SASE Network Architect

Infrastructure Architects design, implement and evolve the infrastructure (on-premises and/or cloud) that support an organisation's IT systems. Key duties and responsibilities SASE Architect Purpose and Context Provide independent, specialist SASE and Zero Trust architecture expertise to lead the technical discovery for ANU’s future secure access capability. The Architect will assess the current environment, define a vendor neutral future state direction, and develop procurement ready architecture and requirements artefacts for a future implementation partner. This is an above the line advisory and discovery role. It does not include product selection, detailed design, implementation, migration or managed service delivery. Key ResponsibilitiesLead assessment of ANU’s current network, security and access environment, including campus and remote access, internet egress, application access, identity integration, endpoint posture, security controls and operational processes.Define a vendor-neutral, high-level target architecture and design principles for a SASE-aligned secure-access environment.Define functional and non-functional requirements, including security, availability, resilience, scalability, performance, reporting, compliance, operational supportability and user experience.Work with the Senior Technical Business Analyst and ANU stakeholders to translate current-state findings, use cases and requirements into coherent architectural outcomes.Identify integration points, assumptions, constraints, dependencies and transition considerations across network modernisation, identity, cloud, endpoint, security operations and service management.Produce architecture artefacts suitable for a future market approach, including conceptual architecture, capability model, design principles, technical requirements, evaluation criteria and high-level transition considerations.Provide independent architectural input to procurement strategy and documentation, ensuring requirements are clear, testable and not biased toward a particular product, vendor or implementation approach.Facilitate and contribute to workshops with technical and business stakeholders; clearly explain complex architecture decisions and trade-offs to varied audiences.Work collaboratively with any BA, Architect, Change Manager or other specialist engaged through separate providers, using shared documentation, governance and ways of working.Draw on provider reachback capability where needed, while retaining accountability for the quality, coherence and timeliness of agreed deliverables.Provide clear handover and knowledge transfer so ANU teams can confidently use the discovery outputs in subsequent procurement and implementation phases.Essential Experience / CapabilityDemonstrated specialist experience as a network-security architect delivering SASE, Secure Service Edge, Zero Trust or comparable secure-access transformation in large, complex production environments.Strong knowledge of relevant capability domains, such as secure web gateway, cloud access security broker, Zero Trust network access, firewall as a service, SD WAN, identity aware access, segmentation, security telemetry and policy enforcement.Proven ability to assess complex current state environments and develop pragmatic, vendor-neutral target architectures, roadmaps and requirements.Experience contributing architecture and technical content to procurement activities, such as requirements schedules, evaluation criteria, reference architectures and acceptance conditions.Ability to work effectively in a multi provider model, collaborating with a BA or other specialists from a different organisation while maintaining shared outcomes and clear accountability.Excellent written, verbal and facilitation skills; able to communicate technical findings, risks and choices in clear language for technical teams, executives and business stakeholders.Experience in a large, decentralised, regulated or security-sensitive environment; higher-education experience is desirable.Access to relevant specialist reach back capability within the provider organisation, with practical expertise available to support complex architectural questions or assurance activities.