IT Systems Administrator

The IT Systems Administrator monitors, secures, maintains and advances the Company’s cloud, server and network infrastructure, with a primary emphasis on Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365, and shares responsibility for the Company’s day-to-day security monitoring and response. As a member of the parent-company infrastructure team, this position supports multiple affiliated companies and serves as the escalation point for the Help Desk. Because of the team’s size, the role blends senior-level responsibilities (design, security, standards) with hands-on administration and support. This position reports directly to the IT Manager.

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

Microsoft 365 and Azure

• Administer Microsoft 365 services extensively, including Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, licensing, and tenant-level configuration and policies.
• Manage Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) identity and access: user lifecycle, groups, Conditional Access, MFA, role assignments, and hybrid identity with on-premises Active Directory.
• Manage Microsoft Intune for device enrollment, compliance, configuration, application deployment and patching (Windows and mobile).
• Deploy and manage Azure resources (virtual machines, networking, storage, backup, monitoring) with attention to cost, availability and security.
• Automate routine administration and reporting with PowerShell and other scripting tools.

SaaS Platform Administration

• Administer and support SaaS platforms such as Smartsheet and monday.com, including user provisioning, permissions, integrations, single sign-on, and licensing.
• Partner with business application owners and vendors on configuration changes, access requests, and issue resolution.
• Evaluate new SaaS tools for security and integration fit, and assist with roll-out of new applications.

On-Premises, Hyper-V and Network Infrastructure

• Manage on-premises environments, including Active Directory, Windows Server and Hyper-V, and maintain updates for all server and desktop systems.
• Administer and troubleshoot firewalls, switching and wireless (Fortinet, Ubiquiti), including VPN and remote access.
• Assist with managing VOIP and cellular phone systems.
• Maintain backups, monitor system performance and capacity, and take part in disaster recovery testing.

Help Desk Escalation

• Serve as Tier 2/3 escalation for the Help Desk and for local IT staff at the affiliated companies; take ownership of complex or unresolved tickets through resolution.
• Proactively monitor and respond to support tickets and e-mails in the ticketing systems (Zendesk), including after-hours for urgent issues.
• Perform root-cause analysis on recurring issues, document fixes in the knowledge base, and coach Help Desk staff on resolution steps.
• Communicate status clearly to end users and stakeholders, in plain language, until issues are closed.

Security Support

• Share responsibility with the IT Manager and team for monitoring and responding to alerts in Microsoft Defender and Darktrace; triage and investigate incidents, and escalate or contain as needed.
• Help tune detections and policies, and assist with vulnerability remediation, security baselines and access reviews to support the Company’s cyber security posture with an ITSM approach.
• Gather evidence and documentation to support audits, assessments and security questionnaires.

Operations and Documentation

• Follow change management practices for infrastructure and security changes, including communication and rollback planning.
• Maintain IT asset inventory, coordinate ordering of IT equipment, set up hardware for employee use, and ensure secure disposal of retired equipment.
• Maintain accurate documentation: network diagrams, runbooks, standard procedures and configuration records.
• Train users in the proper use of hardware and software.
• Other duties as assigned.

Expectations:

• Systems and services are reliable and available, with maintenance done in agreed windows and affected users notified in advance.
• Servers, network devices, and Microsoft 365 and Intune policies are patched and updated on a regular cadence.
• Backups are monitored and failures are addressed promptly.
• Escalated issues are owned through resolution, with status updates to the Help Desk and end users.
• Changes follow change management, including communication and a rollback plan.
• Assigned security alerts are reviewed and acted on promptly.
• User access, onboarding and offboarding are accurate and reviewed regularly.
• Documentation is kept current as changes are made.
• Available after-hours for urgent issues.

Working Conditions:

• Onsite at the parent-company headquarters.
• Occasional travel to affiliated company locations (a few times per year).

Job Qualifications (skills, knowledge & abilities):

• Bachelor’s Degree in MIS, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in systems administration, including Microsoft 365 and Azure in a multi-user environment.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Entra ID, Intune and Exchange Online; working familiarity with Microsoft Defender XDR and Darktrace (or comparable security monitoring tools).
• Experience administering SaaS platforms such as Smartsheet and monday.com.
• Working knowledge of Active Directory, Windows Server, Hyper-V, and Fortinet, and Ubiquiti networking.
• Experience with PowerShell scripting and automation.
• Established customer-service skills and the ability to explain technical issues to non-technical users.
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation and prioritization skills; able to work independently and as part of a small team.

Preferred Certifications

• Microsoft: MS-102 (Microsoft 365 Administrator), AZ-104 (Azure Administrator), SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator), or MD-102 (Endpoint Administrator).
• CompTIA Security+ or Network+, or equivalent.