Server Manager - Department of Information Technology Services

Server Manager - Department of Information Technology Services

Job details

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Job type

- Full-time

Location

Pretoria, Gauteng

Full job description

UP Professional and Support

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

SERVER MANAGER

PEROMNES POST LEVEL 6

In pursuit of the ideals of excellence and diversity, the University of Pretoria wishes to invite applications for the following vacancy.

The University of Pretoria's commitment to quality makes us one of the top research Universities in the country and gives us a competitive advantage in international science and technology development.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Server Manager maintains and manages the server and storage infrastructure for the University of Pretoria,





taking responsibility for its performance, continuous improvement, capacity management, operational monitoring, and out of hours support. The Server Manager will head up a specialist team of server administrators who provide the above service, as part of the wider ITS Enterprise Infrastructure and Operations department.

The manager’s role is to co-ordinate the team, resources and service providers to ensure daily provision and quality of service across the University, and to support implementation of changes to support the continuous improvement of the infrastructure and service provided.

Working closely with managers in the Security, Networking, Applications, and Development teams. In collaborating with Architecture colleagues, this role will influence the overall technology operations, ensuring strong alignment at all levels.

The role will ensure that the University of Pretoria processes and procedures are adhered to,





and will work across the technology function to propose and implement process and technology improvement to continually improve the service provided to the University. The role will also ensure compliance to ECT Act, POPIA and security policies within the team’s scope, as well as ensuring business continuity and disaster recovery plans are fit for purpose.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

- Server infrastructure:
- Maintain, support and optimise the enterprise server infrastructure;
- Ensure the availability of enterprise servers’ infrastructure and all related services;
- Conduct capacity monitoring and planning as well as future growth plans of the University of Pretoria;
- Maintain server security and integrity,





and develop and implement the current server infrastructure, as well as future planning to address server infrastructure requirements;
- Ensure design principles, support contracts and software levels, etc. are adhered to;
- Create and maintain architecture diagrams and configuration data;
- Produce and report on availability data and trends, and balance availability and maintenance;
- Initiate investigations for new technologies, products and features, as well as new user requirements;

- Storage infrastructure:
- Maintain, support and optimise the enterprise storage infrastructure, and ensure the availability of enterprise storage infrastructure and all related services;
- Monitor and plan future growth plans, and maintain storage security and integrity;






- Develop and implement current storage infrastructure, as well as future planning to address storage infrastructure requirements;
- Ensure design principles, support contracts and software levels, etc. are adhered to;
- Create and maintain architecture diagrams and configuration data;
- Produce and report on availability data and trends, and balance availability and maintenance;
- Initiate investigations for new technologies, products and features as well as new user requirements;
- Plan, design, and implement upgrades and new storage infrastructure and monitor user activity and traffic flows to detect unusual patterns (potential misuse/abuse);
- Monitor storage status and health, provide and monitor different levels of redundancy, and align and contribute to ITS’ Disaster Recovery Plan;







- Backup infrastructure
- Maintain, support and optimise the enterprise backup infrastructure, and ensure the availability of enterprise backup infrastructure and all related services;
- Monitor and plan future growth plans and maintain backup security and data integrity;
- Develop and implement the current backup infrastructure, as well as future planning to address backup infrastructure requirements;
- Ensure design principles, support contracts and software levels, etc. are adhered to, and create and maintain architecture diagrams and configuration data;
- Produce and report on backup data storage and data trends and balance availability and maintenance;
- Initiate investigations for new technologies,





products and features as well as new user requirements;
- Plan, design, and implement upgrades and new backup infrastructure and monitor backup status and health;
- Provide and monitor different levels of redundancy and align and contribute to ITS’ Disaster Recovery Plan;

- Change management:
- Ensure that the change management system is adhered to and that all changes to the server infrastructure are planned in advance, documented and approved;
- Work closely with ITS managers to ensure all new and changed services are successfully transitioned into operation, ensuring documentation, training, risk management, future obsolescence, and ongoing operational management is considered;
- Manage the team to ensure service desk calls and are resolved within SLA’s,





and design and planning of all server changes and foresee possible impact of changes;
- Test, before and after, and provide fall-back plans, and monitor problem solving of server teams;
- Prioritise problems, optimise troubleshooting process, and monitor the operation of server monitoring/alarm systems;

- Project management:
- Manage the technical implementation of agreed initiatives working with all required parties to ensure successful delivery according to stakeholder and project office criteria;
- Provide technical expertise and operational insight for all planned projects and work closely with managerial peers in other technology teams to ensure the efficiency, compatibility, security, integrity and ease of ongoing operations of all new server technologies;






- Assist with site inspections, scoping, technical advice, quotations for equipment etc.;
- Manage ITS resources and contractors for projects and work with professional project team, architects, engineers etc.;
- Ensure equipment is ordered and booked into the IT store for safekeeping and released via the ITS change management system;
- Vet, design and implement any data centre, server room, network room infrastructure project;

- Vendor management:
- Establish and maintain strong relationships with existing and new vendors and suppliers;
- Ensure vendors adhere and comply to the agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs);
- Manage quotations, purchase orders and invoices;

- Resource management:
- Set standards and procedures, coach and mentor the team;
- Provide guidance and specialist knowledge to colleagues within and beyond the server team, challenging assumptions and driving best practice;
- Lead troubleshooting and mentor technical staff in formulating conclusions and judgements;
- Encourage collaboration with all other teams in the ITS department and embed a culture of proactivity, establishing proactive monitoring and analysis as a standard way of working
- Manage the server team, including their personal and professional development, appraisals, training, coaching, discipline, and workload;
- Coach, guide, feedback, and mentor the team’s technical and non-technical abilities and conduct appraisals and enabling conversations. Ensure development plans exist, are executed, and results are fed back positively and proactively;
- Communicate and promote the work of the server team within and beyond the ITS team;

- General administration:
- Financial management;
- Asset management.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

- A Bachelor's degree in an applicable field such as Computer Science, Informatics or Information Technology from a recognised Tertiary institution, WITH
- Five years’ relevant experience in/of:
- Operations management;
- Designing, building, operating and troubleshooting large scale IT Server and storage systems;
- Line managing a team of server and storage specialists and specialist 3rd parties;
- Server and storage architecture and design;
- Windows Server OS and Linux Server OS support and troubleshooting;
- Setup and installation as well as security hardening of server and storage infrastructure;
- Oracle/Solaris environments;
- VMWare virtual environments;
- Expertise in HCI environments;
- Storage technologies and administration;
- Strong expertise in Backup technologies and administration;
- Cloud solutions such as Google, AZURE, AWS;
- Objective evaluation of technical systems and tenders;
- Developing systems and procedures to improve efficiency, using the ITIL framework;
- Configuration management and capacity planning;
- Producing clear management and reporting documentation;
- Planning of future direction and utilisation of appropriate server technology.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES):

- Knowledge of:
- Windows Server;
- Nutanix HCI;
- VMWare;
- Oracle hardware and Solaris OS;
- Storage technologies;
- Backup technologies;
- Cloud technologies;

- Technical competencies:
- Project management;
- Server infrastructure;
- Storage infrastructure;
- Backup infrastructure;
- Infrastructure architecture;

- Behavioral competencies:
- Adaptive leadership style that creates an inclusive and engaging environment;
- People focused, naturally develops and supports others to reach their potential;
- Strategic thinker with the ability to adapt to change;
- Customer centric approach, passionate about enhancing the service being offered across the team;
- Natural collaborator, energetic and enthusiastic about cross functional delivery;
- Strong communicator in all its forms across all levels of the organisation;
- Always looking for ways to improve personally and to the way things work;
- Influencer that is able to motivate people to adopt effective working practices;
- Focused on prioritising the right things and planning to ensure success.
- Decisive, ‘can do’ attitude whilst maintaining a clear focus on problem solving and seeing action through to delivery;
- Innovator who can develop new ideas and ways to improve the service ITS offers the University;
- An ability to analyse faults in a calm and focused manner while under pressure is essential (the incumbent is responsible for mission-critical systems IT systems);
- Systematic and methodical problem-solving skills must be well developed and proven.

ADDED ADVANTAGES AND PREFERENCES:

- An Honours degree in an applicable field such as Computer Science, Informatics or Information Technology from a recognised Tertiary education institution;
- A total of three years of experience in:
- Compliance and legislative requirements including ECT Act, POPIA, etc.;
- TOGAF and modern architectural principles;
- Project management;
- Risk management;
- Networking technologies.

PLEASE NOTE: All shortlisted candidates may be required to participate in relevant skills assessments as part of the selection process.

The annual remuneration package will be commensurate with the incumbent’s level of appointment, as determined by UP policy guidelines. UP subscribes to the BESTMED and UMVUZO medical aid schemes and contributes 50% of the applicable monthly premium.

Applicants are requested to apply online at www.up.ac.za

In applying for this post, please attach:

- A comprehensive CV;
- Certified copies of qualifications;
- Names, e-mail addresses and telephone details of three referees whom we have permission to contact.

CLOSING DATE: 24 October 2024

No application will be considered after the closing date, or if it does not comply with at least the minimum requirements.

ENQUIRIES: Ms V Makhubele, Tel: (012) 420 6920 for application-related enquiries and Mr Z Adam, Tel: (012) 420 4234 for enquiries relating to the post content.

Should you not hear from the University of Pretoria by 31 December 2024, please accept that your application has been unsuccessful.

The University of Pretoria is committed to equality, employment equity and diversity.

In accordance with the Employment Equity Plan of the University and its Employment Equity goals and targets, preference may be given, but is not limited to candidates from under-represented designated groups.

All candidates who comply with the requirements for appointment are invited to apply.

By applying for this vacancy, the candidates consent to undergo verification of personal credentials and related information including, but not limited to, qualifications, criminal record, credit record, current and historic disciplinary proceedings as part of the selection process.

The University of Pretoria reserves the right to not fill the advertised positions.

▶️ Server Manager - Department of Information Technology Services
🖊️ University of Pretoria
📍 Pretoria