Position Summary

Under general direction of the Director of Information Technology, the Network Administrator is responsible for the safe, secure and reliable design, operation and maintenance of the Humboldt County Office of Education’s (HCOE) telecommunications network and cloud services. HCOE employs over 300 people and technology plays a central role in its operation. The local area network consists of dozens of servers and hundreds of computers, plus switches, routers, firewalls, VOIP telephones and wireless access points, spanning ten buildings at five sites. In addition, HCOE provides internet connectivity to at least 50 school sites. HCOE utilizes cloud services for email, storage, virtualization, VOIP, device management, video conference and collaboration.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a management-level position with a great deal of responsibility for all aspects of technology at HCOE. Individuals who serve as Network Administrator provide services in the office, as well as in various sites throughout the county, sometimes serving multiple sites in a single workday. Public speaking skills, group problem solving, the ability to communicate effectively in writing, the capacity to maintain personal demeanor during periods of peak workflow and perform efficiently within restricted time frames are critical factors for success in this position. It requires broad knowledge of, and experience with, technology and the ability to work effectively with nontechnical staff. The position occasionally requires working after hours, weekends and holidays.

Supervision Received and Exercised

This position is under the supervision of the Director of Technology and involves supervising technical support staff.

Examples of Duties and Responsibilities

• Researches, plans and proposes the introduction of new technologies and new services to meet the expanding needs of HCOE and/or local school districts.
• Oversees the installation, configuration testing, documentation, maintenance, troubleshooting and operation of all network media, devices and servers; oversees the deployment of desktop operating systems and applications.
• Monitors and maintains network and server access and security and responds to breaches.
• Monitors network and server performance and responds accordingly.
• Maintains data storage, backup and disaster recovery.
• Maintains local and cloud-based user accounts, as well as licensing, storage, device management, public records requests and virtualization.
• Serves as a resource to users and district tech staff to resolve problems efficiently and effectively.
• Produces technical and nontechnical documentation.
• Manages technical support staff.
• May assist staff in performing operations related to the financial system.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications/Employment Standards

Knowledge of:

• Wired and wireless network architectures, theory and principles of network design and integration, including topologies, protocols and network load distribution.
• Principles, methods and techniques for layout, installation, configuration, integration and operation of network systems, components, equipment and devices.
• Principles, methods and techniques for the design, installation, configuration, integration and operation of Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) network systems, components, equipment, devices and software.
• Principles, methods and techniques for installation, configuration, integration and operation of Storage Area Network systems, components, equipment, devices and software.
• Server hardware and operating system architecture, directory services, characteristics, commands and components applicable to servers and computer platforms.
• Network management software, equipment, tools and utilities.
• Methods and techniques for performing connectivity testing, network analysis and troubleshooting.
• Principles, practices and methods of network administration and maintenance, including configuration, performance tuning and diagnostic tools.
• Wired and wireless network security principles, equipment, software, practices, techniques and tools, including encryption standards and authentication methods.
• Principles, practices and methods of systems administration and maintenance.
• Disaster planning and recovery techniques.
• Database management systems and software.
• Standard programming and scripting languages and utilities applicable to assigned responsibilities.
• Management of cloud-based services including, but not limited to, email, storage, virtualization, VOIP, collaboration, security and video conferencing.
• Employee management principles and practices.

Ability to:

• Design, configure, manage and maintain the operations of complex wired and wireless network systems to achieve optimal technical performance and user support.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex network hardware, software and/or connectivity problems.
• Understand and apply the analysis of functional requirements to the development of proposals, specifications and recommendations for efficient, cost-effective network systems and technology solutions to meet customer needs and requirements.
• Assess customer needs, set priorities and allocate resources to most effectively meet needs in a timely manner.
• Anticipate technical needs in areas of responsibility.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Understand and follow written and oral instructions.
• Operate a computer and use standard business software.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• Analyze a situation and delegate responsibility.
• Participate in the budgeting

Computer skills:

• Intermediate to advanced word processing and desktop publishing skills, such as the ability to format, save files for cross-platform use and in different versions, work with toolbars, menus and rules, insert graphics, use borders and print labels and envelopes.
• Intermediate to advanced database skills, such as the ability to sort and retrieve records, create layouts and reports, create and print mailing labels, perform mail merge for form letters; add, edit, delete fields and records.
• Intermediate to advanced spreadsheet skills, including the ability to open, modify, save and print a new or existing spreadsheet, enter text and numbers and analyze large amounts of data.
• Intermediate to advanced email and internet usage, including the ability to access and navigate information systems.

Education and Experience

Education:

• A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in information systems, computer science or a related field.
• Industry certification (MCSA, MCSE, PCNSA, PCNSE, etc.) is highly desirable.

Experience:

• Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in local/wide area network and server administration, including design, configuration, installation, monitoring, support and troubleshooting.
• Additional technical experience of a similar nature may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the four years of college.
• Two years of progressively responsible experience managing technical support staff.

Additional preferred experience:

• Palo Alto firewall
• Windows Server, Active Directory and Hyper-V
• CIS Controls
• HP/Aruba networking
• Ruckus wireless
• Microsoft 365 including Azure
• Google Workspace
• Apple School
• Zoom administration
• Verkada Security

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.

• The position requires ordinary ambulatory ability to retrieve work materials, intermittent walking, standing, stooping and carrying and lifting of light- to medium-weight materials (under 30 pounds).
• Requires hand-eye-arm-finger dexterity to use a personal computer keyboard, ten-key and other common office equipment.
• Requires speaking and hearing ability sufficient to hear over the phone and carry on complex conversations.
• Visual acuity sufficient to read manuals, video display screens and other related material and work at a computer screen frequently and throughout the day.

Work Environment

The following conditions may be present:

• Work is performed in a busy, sometimes noisy, office environment, as well as a temperature-controlled data center.
• Positions in this classification work mostly indoors and sit for long periods of time, but may also involve travel to offsite locations.
• The position requires daily oral communication in person and on the telephone, frequent use of email and messaging communication systems.

Other Requirements

• Must be fingerprinted and a satisfactory Department of Justice records check must be received by HCOE prior to employment.
• TB testing and/or risk assessment will be required upon employment.
• Must pass a pre-employment physical (if applicable).
• May be required to obtain first aid and CPR certificates within the first 6 to 12 months of employment.
• May be required to drive with or without students; some positions may require a California driver’s license, proof of insurance and possible participation in the DMV PUll Notice Program once employed.

Classified Management | Class 5