Senior Systems Administrator

Job Purpose

The Senior Systems Administrator will report to the Infrastructure Lead and is responsible to oversee, manage and maintain the Colleges IT infrastructure, specifically to ensure the smooth operation of all IT systems, including servers, storage, networks, and security. As well as being involved in the normal operations for the infrastructure and data centres, the post-holder will also play a key role in the implementation of new working practices through development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s), IT work-packages, server upgrades and vulnerability/patch management.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1.  To provide expert installation, configuration, and maintenance of a secure, robust server infrastructure, including physical and virtual servers, database servers, storage systems and cloud-based platforms.

2.  Manage system performance monitoring and proactively address issues to ensure optimal uptime and performance.

3.  Coach junior team members on troubleshooting and resolving technical problems and minimise system outages.

4.  Provide specialist technical advice and troubleshooting assistance to end users, IT staff, and other stakeholders, addressing system-related issues, inquiries, and service requests in a timely and professional manner.

5.  Provide specialist advice on IT Infrastructure to college staff/researchers to support the Colleges research activities.

6.  Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including IT professionals, academic, professional staff, and external vendors, to plan and implement infrastructure projects, upgrades, and migrations, ensuring alignment with University goals and priorities.

7.  Document system configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps, maintaining comprehensive records and knowledge base articles to facilitate knowledge sharing, training, and continuity of operations.

8.  Support disaster recovery and business continuity efforts by contributing to backup and restoration activities.

9.  Any other duties and projects which may from time to time be required by the Line Manager or Head of College IT.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 Either: Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar role.

Or: Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 8 (Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4, Higher National Diploma) or equivalent, and experience of personal development in a similar role.

A2 Strong understanding of server and network administration concepts.

A3 In depth knowledge of Microsoft Windows Server and/or Linux/Unix operating systems.

A4 Excellent knowledge of information security best-practice in a heterogeneous networked environment.

Skills

Essential:

C1 Excellent problem-solving and troubleshooting skills to analyse complex issues, identifying the root cause and implement effective solutions to prevent any re-occurrence.

C2  Proven ability to competently work with scripting languages, such as Windows PowerShell/Linux shell script, for automated tasks and batch operations.

C3 Excellent attention to detail, with the ability to analyse complex requirements and design effective solutions.

C4 Adaptability to evolving technologies and procedures to ensure the University remains current, while also fostering an environment that encourages and supports team members to do the same.

C5 Proven experience of dealing with a large variety of end users with a range of technical knowledge.

C6 Ability to work independently or collaboratively within an IT Team, providing guidance to junior staff.

C7 Proven interpersonal and communication skills and adapting own style to meet the needs of others.

Desirable:

D1 Knowledge of formal problem-solving frameworks supporting root cause analysis (5-Whys, Fishbone etc).

D2 Working knowledge of the ISO2700-1 and Cyber Essentials Plus frameworks.

Experience

Essential:

E1 Significant experience of working with a range of operating systems other than Windows desktops, e.g. Linux, MacOS, Windows Server.

E2 Robust experience of the design of scalable servers including, but not restricted to, storage management, network services and protocols, backup software and techniques, virtualisation systems (i.e. Hyper-V, Docker) User authentication (i.e. Active Directory, LDAP) and database management.

E3 Significant experience of installing, configuring, and supporting specialist software.

Desirable:

F1 Prior experience of working in a University or Higher Education environment.

F2 Excellent knowledge of system monitoring and capacity planning on a server infrastructure.

F3  Experience with server systems (e.g. Windows, Linux) covering;

- Management Tools

- Threat Management, Compliance and Risk

- Server patching and scheduled maintenance regimes

- Business continuity planning

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 6, £32,332 - £36,024 per annum.

This post is full time (35 hours per week) and open ended (permanent).

As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

1 A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.

3 A flexible approach to working.

We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community

https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/humanresources/equalitydiversity/

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