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Lead Network Engineer

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

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Key Information

Date live: 15/05/2026

Business Area: Customer Digital and Data

Area of Expertise: Technology

Contract: Permanent

Reference Code: JR-0000105145

Barclays and Tesco Bank

Tesco Bank helps more than three million customers manage their money a little better every day. Barclays acquired Tesco’s retail banking business in the UK in 2024, and we’ve been growing together ever since. We offer Credit Card, Savings and Loans products that earn Clubcard points. For customers, that means more choice and better rewards. For colleagues, it means broader career paths and bigger opportunities.

Technology

Bringing together the strengths of Barclays and Tesco Bank, we’re passionate about using the latest tech to make it easy and intuitive for customers to meet their financial goals. We’re 100% Agile and totally customer obsessed. Our engineers are embedded across the bank, working seamlessly with the rest of the business. They are empowered to own solutions end-to-end and make an impact every day.

We’re looking for a Lead Engineer to play a key role in the Networks team at Tesco Bank, part of Barclays Bank UK Plc.

You’ll be responsible for leading the day‑to‑day (BAU) operation of network services, managing the BAU engineering team, and ensuring the stability, security, and performance of the network estate. Alongside this, you’ll lead and deliver your own project work, contribute to network design and improvement initiatives, and support the Principal Engineer in driving the overall direction of the Networks function.

This role sits at the intersection of operational excellence and technical leadership, providing a critical link between BAU delivery and strategic change.

To be successful as a Lead Network Engineer, you should have:

  • Strong experience on Fortinet and CCNP-level knowledge.
  • Secure network design & delivery – hands-on knowledge of network technology stacks (Arista, Zscaler, Palo Alto, Juniper, Versa, Routing knowledge of BGP).
  • Communication and stakeholder management skills with previous experience in coaching network engineers.

Some other highly valued skills may include:

  • Experience in network automation/scripting and version control.
  • Experience in Supplier / MSP management.
  • Experience in supporting large-scale network change delivery.

You may be assessed on the key critical skills relevant for success in role, such as risk and controls, change and transformation, business acumen strategic thinking and digital and technology, as well as job-specific technical skills.

This role is based out of our office in Edinburgh.

#Tescobanktechnology

Purpose of the role

To build and maintain infrastructure platforms and products that support applications and data systems, using hardware, software, networks, and cloud computing platforms as required with the aim of ensuring that the infrastructure is reliable, scalable, and secure.  Ensure the reliability, availability, and scalability of the systems, platforms, and technology through the application of software engineering techniques, automation, and best practices in incident response. 

Accountabilities

  • Build Engineering:  Development, delivery, and maintenance of high-quality infrastructure solutions to fulfil business requirements ensuring measurable reliability, performance, availability, and ease of use. Including the identification of the appropriate technologies and solutions to meet business, optimisation, and resourcing requirements.
  • Incident Management: Monitoring of IT infrastructure and system performance to measure, identify, address, and resolve any potential issues, vulnerabilities, or outages. Use of data to drive down mean time to resolution.
  • Automation:  Development and implementation of automated tasks and processes to improve efficiency and reduce manual intervention, utilising software scripting/coding disciplines.
  • Security: Implementation of a secure configuration and measures to protect infrastructure against cyber-attacks, vulnerabilities, and other security threats, including protection of hardware, software, and data from unauthorised access.
  • Teamwork:  Cross-functional collaboration with product managers, architects, and other engineers to define IT Infrastructure requirements, devise solutions, and ensure seamless integration and alignment with business objectives via a data driven approach.
  • Learning: Stay informed of industry technology trends and innovations, and actively contribute to the organization's technology communities to foster a culture of technical excellence and growth.

Assistant Vice President Expectations

  • To advise and influence decision making, contribute to policy development and take responsibility for operational effectiveness. Collaborate closely with other functions/ business divisions.
  • Lead a team performing complex tasks, using well developed professional knowledge and skills to deliver on work that impacts the whole business function. Set objectives and coach employees in pursuit of those objectives, appraisal of performance relative to objectives and determination of reward outcomes
  • If the position has leadership responsibilities, People Leaders are expected to demonstrate a clear set of leadership behaviours to create an environment for colleagues to thrive and deliver to a consistently excellent standard. The four LEAD behaviours are: L – Listen and be authentic, E – Energise and inspire, A – Align across the enterprise, D – Develop others.
  • OR for an individual contributor, they will lead collaborative assignments and guide team members through structured assignments, identify the need for the inclusion of other areas of specialisation to complete assignments. They will identify new directions for assignments and/ or projects, identifying a combination of cross functional methodologies or practices to meet required outcomes.
  • Consult on complex issues; providing advice to People Leaders to support the resolution of escalated issues.
  • Identify ways to mitigate risk and developing new policies/procedures in support of the control and governance agenda.
  • Take ownership for managing risk and strengthening controls in relation to the work done.
  • Perform work that is closely related to that of other areas, which requires understanding of how areas coordinate and contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the organisation sub-function.
  • Collaborate with other areas of work, for business aligned support areas to keep up to speed with business activity and the business strategy.
  • Engage in complex analysis of data from multiple sources of information, internal and external sources such as procedures and practises (in other areas, teams, companies, etc).to solve problems creatively and effectively.
  • Communicate complex information. 'Complex' information could include sensitive information or information that is difficult to communicate because of its content or its audience.
  • Influence or convince stakeholders to achieve outcomes.

All colleagues will be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Values of Respect, Integrity, Service, Excellence and Stewardship – our moral compass, helping us do what we believe is right. They will also be expected to demonstrate the Barclays Mindset – to Empower, Challenge and Drive – the operating manual for how we behave.

Barclays welcomes applications from all candidates and is committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments (accommodations) are put in place to allow for a fair and inclusive recruitment process. For more information and how to request one, please review Adjustments to the recruitment process.

We’re a global, vital and highly respected financial organisation with an inspiring Purpose. Operating in 39 countries and employing around 100,000 people across the world, we help communities, individuals and businesses thrive. And we’ve created financial solutions and technology that the world now takes for granted. A career with us can offer incredible variety, depth and breadth of experience, and the chance to learn from some of the best minds in technology and finance.

To find out more about Barclays' strategy please click here.

We are an equal opportunity employer and opposed to discrimination on any grounds. It is the policy of Barclays to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, colour, creed, religion, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by law.

Our People

"It’s been an amazing journey so far, with supportive colleagues and opportunities to learn and grow every day."

"After graduating from university with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting with Corporate Finance, I began exploring a career in technology, driven by a long-standing interest in the field. Completing the Code First Girls ‘Introduction to Python and Apps’ CFGdegree and +Masters programmes helped build the foundation for the career I wanted to pursue. Today, I’m part of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) team in Platform Engineering. My role includes patching EC2 instances, updating Lambda function runtimes across multiple AWS accounts, and establishing PrivateLink endpoints for third-party connections.

Starting a new role can feel both exciting and challenging, but it’s been a great experience so far. I’ve been supported by colleagues and have had the opportunity to learn and grow every day."

Kat, Systems Engineer

Who succeeds in Tech at Tesco Bank?

The tech people who thrive here love to stay close to the customer and take personal ownership for solving problems. This is a friendly and inclusive environment, with a can-do, keep it simple ethos, where you’ll be encouraged to expand your skills and build a career that grows with you.

We listen to one another, seek out different perspectives and are open to new ideas. We keep teams small, flexible and agile, so they can react fast and make better decisions. That process of testing, listening, learning and improving through open feedback and collaboration gives our work real energy.

Qualities we look for:motivator, supporter, connector, driver, communicator, transformer, maker, observer

What you'll get in return

Competitive holiday allowance

Life assurance

Private medical care

Pension contribution

Our technology

We understand the importance of giving engineers the best tools to work with. We are 100% Agile, committed to automation, and our tech stack is updated and upgraded regularly. This allows our tech teams to focus on making an impact by solving customer problems not technical issues. As we grow, we’re making major investments in Product Management and Agentic AI, while finding new ways to draw customer insights from our rich resource of Tesco Clubcard data.

Working in Edinburgh

Our bright, modern EHQ building is based in the busy business district at the Gyle, to the west of Edinburgh. It’s an area well served by public transport and within walking distance from Bankhead tram station as well as South Gyle and Edinburgh Park train stations.

Hybrid working

At Barclays, we offer a hybrid working experience that blends the positives of working alongside colleagues at our onsite locations, together with working from home. We have a structured approach where colleagues work at an onsite location on fixed, ‘anchor’, days of the week, for a minimum of two days a week or more, as set by the business area (or nearest equivalent if working part-time hours). Please discuss the working pattern requirements for the role you are applying for with the hiring manager. Please note that as we continue to embed our hybrid working environment, we remain in a test and learn phase, which means that working arrangements may be subject to change on reasonable notice to ensure we meet the needs of our business.