We're looking for a Head of Platform Operations to lead the operational excellence of the AMS-IX platform. In this role, you'll be responsible for the reliability, stability and availability of our live platform and all customer-facing infrastructure. You'll lead our Network Operations (NOC), Systems Engineering and Field Engineering teams, ensuring 24/7 service continuity, disciplined incident management and controlled execution of operational changes.

You will play a key role in maintaining a resilient production environment while driving continuous improvement through automation, AI-driven operational tooling and data-driven performance management. Working closely with the Head of Network Transformation and other business stakeholders, you'll ensure new technologies are successfully transitioned into operations and continue to meet our carrier-grade standards. 

Your responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead the Network Operations (NOC), Systems Engineering and Field Engineering teams.
• Ensure platform availability, resilience and operational excellence.
• Drive operational risk management and compliance with ISO 27001 and Critical Infrastructure requirements.

Service Delivery & Operational Excellence

• Own Incident, Problem and Change Management processes.
• Act as the escalation point for major operational incidents.
• Ensure production changes are executed in a controlled, risk-managed and well-documented manner.
• Drive continuous improvement by reducing incident recurrence and improving operational performance.

Automation & Platform Operations

• Drive automation-first operational workflows and AI-enabled operations.
• Improve monitoring, predictive alerting and operational reporting.
• Oversee the operational lifecycle of network infrastructure, systems infrastructure and customer-facing connectivity.
• Lead capacity planning, operational budgeting and supplier performance.

Team Development & Performance

• Coach and develop technical team leads and engineers.
• Ensure effective workforce planning, performance management and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, ownership and collaboration across global teams. 

Your profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree, or equivalent professional experience.
• 8+ years of experience in network operations, systems engineering or carrier-grade environments.
• Proven leadership experience managing international technical teams.
• Experience within an Internet Exchange, ISP or large-scale network environment is strongly preferred.
• Fluent in English (Dutch is a plus). 

Technical skills you bring

• Strong IT, networking or engineering background.
• Deep understanding of IP networking, routing and peering.
• Experience with carrier-grade infrastructure and operational excellence.
• Knowledge of Incident, Problem and Change Management.
• Experience with automation, AI-enabled operational tooling and monitoring platforms.
• Budgeting, capacity planning and supplier management. 

Soft skills we value

• Strong leadership and people development skills.
• Analytical and structured.
• Decisive under pressure.
• Executive-level communication skills.
• High sense of accountability and ownership.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced, international environment.

As a Security Engineer, you will help protect the security, resilience and performance of our global infrastructure. You will take ownership of our security posture, with a strong focus on firewall systems, security controls, monitoring and continuous improvement. You will work alongside experienced network, systems and security colleagues to strengthen our security measures, optimise firewall policies and contribute to the architecture and future evolution of our security infrastructure.

Your responsibilities

Security Infrastructure Management & Optimization

• Proactively monitor and review security-related logs across AMS-IX’s global infrastructure, identifying any suspicious activity or threats.
• Optimize existing firewall rules and configurations to enhance performance and security.
• Enforce security policies and procedures.

Architecture & Design

• Collaborate with the team to design, implement, and improve firewall architecture for different regions, ensuring scalability, security, and performance.

Migrations & Upgrades

• Participate in the planning and execution of firewall migrations, updates, and technology upgrades to maintain a future-proof and secure environment.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain accurate documentation for firewall policies, configurations, and security measures.
• Regularly provide reports on security status, risks, and areas for improvement.
  Asset Security
• Identify and classify assets, determine required security controls, and ensure appropriate asset decommissioning.

Security Assessment and Testing

• Design test and audit methodology.
• Perform security control testing and internal audits of deployed firewalls, systems, and services.
• Analyse test results and cooperate with asset owners on remediating risks and vulnerabilities.

ISMS Activities Support

• Follow up on Information Security Activities supporting the ISMS and convert the different findings into actionable items.

Your profile

• At least 3–5 years of experience managing and optimising firewall infrastructure in a large-scale, global network environment.A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or equivalent professional experience.Relevant security certifications, such as CISSP, CCSP or Palo Alto Networks PCNSE, are highly desirable.

Technical skills you bring

• Proficient in firewall technologies and platforms such as Juniper and Palo Alto.
• Deep understanding of networking and security protocols, firewall rule configuration, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and threat mitigation strategies.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to work with large data sets (firewall logs, alerts, etc.).
• Familiarity with SIEM systems (e.g., Splunk, Sentinel), vulnerability scanning tools, and incident response tools.
• Experience with cloud security and cloud-based firewall services (e.g., AWS, Azure) is a plus.
• Knowledge of advanced threat detection and response techniques (e.g., anomaly detection, traffic analysis) is a plus.
• Understanding of compliance standards and regulations (e.g., GDPR, ISO/IEC 27001) is a plus.
• Experience in network design and architecture, especially in global distributed systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of additional security tools such as DDoS mitigation, web application firewalls, etc. is a plus.
• Experience in handling system engineering tasks such as configuring and maintaining operating systems, servers, and hardware related to firewall infrastructure is a plus.
• Knowledge in systems administration, specifically Linux/Unix-based/Windows systems and experience with system monitoring tools is a plus.
• Experience with automation of system-level tasks using scripting languages (e.g., Bash, Python) for system maintenance is a plus.
• Familiarity with automation tools (e.g., Ansible, puppet) is a plus.
• Experience with AAA technologies (Radius, Kerberos. SSO, Hardware Tokens e.g. Yubikeys) is a plus.
• Experience with E-mail and DNS Security is a plus.
• Experience with Anti-Malware Technologies is a plus.
• Experience with Backup Technologies and Concepts is a plus.

Soft skills we value

• Proactive & Independent: Able to work autonomously and take ownership of tasks, driving initiatives forward with minimal supervision.
• Detail-Oriented: Focused on the accuracy and quality of work, especially when handling configurations and rule sets.
• Collaborative: Strong communication skills and a team-oriented mindset, with the ability to collaborate effectively with various stakeholders.
• Curiosity & Growth-Oriented: A keen interest in staying updated on the latest security trends and technologies.