Senior Systems Manager (On-Campus)

Middlesex Community College•Lowell, MA

8h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Systems Manager is a highly technical member of Middlesex Community College’s IT Infrastructure team who designs and supports information systems for the College. The role combines knowledge of the College’s technology platforms with an understanding of the business processes they support. As project coordinator and lead designer for complex, multi-system initiatives, the manager designs, documents, and guides implementation of multi-vendor technology platforms. Under the direction of the Director of IT Infrastructure, the role advances new technology adoption and integration and optimization of existing investments to support high-quality IT services for internal and external stakeholders. This is an in-person, on-campus position with regular and reliable on-site presence as an essential requirement. The position is based at the Lowell campus, with occasional travel to Bedford as needed, and is not eligible for a regular remote or hybrid arrangement. The position works 37.5 hours per week, with the schedule determined upon hire; occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends may be required. Flexible scheduling may be available through the College’s Flex Work Program with appropriate approval. The salary range is $110,000–$115,000, with actual salary commensurate with academic background and experience. The expected start date is November/December 2026. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States; the College does not sponsor work visas. Employment offers are contingent upon satisfactory background-check results.

Requirements

Associate’s degree or higher in a related IT field.
At least 5 years of experience administering enterprise systems and infrastructure, including at least 5 years managing systems in a large IT environment with progressively increasing responsibility.
Strong ability to analyze complex technical issues, prioritize likely causes, and develop effective remediation plans.
Strong customer service orientation and commitment to end-user stakeholder success.
Excellent problem-solving abilities.
Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a technical team.
Hands-on experience with enterprise systems management or configuration management tools.
Strong knowledge of enterprise server environments, including Windows and Linux.
Experience with virtualization platforms, enterprise server technologies, and storage area network (SAN) technologies.
Experience with networking fundamentals, including wired and wireless networks, switching, routing, firewalls, and protocols such as DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, VLANs, SSL/TLS, and encryption.
Experience with enterprise firewall platforms and enterprise Linux distributions.
Experience with integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) or student information system platforms and related data integration tools.
Experience implementing disaster recovery and backup solutions.
Strong grasp of industry best practices for secure computing and data protection.
Strong understanding of PKI and certificate lifecycle management.
Ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional early mornings, evenings, and weekends.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a related IT field.
Industry-recognized technical certifications.
Prior experience in higher education or a similarly complex institutional setting.
Experience with scripting or automation languages such as PowerShell, Ansible, or shell scripting.
Experience with Ellucian applications such as Banner, DegreeWorks, or Ethos.
Experience with relational database platforms such as Oracle and MSSQL.
Experience with identity management systems such as Active Directory and Entra ID.
Experience designing, implementing, and managing network infrastructure.
Experience with Palo Alto Networks firewalls and A10 Thunder Load Balancer/Proxy.

Responsibilities

Optimize, reconfigure, and maintain existing systems to maximize technology investments while minimizing disruption.
Manage core infrastructure services, including Active Directory and related services, virtualization, VMware vCenter and ESXi, and Microsoft Identity Management (MIM).
Administer IIS and Tomcat web servers, load balancers and proxies, and secure file transfer solutions.
Support wired and wireless network infrastructure and switching across multiple sites and campuses in collaboration with the network engineer.
Coordinate with external vendors and consultants on system design and support.
Analyze system performance, recommend improvements, diagnose infrastructure bottlenecks, and automate manual processes to reduce operational workload.
Plan and design hardware, software, and middleware solutions to address business needs and define organizational technology configuration standards.
Partner with consultants and other departments on critical cross-system integrations, and collaborate with enterprise applications teams on major platform updates.
Manage core enterprise platforms, including Windows and Linux systems, web servers, and identity management systems.
Oversee deployment and lifecycle management of digital security certificates.
Develop configuration standards and support processes for new collaboration and productivity tools.
Design migration paths from legacy platforms to modern replacements.
Design systems and processes while transferring knowledge to IT staff, including systems and service desk teams.
Create operational documentation, Service Desk knowledgebase articles and reference materials, and standard configuration documentation.
Provide expert-level end-user support, resolve escalated Service Desk tickets involving systemic issues, and promote a strong service culture.
Build effective organizational partnerships through open communication and responsiveness, and maintain a welcoming, inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and identities.

Benefits

High-quality and affordable health insurance through the Commonwealth’s Group Insurance Commission (GIC).
Competitive dental and vision plans.
Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Assistance programs.
Low-cost basic and optional life insurance.
State Employees’ Pension or Optional Retirement Program (ORP), and Deferred Compensation 457(b) or 403(b) plans.
12 paid holidays per year, plus sick, vacation, and personal time.
Tuition benefits for employees and dependents at state colleges and universities.
Short-Term Disability and Extended Illness program participation options.
Professional development and continuing education opportunities.
Cell phone bill discounts with Verizon and T-Mobile.
Access to the Commonwealth’s Mass4You employee assistance program.
Free employee parking on the Bedford and Lowell campuses.
Eligibility toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).