Systems Administrator

Company Description Farmers of Salem is a regional mutual insurance company that has provided insurance solutions for home and business owners for more than 170 years. Owned by policyholders rather than stockholders, the company focuses on long-term stability, innovation, and competitive products. Insurance offerings are distributed through independent agents who act as local experts, supported by knowledgeable employees dedicated to accurate, timely, and professional service. Farmers of Salem emphasizes sound management and solid business practices to protect policyholders’ most valuable assets and provide peace of mind. Rated A- (Excellent) by A.M. Best and A, Exceptional by Demotech, the company currently serves customers in Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

The Systems Administrator is responsible for the availability, security, performance, and ongoing maintenance of the organization's technology infrastructure. This hands-on role supports servers, virtualization, storage, Microsoft 365, identity services, backups, networking, security platforms, and end-user technology.

The Systems Administrator works closely with IT leadership, employees, and technology partners to resolve operational issues, implement infrastructure improvements, support cybersecurity requirements, and maintain reliable technology services.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Administration

• Administer and maintain servers, virtualization platforms, storage, backups, and related infrastructure.
• Manage Active Directory, Group Policy, Microsoft 365, user accounts, permissions, and multifactor authentication.
• Monitor system availability, performance, capacity, security alerts, and scheduled processes.
• Perform system patching, upgrades, configuration changes, and routine maintenance using established change-control procedures.
• Support network infrastructure, including switches, firewalls, and VPN connections.
• Troubleshoot system, application, authentication, and network issues, escalate when necessary.
• Maintain infrastructure documentation, recovery procedures, system inventories, and configuration records.
• Participate in disaster-recovery testing, security initiatives, and infrastructure projects.
• Work occasional non-business hours as required for maintenance windows, project activities, or urgent business needs.

End User and Helpdesk Support

• Provide timely technical support for workstation, software, printing, connectivity, and access-related issues.
• Install, configure, maintain, and replace employee computers, peripherals, and approved software.
• Manage employee onboarding, offboarding, account changes, equipment assignments, and access requests.
• Investigate and resolve escalated helpdesk incidents while keeping users informed of status and resolution.
• Create and maintain user-facing documentation and provide basic technology guidance and training.
• Deliver professional, responsive, and customer-focused support to employees at all levels of the organization.

Education and Experience

• Associate degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field required.
• Bachelor's degree in a related discipline preferred.
• A combination of relevant education, professional certifications, and directly applicable experience may be considered.
• Three to five years of progressive help desk, desktop support, systems support, or end- user technology experience in a corporate environment.

Required Technical Knowledge

• Windows Server and Active Directory administration, including Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and file services.
• Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, Entra ID, and multifactor authentication.
• Server virtualization, enterprise storage, backup, recovery, and disaster-recovery technologies.
• Network fundamentals, including TCP/IP, routing, switching, firewalls, VPNs, and wireless networking.
• Endpoint management, patching, endpoint security, and vulnerability remediation.
• Strong PowerShell scripting skills, including developing, maintaining, and troubleshooting scripts used to automate system administration tasks; working knowledge of SQL queries and related administration tools is preferred.
• Monitoring, alerting, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, incident management, and change management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Microsoft, CompTIA, Cisco, Fortinet, VMware, or similar industry certifications.
• Experience with Hyper-V or VMware, storage area networks, Microsoft 365 administration, enterprise backup platforms, and firewall administration.
• Experience supporting Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and other endpoint platforms.
• Experience working with managed service providers and third-party technology vendors.

Core Competencies

• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Exhibit proficiency in organization, time management, follow-up, and prioritization skills.
• Sound judgment when working with confidential or sensitive information.
• Clear written and verbal communication with strong documentation habits.
• Customer-service orientation, accountability, and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to manage multiple priorities.
• Demonstrate ownership of issues, recommend improvements, adapt to changing technology requirements, and follow through with limited supervision.

Decision Making and Accountability

The Systems Administrator is expected to identify technology risks, recommend practical solutions, and escalate matters that could materially affect security, availability, or business operations. The position is accountable for following established controls and ensuring that system changes are documented, tested, approved, and recoverable.

Physical and Work Requirements

• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods.
• Ability to lift and move technology equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to access server rooms, equipment racks, wiring areas, and employee workspaces.
• Availability for scheduled after-hours maintenance and urgent production support when
• necessary.