Senior Systems Administrator

The role

The University of Bristol’s IT Services department is seeking an enthusiastic, skilled professional to join our Server Systems Team to take the technical lead on Windows Server and core Microsoft technologies.

This role will be part of the wider Systems and Operations group that designs, sets standards, continually develops, maintains, and supports the University’s mission critical IT infrastructure.

Reducing technical debt, working collaboratively on making decisions with common goals, and embracing opportunities to utilise your skills and knowledge, the role will assist in building a firm foundation and support our systems across the University.

These core requirements being delivered through a period of change and transformation and with support from the University’s Digital Strategy.

What will you be doing?

The role holder will be the subject matter expert on Windows Server and core Microsoft technologies, working with the Team Leader, and the wider IT Services community to maintain legacy systems, support project teams, and deliver specialist expertise for systems, old and new.

You will be assisting with Cyber Security operations, patching, and upgrading software when required, taking a pragmatic and specialist role in ensuring the safety and security of systems.

Delivering technical and service excellence, you will communicate and collaborate with our community across IT Services and beyond, to promote knowledge sharing, mentoring, problem solving, and a collegiate culture of working.

Showing initiative and agility in maintaining systems, you will develop your own skills, apply consistency, pragmatism, and be confident in working independently as well as part of a team. You’ll be a champion of our IT Services Charter (Professionalism, Aspiration, Respect, and Collaboration) and Change Management, and support the objectives and aims of the organisation’s Digital Strategy.

You’ll also have the ability to write a good readme file and clear technical documentation to assist your colleagues now and in the future.

You should apply if

The ideal candidate will be looking to immerse themselves into the role, ask questions, listen, prioritise, and be skilled in good systems practices, automation, and scripting. They will have with an appetite to continually learn, mentor less experienced colleagues and engage with team activities.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Have considerable experience with Windows Server operating systems and Microsoft technologies such as Active Directory, Group Policy Objects, Windows Failover Clustering, Remote Desktop Services, DFS and WSUS.
• Have experience in installing and supporting applications used for systems.
• Have a good understanding of ITIL concepts and experience, particularly Change Management.
• Are well-versed in modern system administration approaches, such as automation, configuration management, version control, monitoring and alerting.
• Willing to shape our systems management, identify gaps, and help develop strategies and use experience to address them.
• Experience in lifecycle management and operating system upgrades.
• Experience of Powershell scripting and using the command line.
• Can engage with external support, suppliers, and vendors.
• Be at ease communicating with others on different technical levels, be that in person or over email, video call, instant messaging, or telephone.

Additionally, the following skills are desirable:

• Experience with Azure Active Directory.
• Experience in using VMware.
• Experience in using Hyper-V.
• Knowledge of cloud technologies.
• Knowledge of Linux operating systems.
• Knowledge of SQL Server.

Additional information

This is a open-ended/permanent position.

Some out-of-hours cover may be required on occasion to support changes, and at critical times of the year.

Forany informal enquiries please contact Richard Whitcher – richard.whitcher@bristol.ac.uk

Available documents

• SUPP109386 Senior Systems Administrator Job Description.pdf
• Further Particulars (IT Platforms ).pdf