Systems Administrator

JOB PURPOSE

This role is responsible for planning, developing, installation, configuration and maintenance of corporate hardware, software and any related infrastructure. This includes the creation of all plans for ensuring functionality, data consistency, security and usability of systems aligned with the organization’s priorities and enabling Company employees to do their work effectively. The System Administrator is responsible for diagnosing and resolving performance issues to ensure optimal performance and reliability. He or she will also be accountable for planning updates and maintenance of hardware and software resources to mitigate limitations and combat obsolescence. Tracking external support tickets and driving to completion of internal support tickets. Reporting system uptime, hours used in fixing or restoring services. Keeping abreast of the required annual renewal of system licenses. After hours support of production related systems including network connections/tunnels to 3rd party providers/customers is also essential.

RESPONSIBILITIES

User Support

Provide advice and assistance to users to resolve basic queries and ensure the business understands the applications/website capabilities well.

Information and Business Advice
Resolve complex queries from internal customers or suppliers by providing information and support where required. Helping build workflows and managing ways of working content within the various platforms. Taking day to day ownership of the systems you administer is a critical requirement needed.

Operational Compliance
Develop knowledge and understanding of the organization’s policies and procedures to ensure own work adheres to those standards and brings his/her experience to enhance or improve new or existing processes within the systems he/she manages. Obtain authorization from a manager for any exceptions from mandatory procedure.

Faults Diagnosis and Correction
Provide fault isolation and resolution to limit and address issues promptly.

Solutions Analysis
Find the most effective ways to respond to routine technical enquiries. Involves following procedures and precedents.

Testing IT Performance
Perform routine website/applications software tests and respond to user emails and support tickets raised to monitor, diagnose, and correct performance or system issues. Working together with the infrastructure team to improve system uptime.

Technical Database Support
Monitor and report any issues experienced on the front-end or Linux or SQL databases. Help resolve any issues together with the infrastructure team.

Administration

Monitor, maintain, improve and upgrade software versions of the various systems when required within QA and Production environments. Making sure both environments are kept in sync at all times. Follow proper QA processes, before making changes to production environments.

System Dashboards and Reporting
The System Administrator role will be required to build system reporting dashboards to present monthly reports to various stakeholders in terms of system enhancements, issues encountered and monthly support requirements and statistics.

Personal Capability Building
Develop own capabilities by participating in assessment and development planning activities as well as formal and informal training and coaching. Develop and maintain an understanding of relevant technology, external regulation, and industry best practices through ongoing education, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.

BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES

• Ensures Accountability
• Methodical approach to work.
• Attention to detail.
• Logical approach to solving problems.
• Excellent written and verbal skills in English.
• High levels of energy and drive.
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues in a timely manner.
• Great team-player.
• Pro-active / forward-thinking mentality.
• Organizational Savvy.
• Tech Savvy.
• Analytical thinking.

SKILLS

IT Support

Works without supervision and provides technical guidance when required on monitoring, diagnosing and fixing technological problems. This includes but is not limited to the following areas of expertise:

• Physical and technical access management
• Storage network configuration and management
• Cloud estate management
• Network security or virtual private network VPN management
• Transaction security and virus protection management
• Backup and archive management
• Apache Tomcat management
• Unix / Linux server management
• Microsoft Windows Server / active directory management
• Office 365 management
• Software defined network storage management
• VMware vSphere virtualized system management
• WAN / MPLS / IPSec Network support
• Routing protocols (OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, VLAN, Trunking) support
• WAF / Loadbalancer management

IT Testing
Works without supervision and provides technical guidance when required on ensuring that IT applications meet required specifications by designing, executing and reporting on tests of systems and services.

Assessment
Works without supervision and provides technical guidance when required on analyzing data from multiple sources to draw appropriate conclusions and make suitable recommendations.

Verbal Communication
Uses clear and effective verbal communications skills without supervision and provides technical guidance when required on expressing ideas, requesting actions and formulating plans or policies.

Computer Skills
Supports business processes without supervision by understanding and effectively using standard office equipment and standard software packages, while providing technical guidance for the Atlassian JIRA and Confluence and Office365 applications. The desktop content application training will be provided to the system administrator by the company’s application provider. Has Linux and SQL database knowledge for first line support of corporate applications.

Action Planning
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to develop appropriate plans or perform necessary actions based on recommendations and requirements.

Data Collection and Analysis
Works under guidance (but not constant supervision) to analyze data trends for use in reports to help guide decision making.

Provides Technical Support
Works with full competence to employ customer-oriented behaviors that help engineers connect with their customers in productive and efficient ways, creating positive, defining moments. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance. Communicates confidently during service interaction; Sets appropriate expectations; Provides relevant product/service updates.

Troubleshoots Technical Issues
Works with full competence to employ a systematic process for solving technical issues by identifying the problem and selecting an appropriate solution. Typically works without supervision and may provide technical guidance. Verifies the problem; Defines the problem; Isolates the problem; Identifies the cause of problems; Justifies a solution; Resolves the problem.

Compliance
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to achieve full compliance with applicable rules and regulations in management and/or operations.

Customer-Focused Approach
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to orient the seller’s organization around delivering to the key needs of their customers.

In-Depth Questioning
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to explore the depth and breadth of a problem, draw out the implications of not changing, and help clients self-discover and articulate the value of a solution.

IT Data Management
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to manage information throughout its lifecycle by designing and executing appropriate architectures, policies and practices.

Policy and Regulation
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to interpret and apply knowledge of laws, regulations and policies in area of expertise.

Questions Strategically
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to uncover clients’ explicit needs and/or unforeseen opportunities and challenges.

Review and Reporting
Works with guidance (but not constant supervision) to review and create relevant, lucid and effective reports.

EDUCATION

• Matric
• A+ / N+ and MCSE / MCSA or similar technical qualification in Information Technology

WORK EXPERIENCE

General Experience

• At least 2 years work experience in related IT environment is a requirement.
• VMWare certification would be an advantage.
• At least 2 years working experience with AWS related services.
• Certifications would be an advantage.
• At least 2 years’ experience in managing Azure / M365 tenants.
• At least 5 years’ experience in managing Active Directory and Windows Server environments.