Director of Network Engineering

Company: Churchill Downs Incorporated
Location: Louisville
Posted on: July 1, 2025

Job Description:

Job Details Description Summary: The Director of Network Engineering is responsible for the strategic direction, implementation and ongoing support of all network engineering and network infrastructure across the enterprise. This role will also have a strong focus on overseeing strategic planning, design, documentation, improving and standardizing existing processes and technology, as well as collaborating with stakeholders to align technology solutions with desired business outcomes. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Include the Following: Provide leadership for the Network Engineering team to achieve a high performing organizational area that focuses on delivering business needs effectively, efficiently, and reliably Maintain a strong relationship with all other IT functional teams to align solutions, technology, resources, etc. in the interest of achieving overarching IT and business strategies Work with property IT leaders and business units to plan infrastructure changes Ensure compliance with industry standards, security policies, and regulatory requirements Ensure uptime and reliability for network infrastructure services and hardware, while capacity planning for future growth Ensure high availability, security, and performance of network infrastructure through proactive monitoring and optimization Manage vendor relationships, negotiate contracts, and oversee network-related procurement Establish and enforce network policies, procedures, and best practices Manage on-premises power and cooling, data center hosting, network infrastructure, physical equipment layout and design, physical cable plants, firewalls, load balancers, telephony systems and WAN circuits Directing, negotiating, and managing conflict resolution to ensure that cross-functional team members, often with disparate priorities, remain focused on project objectives Work with Finance and IT leadership to help develop both capital and operating expense budgets for areas of responsibility Management of team capacity and demand for business initiatives Accountability and responsibility of delivering solutions for request managements and resolutions for incident management in alignment to defined SLAs Reporting and KPI tracking for measuring performance of team and areas of responsibility Regulatory Ability to obtain racing and/or gaming licenses as required in any jurisdiction where CDI operates. The Gaming industry is highly regulated and as such demands an extensive background check to obtain a license. Must be 21 years of age or older. Education and Experience: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or similar field 10 years of experience in Network Engineering, with at least 3–5 years in a leadership role Demonstrated history of leadership with experience leading managers Strong vendor management and negotiation skills are a must Experience with public cloud services and providers such as AWS, Azure or GCP ITIL Foundation or Practitioner v3 or higher certification preferred CCNA, CCNP or CCIE certification and/or other relevant industry certifications Working knowledge in the use of industry standard Project Management methodologies Skills and Attributes: Ability to adapt to new and changing business environments Ability to operate under the pressure of strict deadlines Strong written and verbal communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills Excellent organization and time management skills with demonstrated experience in managing multiple priorities simultaneously Physical Demands/ Working Conditions: Extended periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer Regular use of a keyboard and mouse for typing and navigating software Viewing a computer screen for prolonged periods Ability to manipulate paperwork, including filing, sorting, and organizing Moving within the office environment to attend meetings, use office equipment, or interact with colleagues Occasional lifting of office supplies or paperwork (up to 20 pounds) Speaking and listening to colleagues and clients in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing Working in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise levels Performing repetitive tasks such as data entry or document preparation Working under artificial lighting conditions typical of an office environment, which may include fluorescent or LED lighting Travel Required Yes. 10-15% as needed

Keywords: Churchill Downs Incorporated, Covington , Director of Network Engineering, IT / Software / Systems , Louisville, Kentucky