Network Administrator Job Description (2026): Duties, Skills and Salary
A network administrator manages an organization's network infrastructure: routers, switches, firewalls, VPNs and Wi-Fi. They keep the network running day to day, troubleshoot connectivity problems, and plan capacity and upgrades as the company grows or adds locations.
The job sits between hands-on troubleshooting and planning: a user can't connect, a site-to-site VPN drops, a new office needs cabling and switches configured. Network administrators work closely with systems administrators and security teams, and in smaller companies the roles often overlap or combine into one.
Network Administrator job description template
Copy it, replace everything in [brackets] and cut what doesn't apply. Keep the requirements to what the job really needs.
Template · replace the [brackets]
Network Administrator
[Company] · [City and office days, or remote with the countries or time zones you hire in] · [Full-time]
About [Company]
[Two or three sentences on what your company does, who it serves and why this team matters now.]
About the role
[Company] is hiring a network administrator to maintain and improve our network infrastructure across [number] locations. You'll keep connectivity reliable, troubleshoot issues as they come up, and help plan network changes as we grow.
What you'll do
- Configure and maintain routers, switches, firewalls and VPNs across [locations].
- Monitor network performance and respond to outages and degraded connectivity.
- Manage Wi-Fi infrastructure and troubleshoot wireless connectivity issues.
- Maintain network documentation, including diagrams and IP address management.
- Implement and maintain network security controls alongside the security team.
- Plan and execute network upgrades, new site setups and capacity changes.
- Support VoIP and other network-dependent systems.
- Respond to help desk escalations involving network connectivity.
What you'll bring
- [X]+ years administering enterprise network infrastructure.
- Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, routing, switching and VPN technologies.
- Experience with [Cisco / Juniper / Fortinet] hardware and firmware.
- Familiarity with network monitoring tools and basic security principles.
- Comfort troubleshooting under pressure during outages.
- Clear documentation and communication with non-technical staff.
Nice to have
- CCNA, CCNP or equivalent vendor certification.
- Experience with SD-WAN or cloud networking (AWS/Azure VPC networking).
- Scripting for network automation (Python, Ansible).
- Experience supporting VoIP systems.
What we offer
- [Pay range: e.g. $X–$Y base salary, plus bonus or equity if offered]
- [On-call stipend, certification exam reimbursement, home internet stipend]
- [Health cover, retirement or pension plan, paid time off, parental leave]
- [Work authorization: whether you can sponsor a visa or hire through an employer of record]
[Our process: a phone screen, a technical interview covering networking fundamentals and troubleshooting scenarios, and a meeting with the IT team.]
[Your equal opportunity statement, and how candidates can ask for adjustments during the process]
Put the pay range in the ad. Several US states, including California, Colorado, New York and Washington, require it in job postings, and the EU Pay Transparency Directive gives applicants the right to know the starting pay or its range before the interview.
Network Administrator duties by seniority
What the job usually looks like at each level. Pitch the ad at one level and say which in the title.
Junior
- Handles routine configuration changes and ticket escalations with guidance.
- Monitors network health and documents issues.
- Learns the company's network topology and standard tools.
Mid-level
- Manages network infrastructure across multiple sites independently.
- Leads troubleshooting on complex connectivity and performance issues.
- Plans and implements network changes and upgrades.
Senior
- Designs network architecture for new sites and major changes.
- Sets network security and configuration standards.
- Mentors junior staff and leads vendor and capacity planning decisions.
Network Administrator career path
- Help Desk / IT Support
- Network Administrator
- Senior Network Administrator
- Network Engineer or IT Manager
Network administrator is a common next step after IT support or help desk roles, often alongside CCNA-level certification. From there, paths lead toward network engineer roles with deeper design work, or into IT management overseeing infrastructure more broadly.
Similar roles
- Network Engineer job description
Focuses more on network design and architecture than day-to-day administration.
- Systems Administrator job description
Manages servers and systems rather than network infrastructure specifically.
- IT Support Specialist job description
Handles broader end-user support with less networking depth.
- IT Manager job description
Manages the IT team and budget rather than hands-on network work.
Network Administrator job description FAQ
What does a network administrator do?
Configures and maintains routers, switches, firewalls and VPNs, monitors network performance, and troubleshoots connectivity issues. The job also includes planning upgrades and new site setups as the company grows.
What certifications should a network administrator job description ask for?
CCNA is a widely recognized baseline certification, with CCNP or vendor-specific certifications (Fortinet, Juniper) fitting more senior or specialized roles. State the vendor hardware in use since skills don't fully transfer between them.
What's the difference between network administrator and network engineer job postings?
Administrator roles focus more on maintaining and troubleshooting existing infrastructure, while engineer roles lean toward designing and architecting new network solutions. Many smaller companies use the titles interchangeably, so check the responsibilities listed.