Senior Systems Administrator

Senior Systems Administrator

The Senior Systems Administrator is responsible for the administration, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of the organization's server and network infrastructure, including system security, standards, and operational procedures. This role works closely with IT teams and business units to ensure the reliability, performance, and security of networks, servers, operating systems, and applications.

The position provides technical leadership and consultation on complex infrastructure initiatives and plays a key role in planning, deploying, patching, and upgrading physical, virtual, and storage environments.

The Senior Systems Administrator also supports network troubleshooting and incident response as needed and provides on-site and remote support across City facilities to ensure continuous, 24-hour operations and the stability of integrated network and computing systems.

Reporting Relationships: Reports to: Systems Engineer. Direct Reports: None.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serves as mentor and provides technical guidance to System Administrators and the Help Desk operations on the city's infrastructure, systems, and applications.
• Administers the city's network, servers, operating systems, and applications, ensuring that all systems are up-to-date and secure.
• Configures and manages user accounts, access controls, and directory services for newly deployed systems and applications.
• Advises and partners with the Network Engineer on the identification, analysis, and mitigation of infrastructure security risks.
• Performs regular backups of all enterprise storage systems, network shares, and other server systems. Ensure data is properly protected and perform restores as necessary.
• Develops and implements backup and recovery procedures to protect critical information in the event of system failure.
• Provides complex technical evaluation, diagnosis and resolution to support end-user hardware and software issues and ensures the efficient operation of IT systems.
• Performs capacity planning for servers and storage systems. Determines need and schedule for maintenance, upgrades, and equipment refresh.
• Evaluates and recommends administrative tools, technologies, and processes to improve efficiency, security, and cost effectiveness.
• Creates and updates documentation for servers, networks, storage, and backup environments and ensures audit compliance.
• Stays up to date on the latest IT trends, technologies, and industry best practices.
• Travels to multiple site work locations and participates in an on-call rotation within the 24-hour operations.

Project Management (15 % of time):

• Leads and manages project implementation of complex network and server systems involving multiple groups, departments, and/or vendors.
• Conducts risk assessments by gathering customer feedback, analyzing needs, identifying solutions to determine resource allocation, system configuration, solving user problems across the enterprise platform, and vendor selection recommendations.
• Installs, configures, and maintains servers, network devices, virtual server environment and related software.
• Troubleshoots network and server problems at all levels of the system including physical wiring, hardware, or software failure and communications protocol problems; takes appropriate action to resolve such problems.
• Provides guidance and training to new and existing employees on features, capabilities, and policies of assigned system applications for optimal utilization.

Additional duties as assigned (5%):

• Performs 24-hour on-call duty as needed.
• Provide coverage for system administration team, network team, business applications team, and helpdesk team as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned and required.

Preparation and Training:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering or a related field.
• 5 years of experience working with IT systems.
• 2 years of experience in a senior-level position managing and supporting complex IT infrastructure.
• One of the following certifications: CompTIA Security+, VMWare Certification, Zscaler certification, Cisco Certification.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3 or more years of experience in a senior systems administrator role.
• Comptia Security Certifications Higher than Security +, such as CySA+ or Pentest+.
• ITIL Foundation or Higher.
• Azure Certifications AZ-900 or AZ-104.
• Network Certifications such as Comptia Network+ Or Cisco CCNA.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Advance Knowledge:

• Various operating systems such as Windows Server and Linux.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as PowerShell and python.
• Proficiency in Database technology such as Microsoft SQL.
• Administration of enterprise storage technologies, such as NetApp and HPE Nimble.
• (IAM) identity and access management configuration and best practices.
• Endpoint security platforms and protection technologies.
• Computer/Server Hardware and software troubleshooting techniques.
• Server operating system and application tier security concepts and techniques.
• Principles and practices for engineering and managing information systems across their full lifecycle, including analysis, design, implementation, monitoring, maintenance, testing, documentation, training, and production support.
• Hyper-V Virtualization Platform
• Experience administering enterprise backup and disaster recovery technologies, including Veeam.
• Experience with regulatory and compliance requirements, including CJIS, HIPAA, and PCI-DSS.
• Administration of Enterprise Firewalls such as Fortigate.

Working Knowledge:

• Industry accepted security models, practices, and technologies
• Administration of web services technologies, including.NET and Java platforms.
• Administration and security of web-based applications to ensure availability, integrity, and protection from threats.
• Network operating systems and data communications technologies and protocols.
• Ability to plan hardware and software deployments timely to meet department goals.
• Email threat protection technologies such as Proofpoint.
• Administration of SASE platforms such as Zscaler.
• Knowledge of endpoint configuration platforms such as Intune and endpoint central.

Skills and Abilities:

• Collaboration Skills: Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to design, implement, and maintain systems in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements and recognized best practices, including but not limited to NIST, CJIS, HIPAA, PCI DSS, and other relevant federal, state, and organizational standards. Exercises professional judgment when interpreting policy, assessing risk, and resolving competing technical and operational priorities. Communicates clearly and effectively to support compliance, operational continuity, and stakeholder understanding.
• Communication Skill: Advanced written and verbal communication skills to clearly document system architectures, configurations, procedures, and technical recommendations. Communicates complex technical information effectively to both technical and non-technical audiences, including City users, leadership, vendors, and external partners. Provides clear guidance and education on IT systems, security requirements, and operational practices to support informed decision-making, compliance, and effective system use.
• Project Management Skills: Advanced skills in planning, coordinating, and executing system upgrades, enhancements, and infrastructure initiatives. Facilitates cross-functional teams and collaborates with stakeholders to ensure projects are delivered on schedule, within scope, and in alignment with operational, security, and compliance requirements. Manages technical dependencies, risks, and change activities to support stable and reliable system operations.
• Fiscal Responsibility: Participates in budget preparation and monitors assigned fiscal expenditures. Collects and analyzes cost data, researches technology solutions, and prepares recommendations related to system and infrastructure spending for management review.
• Computer Skills: Advanced skills required to administer and maintain a variety of software-based packages ranging from operating systems to off-the-shelf software applications and databases. Advanced knowledge of computer network infrastructure to diagnose and troubleshoot system issues across tiers.
• Analytical Skills: Utilizes advanced analytical and troubleshooting skills to assess system behavior, identify root causes, and resolve complex issues affecting software applications and services used by supported customers.

Salary Range: $85,508 - $128,263/Annual Salary

Working Conditions: Work is performed primarily in a standard office environment and may require prolonged periods of sitting. Position may involve occasional lifting, moving, or installation of computer and related equipment weighing up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation. Job duties require sufficient visual acuity and manual dexterity to operate computers and associated equipment for