Shahzad Ahmad

Shahzad Ahmad 

Lahore, Pakistan | +92-321-4809713 | Shahzad.itp@gmail.com | LinkedIn: LinkedIn Profile

Professional Summary

IT Manager & Cybersecurity Specialist with 20+ years of experience in designing, implementing, and securing enterprise-grade networks. Proven success in managing 2000+ endpoints across multi-site government and enterprise environments. Expert in Cisco, Huawei, Fortinet, and Juniper technologies, with strong expertise in routing, switching, firewalls, VPNs, SD-WAN, and Active Directory services. Adept at reducing vulnerabilities, improving uptime, and leading cross-functional IT teams to deliver highperformance, secure, and scalable infrastructures.

Core Competencies

• Network Design, Administration & Troubleshooting • Routing & Switching (Cisco Catalyst, Huawei CloudEngine, Juniper, Cisco ISE) • Firewall & Security Management (Cisco ASA, Fortinet, Sophos, Kerio Control) • VPN & Remote Access (IPSec, SSL, Site-to-Site, Remote Workforce Support) • LAN/WAN Optimization (VLANs, ACLs, QoS, Port Security) • Server & Virtualization (Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Hyper-V) • Network Monitoring (SolarWinds, PRTG, Kiwi Syslog, LAN Sweeper, Wireshark) • Cybersecurity & Compliance (ISO 27001, NIST, Government IT Security Policies) • Leadership & IT Operations (Team Supervision, Procurement, Vendor Management)

Career Highlights 

✔ Increased network performance by 20% through advanced monitoring & proactive troubleshooting. ✔ Reduced security vulnerabilities by 35% with VLAN segmentation & port security deployment. ✔ Successfully deployed IT infrastructure for 800+ nodes across multiple sites within strict timelines. ✔ Directed cybersecurity implementation in a sensitive government environment, minimizing risk exposure. ✔ Provided IT & AV support for high-profile VVIP meetings, ensuring zero downtime.

Professional Experience 

Assistant Technical Officer (IT) | SUPARCO (Pakistan Space Agency) 2009 – Present | Lahore, Pakistan – Manage IT infrastructure for 2000+ nodes and 70+ switches, ensuring 99.9% uptime.

– Configure & maintain L2/L3 switches, routers, and optical fiber backbone for enterprise networks. – Deploy and manage firewalls, VLANs, and port security, reducing cyber risks by 35%. – Administer Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and user permissions for 500+ users. – Provide end-to-end IT & video conferencing support (LifeSize, Polycom, Aver) for VVIP/VIPlevel meetings.

Network Engineer | Descon Engineering Limited 2008 – 2009 – Configured, maintained, and troubleshot LAN/WAN infrastructure for enterprise operations. – Administered DHCP, DNS, and email servers, supporting 250+ users. – Enhanced LAN security protocols and improved uptime for critical business services.

Deputy Manager IT | Excel Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. 2005 – 2008 – Led IT operations, supervising a technical team of 5 engineers. – Ensured secure access to business-critical data and network resources. – Managed IT procurement, vendor coordination, and system deployments.

Manager IT | Harvest Topworth International 2004 – 2005 – Directed IT department, improving system performance and network efficiency. – Strengthened security controls, managed infrastructure upgrades, and optimized IT resources.

Education 

• MS in Computer Science – Virtual University of Pakistan (2014 – 2017) • Master of Computer Science – University of Central Punjab (2000 – 2003) • Bachelor of Science (Maths & Statistics) – University of Punjab (1996 – 1999)

Certifications/Trainings 

• ISC2 Cybersecurity Certification • Google Cybersecurity (Coursera) • CEH – Certified Ethical Hacker • Fortinet NSE3 Network Security Associate • Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) • MCSA (Windows Server 2008) • Server Virtualization with Windows Server Hyper-V • Cisco CCNA (Routing & Switching) • Juniper JNCIA (Routing & Switching) • Kerio Certified Technical Professional