop and maintain technology roadmaps for network services, ensuring alignment with business goals and enterprise architecture strategies.
• Establish, maintain, and enforce technical standards, operational procedures, and documentation requirements.
• Maintain ownership and accountability for assigned IT services, including service performance, availability, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Evaluate and implement automation opportunities to improve operational efficiency, service reliability, and control effectiveness.
• Lead efforts to transition applicable infrastructure services to Infrastructure-as-Code and automation-based management practices.
• Ensure compliance with internal controls, change management requirements, governance expectations, and security standards.
• Develop and manage budgets supporting operational requirements, lifecycle planning, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide status reporting and strategic updates to executive leadership, stakeholders, and business partners.
• Participate in Change Advisory Board activities and coordinate communication regarding infrastructure changes and service impacts.
• Monitor the health and performance of network infrastructure components and support preventative maintenance activities.
• Lead network architecture, security planning, capacity management, and modernization initiatives.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and vendor solutions to support innovation and long-term operational effectiveness.
• Build strong relationships with internal customers and business partners to understand priorities and support business objectives.
• Collaborate across departments to ensure successful planning, implementation, and delivery of technology initiatives.
• Maintain oversight of technology inventories, service documentation, and operational reporting.

What You Bring to the Team

Our ideal candidate is a strategic technology leader with deep networking expertise, a passion for operational excellence, and a proven ability to lead teams while delivering secure and reliable enterprise infrastructure solutions.

This role requires a combination of network engineering expertise, leadership experience, operational management skills, and strategic planning capabilities, including:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience.
• Five (5) or more years of experience as a Network Engineer or similar infrastructure technology role.
• Ten (10) or more years of leadership experience managing network teams, infrastructure operations, or related technology functions.
• Experience leading enterprise network architecture, engineering, operations, and security initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience managing technology roadmaps, budgets, projects, and vendor relationships.
• Experience supporting highly available, business-critical infrastructure environments.
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and employee development skills.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities while maintaining a focus on service quality, security, and operational excellence.
• Experience working collaboratively with technical teams, business leaders, vendors, and executive stakeholders.

Preferred

• Experience in banking, financial services, or other highly regulated industries.
• Professional certifications in networking, security, cloud infrastructure, or related technologies.
• Experience supporting multi-site enterprise network environments.
• Experience implementing infrastructure automation and Infrastructure-as-Code practices.
• Experience leading cloud networking and hybrid infrastructure initiatives.
• Experience with enterprise network security programs, controls, and governance frameworks.
• Experience with strategic technology planning and infrastructure modernization efforts.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

Demonstrated expertise in two or more of the following areas:

• Cisco switching, routing, and firewall technologies.
• Fortinet SD-WAN and network connectivity solutions.
• Cisco or Microsoft Voice over IP (VoIP) platforms.
• Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).
• Network vendor management and technology lifecycle planning.
• Cloud networking and cloud infrastructure management.

Additional strengths include:

• Network architecture, security, design, and operational management.
• Enterprise routing, switching, wireless, and connectivity solutions.
• Infrastructure monitoring, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.
• Network security principles, controls, and risk management practices.
• Technology governance, change management, and operational controls.
• Automation, scripting, and Infrastructure-as-Code concepts.

Why Farm Credit Bank of Texas:

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer comprehensive, affordable, and competitive benefit options focused on health and wellness, financial security, and work-life balance:

• Flexible health-and-wellness benefits
• 401(k) plan with immediate vesting and generous employer contributions
• Long-term disability and life insurance
• Vacation leave, sick leave, and paid holidays
• Fertility benefit and parental leave plan
• Volunteer time off
• Professional development opportunities
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Physical fitness incentive plan
• Employer matching gifts program

Important note: We care about your hiring process and take it seriously. A real person will review your application, meaning response timelines may vary. The interviewing process at Farm Credit Bank of Texas may include phone calls, virtual or onsite interviews, and requests for work samples or presentations. We will do our best to create a professional, respectful, and thorough process for candidates identified as a potential fit.

A/EOE/M/F/D/V