What are the responsibilities and job description for the IT Support Specialist position at Gulf Winds International?
Job Title: IT Support Specialist
Department: Information Technology
Location: Houston
Position Type: Full-time
Company Overview
Gulf Winds International, Inc. is a leading provider of drayage, transloading, and storage, serving importers and exporters globally. The Company prides itself on innovation, people, and purpose, redefining expectations for intermodal trucking. With a robust presence at major ports, including Houston, Dallas, Mobile, Memphis, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, Baltimore, and Chicago, Gulf Winds is dedicated to delivering top-notch services through continuous investment in technology and infrastructure. Ownership: The company is backed by The Sterling Group, a Houston-based private equity firm. Since 1982, The Sterling Group has partnered with management teams to grow and build winning businesses in the industrial sector. Over 75% of Sterling’s past partnerships have been with family businesses and corporate carve-outs. Sterling excels as a partner bringing its operational focus and expertise to support company objectives. Today, Sterling has over $5.7 billion in assets under management.
Position Overview
We are looking for a technically sharp, self-motivated IT Support Specialist to serve as the first point of contact for all internal IT helpdesk issues at GWII. This is not a typical ticket-queue role. We need someone who takes ownership, digs into problems, and comes with the tools and instincts to resolve issues efficiently. The right candidate will have a strong Tier 2/3 support background and will be actively developing their skills toward a Systems or Network Administrator role. This position reports to the Director of IT and operates in a hybrid work arrangement.
Key ResponsibilitiesHelpdesk & End-User Support
Department: Information Technology
Location: Houston
Position Type: Full-time
Company Overview
Gulf Winds International, Inc. is a leading provider of drayage, transloading, and storage, serving importers and exporters globally. The Company prides itself on innovation, people, and purpose, redefining expectations for intermodal trucking. With a robust presence at major ports, including Houston, Dallas, Mobile, Memphis, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk, Baltimore, and Chicago, Gulf Winds is dedicated to delivering top-notch services through continuous investment in technology and infrastructure. Ownership: The company is backed by The Sterling Group, a Houston-based private equity firm. Since 1982, The Sterling Group has partnered with management teams to grow and build winning businesses in the industrial sector. Over 75% of Sterling’s past partnerships have been with family businesses and corporate carve-outs. Sterling excels as a partner bringing its operational focus and expertise to support company objectives. Today, Sterling has over $5.7 billion in assets under management.
Position Overview
We are looking for a technically sharp, self-motivated IT Support Specialist to serve as the first point of contact for all internal IT helpdesk issues at GWII. This is not a typical ticket-queue role. We need someone who takes ownership, digs into problems, and comes with the tools and instincts to resolve issues efficiently. The right candidate will have a strong Tier 2/3 support background and will be actively developing their skills toward a Systems or Network Administrator role. This position reports to the Director of IT and operates in a hybrid work arrangement.
Key ResponsibilitiesHelpdesk & End-User Support
- Serve as the primary point of contact for all IT support requests submitted via Zendesk
- Triage, prioritize, and resolve Tier 1/2/3 incidents covering hardware, software, networking, and Microsoft 365
- Manage endpoint configuration, deployment, and troubleshooting via RMM tooling
- Maintain user support KB articles, to help allow users self service.
- Maintain accurate asset inventory and device records.
- Own end-user machine patch management, including scheduling, deployment, and compliance reporting across all managed endpoints via RMM tooling
- Provide clear, timely communication to end users throughout the lifecycle of their tickets
- Escalate issues to the Director of IT or appropriate vendor/specialist when resolution requires deeper expertise.
- Be available to respond to occasional after-hours and weekend IT issues, including system outages, critical incidents, and scheduled maintenance windows
- Manage user lifecycle in Microsoft Entra ID including provisioning, deprovisioning, group membership, and conditional access policies
- Administer Microsoft 365 services including Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, and Intune
- Support endpoint management and compliance policy enforcement
- Assist with onboarding and offboarding workflows, ensuring access is granted and revoked accurately and on time
- Acquire, install, and test system and software upgrades and new computer hardware components
- Support and troubleshoot LAN/WAN connectivity issues across office and remote environments
- Assist with firewall rule management, VLAN configuration, and network access controls
- Work alongside the Director of IT on infrastructure projects including network upgrades and security hardening
- Monitor network health and respond to alerts from monitoring platforms
- Write and maintain PowerShell scripts to automate repetitive IT tasks
- Identify manual processes that can be improved through automation and proactively propose solutions
- Maintain documentation of IT infrastructure, systems configurations, and troubleshooting procedures, including runbooks and self-service guides
- 5 years of hands-on IT support experience, with demonstrated Tier 2/3 competency
- Proficiency with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) including user management, groups, and Conditional Access
- Experience administering M365 services (Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint, Intune)
- Solid understanding of networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and firewall concepts
- Hands-on experience with a RMM platform for endpoint management and remote support
- Working knowledge of PowerShell scripting for task automation and system administration
- Experience with a ticketing system such as Zendesk, Freshservice, or equivalent
- Strong hardware and software troubleshooting skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to explain technical issues clearly to non-technical users
- Self-starter mentality with the ability to manage competing priorities without constant direction
- Willingness and ability to be reached outside of normal business hours on an as-needed basis for urgent IT issues.
- Experience managing or troubleshooting enterprise firewalls and network devices.
- Microsoft certifications (MS-102, AZ-104, SC-300, or equivalent)
- Familiarity with ITIL frameworks and change management processes
- Experience with Power Automate or other workflow automation platforms
- CompTIA Network or Security certification