Assistant Director - Systems Administrator at The City of Saginaw – Saginaw, Michigan

Applications are being accepted from both AFSCME Union members and the public. AFSCME Members must apply within the first 14 days of this posting to be considered as an in-house candidate. Any applications received after the first 14 days will be considered with applications from the public.

Applications from the public will be considered only after all in-house union obligations have been met.

All applications will be screened to ensure they meet all the minimum requirements. Qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an oral interview. To be placed on the eligible list, candidates must achieve a score of 70% or better on the oral interview.

This posting is subject to close after 14 days.

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Under general direction, performs professional and supervisory work in the administration and operation of the Technical Services Department. Serves as lead systems administrator responsible for the reliability, security, and performance of the City’s enterprise infrastructure, including servers, network systems, virtual environments, cloud environments, and related technologies. Assists with departmental budgeting and acts in the Director’s absence as assigned.

1. Supervises Technical Support Specialists, including assigning and directing work, monitoring performance, providing training, and making recommendations regarding evaluations and corrective actions.
2. Provides advanced technical support and guidance to departments, including analyzing operational needs, recommending technology solutions, and resolving complex hardware, software, and infrastructure issues.
3. Oversees desktop support for PCs, peripherals, and software applications as needed.
4. Analyzes and performs corrective actions to computer systems, network infrastructure, email systems, IP phones, IP cameras, Wi-Fi, backup systems, and related operational systems and software.
5. Collaborates with vendor support personnel and Technical Services Director to maintain and enhance the operation of systems, software, and network infrastructure.
6. Creates, monitors, and maintains VMware virtual servers, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
7. Manages system security, including monitoring for vulnerabilities and implementing corrective actions to maintain system integrity.
8. Identifies, evaluates and recommends hardware, software, security solutions, and infrastructure improvements.
9. Coordinates implementation efforts with vendors and internal stakeholders.
10. Administers servers and network devices, including performing security and software updates, managing user access, and implementing configuration changes.
11. Assists in the preparation and monitoring of the Technical Service Department budget.
12. On call outside of normal office hours and weekends.
13. Backup to the Technical Service Director in their absence as assigned.
14. Performs other duties as assigned.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by people assigned this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all job duties performed by personnel so classified.
Education and Experience

• Bachelors Degree in Information Systems, or a closely related field.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in information technology, preferably in a public sector environment.
• Minimum one (1) year of supervisory experience.

Licenses and Certifications
Possession and maintenance of a State of Michigan driver’s license.

Knowledge of

• Enterprise systems administration including Windows Server, virtualization platforms (e.g. VMware), and cloud environments (e.g., Microsoft 365, Azure).
• IP Phone, video surveillance, and related infrastructure technologies.
• Cybersecurity principles, threat mitigation, system integrity controls, and risk management.
• Backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity practices.
• Network architecture, configuration, and troubleshooting.
• Hardware and software evaluation, procurement, and lifecycle management.
• Basic budgeting practices and departmental resource planning.

Skill in

• Diagnosing and resolving complex technical and infrastructure issues.
• Interpersonal skills to deal effectively with city employees, technical service staff, and vendors.
• Supervising and directing technical support staff.
• Documenting systems, procedures, and technical processes.
• Prioritizing and managing multiple projects and operational demands.
• Communicating technical information effectively to non-technical users.
• Hardware setup, software installation, system configuration and data management.

Ability to

• Utilize current industry standard software products to perform duties.
• Analyze technical, legal, and financial information.
• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, vendors, and stakeholders.

Work Environment
Work is primarily sedentary and performed in a moderately noisy office environment. Position may require work outside of normal office hours and weekends as determined by the needs of the department.

Physical Demands

• Occasional exertion up to 10 pounds of force.
• Frequent sitting, occasional standing and walking and use of keyboard.
• Occasionally climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching and handling equipment during installation or maintenance.
• Standard vision, hearing, and verbal communication abilities required for technical and interpersonal interactions.