Senior Systems & Automation Administrator (52778)

The Senior Systems and Automation Administrator is a senior technical contributor who helps administer and improve the organization’s core technology systems, including servers, identity, Microsoft 365, endpoint management, virtualization, backup, business applications, and related infrastructure. The role also supports practical automation and AI initiatives that reduce manual work and improve service delivery.

This position works in a small, service-oriented IT department and combines hands-on administration, troubleshooting, project work, documentation, and vendor coordination. The ideal candidate uses sound judgment and favors practical, supportable solutions that fit organizational needs.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

(The following statements are intended as general illustrations of the work in this job class and are not all inclusive for specific positions).

• Administer the following: Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, Certificate Services, file services, and related infrastructure; Microsoft 365 and Entra ID services, including identity lifecycle, role assignments, licensing, conditional access, Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
• Maintain virtualization, server operating systems, storage, backup systems, monitoring tools, and supporting infrastructure platforms.
• Plan and assist with upgrades, migrations, patching, lifecycle replacement, and configuration improvements.
• Follow established administrative, access, and account-management practices.

• Help manage Windows, Apple, mobile, and shared-device platforms, including enrollment, applications, patching, and remote support.
• Maintain practical workstation images, configuration profiles, deployment packages, and hardware standards.
• Coordinate device staging, deployment, reassignment, inventory, and lifecycle activities.
• Automate repeatable endpoint and onboarding workflows where practical.

• Identify repetitive or high-volume processes that may benefit from automation.
• Develop and maintain automation using tools such as PowerShell, Python, APIs, webhooks, or orchestration platforms.
• Build and support integrations among identity, HR, ticketing, asset, finance, database, and line-of-business systems.
• Use appropriate logging, error handling, version control, documentation, and change practices for production automation.
• Evaluate whether automation is providing useful, maintainable results.

• Apply security baselines, vulnerability-remediation practices, patch standards, access reviews, and configuration controls across assigned systems.
• Support incident response, evidence preservation, root-cause analysis, disaster recovery, and business-continuity activities.
• Maintain and test backup and recovery processes; document recovery objectives, dependencies, restoration procedures, and test results.
• Assist with audits, cyber-insurance requirements, policy implementation, vendor risk reviews, and security-awareness initiatives.
• Review automation and AI solutions for data leakage, excessive permissions, insecure connectors, uncontrolled external sharing, and insufficient logging.

• Identify repetitive or high-volume processes that may benefit from automation.
• Develop and maintain automation using tools such as PowerShell, Python, APIs, webhooks, or orchestration platforms.
• Build and support integrations among identity, HR, ticketing, asset, finance, database, and line-of-business systems.
• Use appropriate logging, error handling, version control, documentation, and change practices for production automation.
• Evaluate whether automation is providing useful, maintainable results.

• Lead or contribute to infrastructure, application, automation, data, and AI projects from planning through implementation.
• Translate business needs into practical technical solutions and explain options, costs, and tradeoffs clearly.
• Work with IT staff, departments, and vendors to coordinate projects and maintain supportable solutions.
• Prepare appropriate project notes, schedules, testing, and status updates.
• Share knowledge and provide practical technical guidance to other IT staff.

• Requires:
  • Several years of progressively responsible systems administration, infrastructure, enterprise applications, or related IT environments.
  • Experience with Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, and endpoint-management technologies. 
  • Hands-on experience with virtualization, backup and recovery, patching, monitoring, and technical documentation. 
  • Requires possession of a valid Class C Driver License with a driving record meeting the minimum standards required by the Association's insurance carrier.
  • Successful completion of a background check. 
• Desirable/helpful skills and experience: 
  • Troubleshooting across identity, operating systems, applications, databases, endpoints, and network dependencies. 
  • Integrating HR, identity, IT service management, asset, finance, point-of-sale, and other business systems. 
  • Scripting and automation using PowerShell, Python, REST APIs, or comparable technologies. 
  • Infrastructure-as-code, CI/CD, source control, logging, and configuration-management practices. 
  • Clear communication, sound judgment, and managing multiple priorities in a small-team environment. 
  • Familiarity with Intune, Apple Business Manager, SQL Server, Linux, Proxmox or VMware, Azure, and storage or backup platforms. 
  • Experience with Generative AI, local models, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), AI agents, and related platforms.
• Preferred, but not required:
  • Microsoft, infrastructure, cloud, or security certifications.

These skills, abilities and knowledge are typically acquired through a B.A. in information technology, computer science or related field; or six years of related experience and/or training as a computer technician; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.