The System Administrator’s role is to manage and tune in-house computer software systems and network connections to ensure high levels of availability and security of the supported business applications. This individual also participates in the planning and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure system provisioning and maintenance that is consistent with City goals, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements.
Examples of Duties
This list may not include all tasks and/or knowledge that may be expected of the employee, nor does it cover all specific duties which may be required. Other duties may be assigned.
Strategy & Planning
- Formulates and deploys long-term strategic plans for acquiring and enabling efficient and cost-effective information processing and communication technologies.
- Participates in and support capacity planning and the development of long-term strategic goals for systems and software in conjunction with end-users and department managers.
- Develops, implements, and maintains policies, procedures, and associated training plans for system administration and project management.
- Collaborates with the IT management team and participates in the development of work that aligns and supports the City’s IT Strategy.
Acquisition & Deployment
- Evaluates and recommends the securing of hardware and/or software for projects and associated efforts.
- Communicates with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to identify and recommend products and services.
- Assists with planning and deployment of departmental decisions that have been reviewed and approved by the IT Management team.
- Coordinates with network engineering, business application, and database administration functions to implement desktop and server systems that utilize industry best practices to meet corporate objectives.
Deploys servers, storage arrays, backup protection, encryption systems, and all host security systems.
Operational Management
- Manages all server and desktop operating systems.
- Works with IT staff to monitor and maintain system and network performance and provide statistics and reports to help make decisions through a “lead with data” mentality.
- Ensures the integrity and security of enterprise data on host computers, multiple databases, and during data transfer in accordance with business needs and industry best practices regarding privacy, security, and regulatory compliance.
- Manages the enterprise print environment, including print servers, printers, and MFDs.
- Manages end-user accounts, permissions, access rights, and storage allocations in accordance with best practices regarding privacy, security, and regulatory compliance, through Active Directory and Group Policy.
- Performs system and security audits.
- Based on business requirements, works with the Enterprise Systems manager to ensure that data hosted by the City is identified, backed up, and recoverable in the event of a disaster.
- Performs and tests routine system backups and restores.
- Anticipates, mitigates, identifies, troubleshoots, and resolves hardware and software problems on servers, enterprise-level workstations. Escalates incidents as necessary.
- Practices asset management, including maintenance of hardware component inventory and related documentation and technical specifications information.
- Supports application development teams throughout project lifecycles.
- Analyzes system, server, application, network, and input/output device performance.
- Recommends, schedules, and performs software and hardware improvements, upgrades, patches, reconfigurations, and/or purchases.
- Conducts research on emerging products, services, protocols, and standards in support of systems software procurement and development efforts.
- Creates required reports in response to business user needs.
- Participates in negotiations with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure software products and services.
- Manages and/or provides guidance to other members of the team when appropriate.
Requirements/General Skill Levels
Knowledge of:
- Working technical knowledge of network, PC, and platform operating systems, including Windows Server OS, Vmware ESXi.
- Extensive application support experience with Vmware Horizon VDI, ESRI ArcGIS.
- Working technical knowledge of current systems software, protocols, and standards, including Windows Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, Azure Services.
- Strong knowledge of local area network administration.
- Hands-on software and hardware troubleshooting experience.
- Experience with data management.
- Experience documenting and maintaining configuration and process information.
- Good understanding of the organization’s goals and objectives.
- Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws.
Skills in:
- Strong customer service orientation.
- Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills with the capacity to present ideas in business and user-friendly language.
- Excellent interpersonal skills.
- Leadership and personnel/project management skills.
- Highly self-motivated and directed.
- Keen attention to detail.
- Sound and logical decision making..
- Extensive experience working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
Ability to:
- Organize and integrate diverse information systems.
- Define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
- Conduct and direct research into IT issues and products, as required.
- Perform general mathematical calculations for the purpose of creating or justifying business cases.
- Analyze, evaluate, and problem solve.
- Effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
- Share responsibility with others and delegate responsibilities as appropriate.
Education/Experience:
- Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology or closely related field.
- Minimum of 10 years related work experience.
- Equivalent combination of education and experience may be accepted.
Preferred Certificate or Licenses: COBIT 5 Foundation, Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE)