System Administrator - Whitby, ON

Woitec Bau; Whitby; Hybrid; CAD 39,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefits (medical/dental/vision)

Employee assistance plan

RSP plans

Paid vacation and personal days

Paid/unpaid leave

Job summary

Makita Canada is seeking a System Administrator to manage and secure IT infrastructure, lead cybersecurity for the group, and coordinate with global teams. You will support end users across Canada, maintain backups, and align with privacy and data protection requirements.

The role includes collaboration with Legal and HR, and involves on-site and remote support, with a focus on incident response readiness and security controls implementations.

Qualifications

• Diploma/degree in Computer Science or IT.
• 3–5 years of system administration / IT support experience.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks (NIST, CIS) and practical application.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 administration including Entra ID, MFA and Defender.

Responsibilities

• Lead cybersecurity initiatives and group security compliance.
• Configure and maintain servers, networks and IT infrastructure.
• Provide end-user support onsite and remotely across Canada.
• Maintain asset management, backups and disaster recovery planning.

Skills

System administration

IT support

Cybersecurity awareness

Windows administration

Identity and access management

Education

Diploma/degree in Computer Science or IT

Tools

PowerShell

SQL

Visual Basic

Job description

Reporting to the Assistant General Manager the System Administrator will manage and maintain the organization’s I.T. infrastructure, ensuring networks, servers and systems operate securely and efficiently. In addition to core system administration, this role will take the lead on cybersecurity for Makita Canada: implementing and maintaining group-wide security policies and controls, serving as the primary liaison with Makita Corporation’s (Japan) global cybersecurity team and the company’s managed security service provider, leading the annual group cybersecurity assessment, and driving incident prevention and incident response readiness. The role will also provide remote and onsite user support for electronic devices such as laptops/desktops, mobile devices, video conferencing equipment, and printers, support device deployment and asset management, and be an active member of the I.T. team.

How Makita Supports Our Team Members

• Company-paid benefits (medical/dental/vision/employee assistance plan)
• RSP plans
• Work life balance with paid/unpaid leave, including paid vacation, family related leave & personal days

Responsibilities:

Cybersecurity Leadership & Group Security Compliance

• Serve as Makita Canada’s primary point of contact for Makita Corporation’s (Japan) Cyber Security Countermeasure Team and the company’s managed detection and response (MDR) / global monitoring provider, including being reachable for escalation of critical security alerts outside regular business hours.
• Lead the implementation, verification and ongoing maintenance of group-mandated security controls, including endpoint protection/MDR coverage on all assets, secure remote access (VPN) configuration, control of remote-work devices, offline/isolated backups, least-privilege administration, dedicated devices for I.T. administrative work, account lockout and password policies, and internal network segmentation.
• Coordinate Makita Canada’s participation in the annual Makita Group Cybersecurity Assessment (Cybersecurity Hearing): complete the questionnaire, collect and submit supporting evidence, participate in online hearings with the global team, and develop, obtain management approval for, and execute improvement plans within required deadlines.
• Maintain an up-to-date inventory of business-critical systems and their backup/recovery arrangements, and ensure appropriate security controls and secure development, testing and change practices are applied to those systems (including in-house tools and applications).
• Establish and operate a continuous vulnerability management process: identify, prioritize, remediate and track vulnerabilities across servers, endpoints, network equipment and applications, and manage the patching cycle.
• Prevent the installation of unauthorized or unnecessary applications on company devices through endpoint management policies (e.g., Intune, application control) and maintain endpoint security tooling.
• Configure and maintain Microsoft 365 / Entra ID security in line with Makita Global Security Policies, including Conditional Access policies, multi-factor authentication and access restrictions, and keep documentation of configured policies current.
• Develop, document and maintain the incident response organization, escalation paths and system-level response procedures; lead containment, mitigation and recovery activities during security incidents, and report incidents to management and Japan HQ in a timely manner. Conduct periodic incident response exercises.
• Plan and deliver security awareness training for employees, covering current attack methods (phishing, social engineering, ransomware) and how to report and respond to suspected security incidents.
• Prepare regular reports for management and Japan HQ on security posture, status of required security actions and progress of improvement plans.
• Work with Legal, HR and management to ensure I.T. systems support compliance with applicable Canadian privacy and data protection requirements (e.g., PIPEDA, Quebec Law 25).

Systems & Infrastructure Administration

• Configuring, maintaining and troubleshooting servers, networks and I.T. infrastructure to ensure optimal performance and uptime.
• Monitoring system performance, analyzing logs and identifying potential issues to prevent downtime and security risks.
• Managing user accounts, permissions and access controls to ensure data security and comply with company policies, including periodic access reviews.
• Installing and updating software, patches and security updates to keep systems secure and operating efficiently.
• Performing regular data backups, maintaining backup copies isolated from the internal network, and testing and maintaining disaster recovery plans to prevent data loss and ensure business continuity.
• Documenting system configurations, processes and troubleshooting steps for future reference, team collaboration and audit/assessment evidence.
• Collaborating with I.T. teams and vendors to implement new technologies, optimize infrastructure and improve overall system reliability and security.
• Regular usage of AS400 system to complete updates, maintenance routines and scheduled processes.
• Involvement in daily, monthly, and yearly I.T. data processing procedures.

End-User Support & Operations

• Responding to technical issues, supporting end users, and resolving hardware and software problems efficiently.
• Provide onsite and remote support to users across several company locations throughout Canada.
• Assist with deployment, troubleshooting and maintenance of servers, network equipment, desktops, laptops, printers, VOIP phones, and smartphones (Apple & Android).
• Keep accurate asset management and inventory (hardware & software) records.
• Manage desktops and laptops running Microsoft Windows and Apple MAC OS.
• Work collaboratively with both technical and non-technical staff.
• I.T. department training as process is updated and new systems are acquired.

To Be Successful, You Will Have:

• Diploma/degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Systems Technology, Cybersecurity, or relevant field.
• A minimum of 3–5 years of system administration / I.T. support experience, including hands‑on responsibility for implementing and maintaining information security controls.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and best practices (e.g., NIST Cybersecurity Framework 2.0, CIS Controls) and experience applying them in a business environment.
• Knowledge of server (Server 2019 or later), Active Directory and Microsoft 365 administration including user accounts, email, Intune, Entra ID, Conditional Access, MFA and Microsoft Defender.

What you bring to the team?

• Experience with endpoint detection and response (EDR/MDR), SIEM or log monitoring tools, and vulnerability scanning/management tools.
• Understanding of network security including firewalls, VPN, VLAN/network segmentation and secure remote access.
• Experience with backup and recovery solutions, including offline or immutable backups and disaster recovery testing.
• Experience preparing documentation and evidence for security audits, assessments or compliance reviews, and developing incident response procedures.
• Familiarity with AS400 systems (BPCS), iSeries Servers and IBM Web Query.
• Understanding of EDI and Paperless systems and processes.
• Experience in PC and Apple environments and proven abilities in deployment and troubleshooting.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to explain technical risks to non‑technical management and to work effectively with overseas head office teams.
• Japanese language ability is an asset.
• Detail oriented, highly organized, and reliable with proven ability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Ability to resolve complex technology and systems‑related problems. Driven to learn, research and improve I.T. and security skillset.
• Provide excellent customer service, and resolve issues in a clear, concise, and professional manner.
• Experience in working with sensitive and confidential situations and information.
• Security or Microsoft certifications (e.g., CompTIA Security+, Microsoft SC-300 / MS-102 / AZ-500, CISSP) are an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft SQL, Visual Basic, PowerShell and general programming/scripting is an asset.
• Microsoft Power Query and Power BI experience is an asset.
• Experience using artificial intelligence (AI) tools and platforms to improve productivity, automate routine tasks, support data analysis, enhance documentation, assist with troubleshooting, and streamline I.T. and cybersecurity processes while maintaining appropriate security, privacy, and governance standards.

Salary range

• $28.00 - $33.00 per hour

Recruitment & Accessibility Statements

Unless specifically stated, all job postings at Makita Canada are to fill existing vacancies within our organization.

We thank all those who apply for employment opportunities, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Every application is initially reviewed by a member of the HR team. Applications that advance may then undergo an AI-assisted review by the hiring manager to support the evaluation of experience, skills, and job‑related qualifications. AI is used solely as a support tool; all applications are personally reviewed by members of the Makita hiring team, and AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

Makita Canada is an equal opportunity employer. We value workplace diversity and provide inclusive, barrier‑free recruitment in accordance with Human Rights and Accessibility Legislation. Accommodation is available throughout all stages of the recruitment process upon request.