NOC Lead - India Operations (Technical Lead to Manager Track)

NOC Lead - India Operations (Technical Lead to Manager Track)

Position Overview

We are seeking an exceptional NOC Lead to spearhead the establishment of our India-based Network Operations Center function for our large-scale Managed Service Provider (MSP) operations. This is a unique opportunity for a highly technical professional to begin as a technical escalation point, prove their expertise working alongside our US-based NOC team, and eventually grow into managing a full NOC team in India. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical knowledge with emerging leadership capabilities and the ability to build trust with both US teams and clients.

Career Progression Path

Phase 1 (Months 1-6)

Work directly with US-based NOC team as senior technical escalation point

Demonstrate technical expertise and reliability in high-pressure situations

Build relationships with US clients and internal stakeholders

Learn organizational processes, tools, and client requirements

Phase 2 (Months 6-12)

Begin recruiting and onboarding initial India NOC team members

Transition from individual contributor to team lead role

Establish India NOC operational procedures aligned with US standards

Take increasing ownership of India operations while maintaining US collaboration

Phase 3 (Year 2+)

Manage complete 24/7 India NOC operations supporting US business hours

Scale team based on client growth and service expansion

Drive process improvements and operational excellence

Serve as primary India NOC liaison to US leadership and clients

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership & Escalation (Immediate Focus)

Serve as Tier 3 escalation point for complex network infrastructure issues across Cisco Catalyst, Meraki, Fortinet, and Extreme switching environments

Troubleshoot and resolve critical network, system, and application incidents with minimal supervision

Provide expert-level support for routing, switching, SD-WAN, VPN, firewall, and NAS system issues

Collaborate closely with US NOC team to ensure seamless 24/7 coverage and knowledge transfer

Maintain deep technical expertise in networking protocols (IPSEC, HSRP, BGP, OSPF, 802.11, QoS) and OSI/TCP-IP model

Client Relations & Trust Building

Interface directly with US-based SMB (25-250 users) clients during critical incidents and planned maintenance

Demonstrate exceptional communication skills and technical competence to build client confidence

Ensure all client interactions meet or exceed service level expectations

Provide detailed incident reports and proactive communication to maintain transparency

Team Development & Operations Management (Growing Responsibility)

Recruit, interview, and onboard high-caliber NOC technicians for India operations

Develop comprehensive training programs covering technical skills and customer service excellence

Establish and manage 24/7 shift schedules optimized for US business hour coverage

Foster a culture of proactive monitoring, rapid incident response, and continuous improvement

Implement performance management systems and KPIs aligned with MSP service standards

Process & Infrastructure Development

Implement and optimize network monitoring, diagnostic, and analytics tools

Develop automation solutions for incident detection, reporting, and routine operational tasks

Establish escalation procedures, incident management protocols, and change management processes

Ensure comprehensive documentation of incidents, resolutions, and network changes

Drive process standardization and efficiency improvements across India NOC operations

Strategic Growth & Scaling

Scale NOC team and operations in alignment with MSP client growth and service expansion

Identify opportunities for service enhancement and operational optimization

Collaborate with US leadership on strategic planning for India NOC evolution

Manage infrastructure projects and process improvement initiatives

Required Technical Expertise

Core Networking Skills

5+ years hands-on experience with Cisco Catalyst, Meraki, Fortinet (FortiGate), and Extreme switches

Expert-level knowledge of routing, switching, SD-WAN, VPNs, and firewall technologies

Advanced proficiency in networking protocols: IPSEC, HSRP, BGP, OSPF, 802.11, QoS

Deep understanding of OSI/TCP-IP model and network troubleshooting methodologies

Systems & Applications a plus

Strong experience with Microsoft server environments and Windows workstation management

Proficiency with Line of Business (LoB) applications and Microsoft Office 365 integration

Experience with network-attached storage (NAS) systems and backup/disaster recovery solutions

Monitoring & Analytics

Expertise with MSP network monitoring and diagnostic tools

Experience creating dashboards, automated reporting, and performance analysis systems

Ability to conduct trend analysis, root cause analysis (RCA), and generate actionable insights

Security & Compliance

Comprehensive knowledge of network security best practices

Experience with firewalls, VPNs, endpoint protection, and security incident response

Understanding of compliance requirements (HIPAA, financial regulations, etc.)

Familiarity with change management and business continuity planning

Required Qualifications & Experience

Education & Experience

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, Information Technology, or related field

Minimum 5 years in network operations with increasing technical responsibility

2+ years in senior technical or team lead roles within MSP environment

Proven track record working with enterprise clients and maintaining high service standards

Leadership & Management

Experience mentoring junior technical staff and providing technical guidance

Demonstrated ability to work effectively in cross-cultural, distributed team environments

Project management experience including process improvement and infrastructure initiatives

Track record of building processes and procedures from ground up

Communication & Soft Skills

Exceptional verbal and written English communication for US client and team interaction

Ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences

Strong presentation skills for client meetings and internal reporting

Cultural awareness and ability to work effectively across US-India time zones

Additional Requirements

Ability to work flexible hours to ensure overlap with US business operations

Willingness to participate in on-call rotation and emergency escalations

High-pressure, fast-paced environment experience with enterprise-level SLAs

Strong analytical and problem-solving mindset with attention to detail

What We Offer

Opportunity to build and lead NOC operations from the ground up

Direct career progression path from technical expert to operations manager

Exposure to cutting-edge enterprise networking technologies and large-scale MSP operations

Collaboration with experienced US-based teams and enterprise clients

Competitive compensation package with performance-based growth opportunities

Professional development support including certifications and training programs

Ideal Candidate Profile

The successful candidate will be a technical expert who thrives on complex problem-solving, demonstrates natural leadership qualities, and has the vision to build world-class NOC operations. You should be equally comfortable diving deep into technical troubleshooting and communicating with executive-level stakeholders. This role requires someone who can earn trust through technical excellence while developing the management skills needed to scale operations successfully.