System Administrator

Job Posting Organization:
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) has been operational for over 70 years, dedicated to preserving peace and security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security for nearly one billion citizens. With a workforce of approximately 3000 civilian and military staff, the agency operates in 29 locations across Europe, North America, and Asia. The NCI Agency plays a crucial role in enabling NATO to conduct critical operations, protect airspace, make data-driven decisions, defend against cyber-attacks, secure networks, and maintain superiority in space. The organization emphasizes the importance of its personnel, aiming to hire, train, and retain the best staff to maintain its technological edge. The NCI Agency values diversity and unity, encouraging staff members to contribute authentically to NATO's mission and purpose.

Job Overview:
In this role, based in The Hague, you will be part of the Assurance Solutions Branch (ASB) at the NCI Agency, which is focused on transforming IT services to support NATO’s Digital Endeavour. As a System Administrator, you will be responsible for administering integration and test platforms, which are essential for supporting capability upgrades and site deployments. Your work will involve designing, verifying, documenting, and amending software configurations in accordance with established standards and tools. You will also troubleshoot issues related to Microsoft operating systems and PowerShell configurations, monitor IT infrastructure performance, and apply automation tools where applicable. Additionally, you will contribute to hardware installation, software maintenance, and vulnerability resolution, while conducting risk assessments and supporting higher-grade roles by managing technical teams and providing briefings.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The duties and responsibilities of the System Administrator include:

• Administering integration and test platforms to support capability upgrades and site deployments.
• Designing, verifying, documenting, and amending software configurations using agreed standards and tools.
• Troubleshooting Microsoft OS-related issues and PowerShell-based configurations.
• Monitoring and ensuring the performance of IT infrastructure and applying automation tools where applicable.
• Contributing to hardware installation, software systems maintenance, and vulnerability resolution.
• Conducting risk assessments and supporting higher-grade roles, including briefing and managing technical teams.
• Collaborating effectively with other team members to ensure efficient operations and problem resolution.

Required Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, candidates must possess either higher vocational training in a relevant discipline with at least 3 years of post-related experience or secondary education with a minimum of 5 years of post-related experience. Proven hands-on experience with Microsoft Windows Server, WSUS, MECM, Active Directory, ADFS, and PowerShell is essential. Candidates should also have a background in provisioning IaaS/PaaS across hybrid cloud environments, along with expertise in infrastructure automation. Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and versioning platforms such as GitLab or GitHub is also required. Skills in troubleshooting hardware and software systems effectively and collaboratively are necessary, and desirable qualifications include certifications in Kubernetes/OpenShift, VMware, or Azure/AWS.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes higher vocational training in a relevant discipline or secondary education, depending on the level of experience. Candidates must demonstrate a solid understanding of IT systems and administration, particularly in relation to Microsoft technologies and cloud environments.

Experience:
Candidates are expected to have a minimum of 3 years of post-related experience if they hold higher vocational training, or at least 5 years of post-related experience if they have secondary education. This experience should be directly related to system administration, IT infrastructure management, and troubleshooting.

Languages:
Fluency in English, both written and spoken, is mandatory for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not explicitly required.

Additional Notes:
The position offers a five-year contract with a competitive tax-free salary, along with household and children’s allowances. Expatriate staff may receive privileges such as education allowances (where eligible), additional home leave, and other benefits. The organization provides an excellent private health insurance scheme, generous annual leave of 30 days plus official holidays, and pension benefits under the NATO Pension Scheme. Furthermore, there are growth and development programs available, including professional training and wellbeing initiatives. The NCI Agency is committed to being an equal opportunity employer, fostering an inclusive workplace that values diversity in gender, ethnicity, religion, and more.