Senior System Administrator - Alliance Defending Freedom

Everyone says they want to change the world. We’re looking for people who actually will.

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith. Please review our Statement of Faith and Doctrinal Distinctives. 

Senior System Administrator

Alliance Defending Freedom is looking for a highly professional Senior System Administrator to join us in our Lansdowne, VA office.  As the Senior System Administrator, you are a vital part of the IT Infrastructure Team. In this role, you will report to the IT Infrastructure Manager and are responsible for managing our organization’s infrastructure, ensuring its reliability, security, and optimal performance. The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge and hands-on experience in Windows domain management, virtualization technologies, Active Directory, cloud platforms (especially Azure), open-source directory services, servers, and storage technologies, excellent communication skills, and a solid understanding of the IT Infrastructure Library framework.

Your Essential Responsibilities:

In this position, you will:

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to design robust, scalable, and secure systems architecture that meets the organization’s requirements, is aligned to industry best practices, and supports its future growth
• Implement and maintain systems infrastructure, including servers, storage, and virtualization technologies; ensure smooth deployment, configuration, and integration of hardware and software components
• Work with the system administration team to proactively monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and optimize system resources to ensure high availability and reliability; develop and test disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity in the event of system failures or disasters
• Work closely with the security team to ensure systems meet industry standards and compliance requirements. Implement appropriate security measures and protocols to protect sensitive data and systems from potential threats
• Create and maintain documentation, including directory services schemas, configuration settings, and standard operating procedures; prepare reports on system performance, capacity, and system health for management and stakeholders.
• Collaborate with other teams, including developers, system administrators, and network engineers, to ensure seamless integration and efficient system operations; share expertise and knowledge with team members through training sessions, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing initiatives
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for system-related issues, working closely with the system administration team, help desk team, as well as end-users to resolve problems efficiently
• Manage and maintain the company’s Windows domain infrastructure, ensuring its stability, security, and performance; administer and optimize Active Directory, including user and group management, security policies, and group policies; implement and maintain cloud services and platforms, with a particular focus on Microsoft Azure
• Identify system-related challenges and proactively propose solutions to enhance efficiency, reliability, and performance; stay up to date with emerging technologies, industry trends, and best practices to drive continuous improvement and innovation

Other Responsibilities (Non-Essential):

• You will be asked to perform related duties or special projects as assigned.

Skills you need to succeed:

Knowledge of:

• Strong knowledge of systems architecture, server networking principles, and virtualization technologies in both a Microsoft and open-source environment
• In-depth knowledge of Windows domain infrastructure, especially Active Directory, Group Policy, and DNS, including installation, configuration, performance tuning, and troubleshooting
• Cloud platforms, especially Microsoft Azure, including Azure Active Directory
• Virtualization technologies such as VMware, Hyper-V, and KVM
• Familiarity with open-source server, directory, and storage systems
• Experience managing Apache Open Stack, Open Stack, and Kubernetes

Demonstrated proficiency in:

• Technical writing of manuals for IT software and systems.
• Systems Administration or a similar role, with a focus on Windows environments
• High availability and disaster recovery solutions
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex system administration issues
• Strong project management skills

Ability to:

• Communicate and collaborate to work effectively with cross-functional teams
• Work, motivate, and initiate within a team and independently

Education and/or experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field or equivalent experience. Relevant certifications (e.g., Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) are a plus
• 5+ years of System Administrator experience in a mid to enterprise-size environment

To complete your application, please attach a cover letter to your application.

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR AN ORGANIZATION WITH A COMPETITIVE

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS PACKAGE, TOO? 

We have it! Alliance Defending Freedom offers team members a competitive compensation and benefits package that includes major medical insurance, dental care, medical and dependent care reimbursement, paid disability, long-term care insurance, and life insurance. We also offer a 401(k) plan with a generous company match. Work and life balance is important to the well-being of our team members. You will receive paid time off (PTO) that starts accruing from your hire date and 11 paid holidays per year.