Senior Systems Administrator

About Ascend

Ascend is a network of high-performing public charter schools serving students across Brooklyn. Our mission is to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have access to an education that empowers them to unlock their full potential, achieve academic excellence, and pursue a future of boundless opportunity. We cultivate rigorous learning environments where students develop critical thinking skills, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

At Ascend, educational equity is a driving force. We are committed to closing the achievement gap by delivering high-quality instruction, fostering a culture of high expectations, and equipping every student with the knowledge and skills needed to excel in college and beyond. Through this unwavering commitment, we prepare students not only to succeed academically but to seize every opportunity that lies ahead.

About the Role

As a member of Ascend's technology team, the Senior Systems Administrator will play a critical role supporting and administering the organization's applications and infrastructure, and serve as a manager to our Junior Systems Administrators and Systems Administrators. Travel between our Brooklyn schools and occasional weekend and/or evening work may be required.

Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities, including, but not limited to:

Engineering and Provisioning

• Install new/rebuild existing servers and configure hardware, peripherals, services, settings, directories, storage, etc., in accordance with standards and project/operational requirements
• Develop and maintain installation and configuration procedures, system configuration, and troubleshooting steps
• Research and recommend innovative, and, where possible, automated approaches for system administration tasks
• Identify approaches that leverage our resources and provide cost savings
• Contribute to and maintain system standards

Operations and Support

• Perform daily system monitoring, verifying the integrity and availability of all hardware, server resources, systems, and key processes, reviewing system and application logs, and verifying completion of scheduled jobs such as backups and automated scripts
• Perform regular security monitoring to identify any possible intrusions
• Provide Tier III support to staff; investigate, research, and troubleshoot issues
• Create, change, and delete user accounts per request
• Repair and recover hardware or software failures; coordinate and communicate with impacted staff and tech
• Work with cross-functional teams to assess and implement new technologies, tools, and system enhancements to improve efficiency and scalability

Maintenance

• Apply OS and other 3rd party software patches and updates regularly; configure/add new services as necessary
• Maintain operational, configuration, or other procedures
• Perform periodic performance reporting
• Maintain data center environmental and monitoring equipment
• Perform ongoing performance tuning, hardware upgrades, and resource optimization as required; configure CPU, memory, and disk partitions as required

Staff and Reporting Relationships

• The systems administrator reports to Ascend's Director of Technology.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; relevant field preferred
• 3+ years of experience in a fast-paced, rapidly evolving environment
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with switching, routing, firewalls, and load balancing
• Proficiency in wireless networking (Autonomous, Lightweight, and Cloud-Managed infrastructures).
• Experience with VoIP technologies and implementations
• Proficiency with Microsoft Server Technologies (Windows Server 2012 R2/2016, Hyper-V, IIS, file/print services)
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Domain Management (AD DS, ADFS 3.0, DNS, DHCP, Azure AD Connect
• Experience with Microsoft Client Management (Group Policy, desktop imaging)
• Experience with disaster recovery/resiliency planning (clustering, backups, email archiving/journaling).
• Ability to support BlackBerry, iOS, Android, and Windows devices
• Industry certifications (Microsoft, Cisco, PMI, HP, etc.) are a plus
• Demonstrated ability to diagnose issues, identify root causes, and design effective solutions
• Experience with a student information system, preferred
• Strong management skills with the ability to motivate and influence others
• Experience developing and managing policies and procedures to ensure best practices and high-quality support
• Ability to build strong, trust-based relationships through effective communication and shared goals
• Excellent customer service skills and ability to communicate complex information clearly to non-technical users.
• Comfortable with both hands-on technical work and contributing to strategic initiatives.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-growth environment; flexible and able to work independently or take direction as needed.
• Strong results-oriented troubleshooting skills and commitment to excellence.
• Self-sufficient with sound judgment on when to seek support.
• Excellent time and task-management skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to think critically, quickly, and strategically.

Compensation

The salary will range between $80,000 - $105,000 annually, commensurate with level of experience.