Senior IT Architect (4 Direct Reports)

This position is responsible for the planning, directing and coordinating of the design, installation, and connectivity of computer and network systems to ensure the stable operation of the organization's IT assets.  This includes developing, configuring, maintaining, supporting and optimizing all new and existing network hardware, software, and communication links.  

SUPERVISION 

This position directly supervises, schedules and directs the activities of the network operations staff to resolve all infrastructure issues and problems in a timely and accurate fashion.  Responsibilities include participation in interviewing and hiring process;  training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; coaching and recommending discipline for employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems by carrying out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.  

This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. 

Plan and coordinate installation of in-house and remote hardware and software across the entire network.

Manage and ensure effectiveness of servers, including email, print, and backup servers, and their associated operating systems and software, supervising staff activities.

Manage and ensure optimal operation of all network hardware and equipment, including routers, switches, UPS, and supervising staff activities.

Recommend short and long term strategic plans to senior management to make certain network and server capacity meets existing and future requirements.

Analyze system or application usage and plan for growth or increases in network capacity making recommendations to senior management.

Manage and ensure effectiveness of security solutions, including firewalls, anti-virus solutions, and intrusion detection systems.

Manage and maintain the strategies for the backup of all network servers and essential systems.  Perform recovery as needed, supervising staff activities.

Oversee and/or perform network and security audits.

Conduct research and make recommendations on network products, services, protocols, and standards in support of network procurement and development efforts.

Assess, approve and administer all equipment, hardware and software upgrades.

Work with senior management in the design and implementation of cybersecurity and disaster recovery plans for operating system, databases, network server and software applications.

Approve user accounts, permissions, and access rights on the domain administered by staff in accordance with IT policy.

Conduct performance reviews and corrective action of subordinate members of the team communicating issues to management team.

Maintain complete and accurate documentation on the network design, configuration steps and procedures.

Assist senior management with budgeting and planning including maintenance costs and capital projects.

Manage design efforts of subordinates on technical solutions for the most complex projects, entailing high levels of risk, integrating multiple technologies with broad strategic impact across multiple areas.

Provide technical leadership and mentoring of subordinate team, accountable to ensure that sufficient technical resources and skills are applied.

Manage and direct subordinates by coaching, mentoring and developing members to their full technical potential.

Serve as expert and functional mentor to team members and peers providing technical and/or analytical guidance to team.

Solve business problems by performing analysis, preparing recommendations, and providing project leadership/management for successful implementation of relevant technology.

Identify, research, and resolve technical problems for individuals and groups in an efficient manner, recognizing the proper course of action to take, communicating and escalating issues as appropriate.

Manage and maintain the following environments with subordinate team members:  SAN, Virtual servers, LAN/WAN, Citrix, Network Switches/firewalls, proxy and VPN devices, Domain/DHCP servers and desktops.  

Communicate highly technical information to both technical and non-technical personnel.

Serve as expert in multiple technologies and provide recommendations to senior management in planning for the future.

Demonstrate a commitment to county safety and risk management efforts.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or Business and six to eight years of relevant prior IT experience; including three years of supervisory experience.  Expert level skills in networking and infrastructure.  Expert level skills in IP routing in a multiple VLAN environment.   Proficient in SAN technologies and backup operations.  Experience with managing a virtualized server environment and virtual desktops.  Proven experience in ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals as well as ability to compute rate, ratio and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations and Other Special Requirements

One or more of the following certifications are desired: Extreme Networks, Palo Alto, or Microsoft.

Valid Wisconsin driver’s license.

Proof of minimum auto liability insurance coverage.

Must be able to provide a reliable personal vehicle to be used for travel between county locations on a daily basis.

This position will participate in an on-call rotation which provides 24-hour, 7 day a week, 365 days technical support to maintain systems uptime.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Proven project management skills.  Excellent ability to work in a fast paced environment.   Ability to work well under pressure and multi-task.  Ability to develop and maintain working relationships with departmental staff, supervisors, department heads, elected officials and vendors.

Interactions and Communications

Provides specialized information and/or recommendations to others regarding an area of expertise in both written and verbal form.   Outstanding interpersonal skills. Superb customer service skills.  Ability to work well in team environment.  

Decision Making

This position has authority to make decisions that are consistent with policies and precedents; supervision and managerial direction is available as requested.  These decisions directly impact performance at the department wide level and information is provided with additional research and observations which contributes to the decision making process. 

Thinking and Problem Solving

In relation to established procedures, protocols and policies of the County, challenges and problems occurring in this position must be addressed within broader, department-wide procedures and practices.

Tools & Equipment Used

Telephone                                     Calculator

Copy Machine                               FAX Machine

Personal Computer/Printer

WORK ENVIRONMENT   The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed extreme heat and to the risk of electrical shock.   The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS  The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear.  The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and reach with hands and arms.  The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.  The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 100 pounds.  Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Salary : $40 - $53