POSITION SUMMARY:
The Director of Network Infrastructure is responsible for the strategic design, security, financial management, and operation of all network infrastructure supporting the organization’s office environments, arena and entertainment complex, broadcast operations, and public-facing services. This role owns switching, routing, firewall platforms, internet and wide-area connectivity, and vendor-managed circuits, with a primary focus on reliability, security, scalability, and fiscal accountability.
This position serves as the executive owner of network architecture and budget, ensuring alignment with NIST Zero Trust Architecture (SP 800-207) principles while delivering 100% network and internet availability during live events. The Director supports multiple business verticals with differing risk profiles and operational requirements across a converged, multi-tenant network environment.
JOB FUNCTION:
Network Architecture, Reliability & Operations
- Own the end-to-end design, deployment, and operation of enterprise and arena network infrastructure
- Ensure high availability, redundancy, fault tolerance, and performance across all environments
- Define and enforce network standards, architectures, configuration baselines, and documentation
- Lead network lifecycle planning including refresh, upgrades, and decommissioning
- Establish operational maturity metrics aligned to availability, resiliency, and security objectives
Internet, WAN & Circuit Management
- Own all internet and WAN connectivity including office, arena, broadcast, and event circuits
- Design redundant and diverse connectivity paths to meet zero-downtime event requirements
- Manage service providers and carriers to ensure SLA adherence and rapid issue resolution
- Act as the escalation point during outages, degradation events, or carrier failures
Arena, Entertainment & Event-Critical Networking
- Architect and operate networks supporting live events with zero tolerance for downtime
- Apply modern arena-grade networking technologies supporting ticketing, POS, media, guest Wi-Fi, and operations
- Ensure network and internet uptime meets 100% availability expectations during events
- Lead post-event technical reviews and continuous improvement initiatives
Zero Trust Architecture & Security Alignment (NIST 800-207)
- Design, implement, and operate a Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA) aligned with NIST SP 800-207
- Apply continuous verification, least-privilege access, and micro-segmentation across all network layers
- Architect policy enforcement points (PEPs) and policy decision points (PDPs) within the network
- Segment and protect traffic across users, devices, applications, services, and data flows
- Maintain maturity roadmaps to evolve zero trust capabilities over time
Multi-Entity & Converged Network Design
- Design and manage a converged network supporting multiple business entities and partners
- Enforce strict isolation while enabling secure shared services and infrastructure
- Support private, public, broadcast, IoT, and building management traffic on a common platform
- Ensure network design supports scalability for future tenants, events, and technologies
IoT & Building Management Network Security
- Design and manage zero trust network segments for IoT devices and building management systems
- Apply risk-based segmentation, monitoring, and policy enforcement for non-traditional endpoints
- Ensure IoT and OT networks align with organizational cybersecurity standards
Firewall Architecture & Cybersecurity Controls
- Own firewall platform selection, architecture, and rule governance
- Ensure network-layer controls align with cybersecurity policies, compliance, and risk frameworks
- Partner with cybersecurity leadership on threat modeling, incident response, and audits
- Review and approve network security changes impacting risk posture
Broadcast & Media Transport
- Support broadcast and media workflows across IP, fiber, wireless, and hybrid transport models
- Ensure high-bandwidth, low-latency performance for media production and distribution
- Collaborate with broadcast engineers and partners on architecture and troubleshooting
- Design resilient media transport paths for live and recorded content
Vendor & Partner Management
- Lead vendor evaluation, selection, and contract negotiation for all network-related technologies
- Manage strategic relationships with vendors, integrators, and carriers
- Coordinate with third-party partners including Live Nation, Ticketmaster, and food & beverage vendors
- Ensure vendor solutions align with zero trust, security, and architectural standards
Budget Ownership & Financial Management
- Own the network infrastructure CAPEX and OPEX budgets
- Develop and manage multi-year network investment roadmaps
- Forecast, justify, and prioritize expenditures based on business and risk needs
- Optimize vendor contracts and licensing for cost efficiency and performance
- Track spend, reconcile invoices, and report financial status to executive leadership
Leadership, Mentorship & Collaboration
- Serve as a senior technical leader and trusted advisor within the IT organization
- Mentor junior network and infrastructure engineers and technicians
- Collaborate across IT, cybersecurity, AV, broadcast, facilities, and business teams
- Promote operational excellence, documentation, and knowledge sharing
REQUIRED SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 8+ years of experience in network engineering and infrastructure roles
- 3+ years in a senior or leadership position with architectural responsibility
- Deep expertise in enterprise switching, routing, and firewall technologies
- Proven experience managing internet circuits, carriers, and vendor relationships
- Demonstrated experience implementing zero trust or segmented network architectures
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience supporting arenas, entertainment venues, or event-driven environments
- Experience with broadcast, media, or live production networks
- Familiarity with IoT and building management system networking
- Experience working within NIST-aligned cybersecurity frameworks
- Industry certifications (e.g., CCNP/CCIE, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Aruba, Juniper)
The Dallas Mavericks provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
