Mid-Range Systems Administrator

Howdens Joinery; Northampton; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Mid-Range Systems Administrator to join their Infrastructure department. This permanent role involves supporting and maintaining Linux platforms on IBM Power-VM and VMWare ESXi. You will be responsible for installing and configuring Linux servers, monitoring performance, and leading IS projects. With an onsite presence of 4 days a week, this position offers a competitive salary and benefits, including a robust pension scheme and generous holiday allowance. Join a company recognized for its commitment to innovation and inclusivity, and take your career to the next level.

Benefits

Competitive salary

Annual bonus

Excellent pension scheme

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Staff Discount

Employee Assistance Programme

Reward events

Qualifications

• Experience in designing and supporting Linux systems like RHEL and SLES.
• Proficient in shell scripting and automation tools.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, and maintain Linux servers and management platforms.
• Monitor platform performance and resolve service-impacting issues.

Skills

Linux systems design and support

RedHat Satellite server

Shell scripting (Bash, Korn)

Server performance analysis

Monitoring tools (Zabbix, Grafana)

Automation (Ansible, Terraform)

Docker

GIT

Kubernetes

Azure DevOps

Job description

Howdens Joinery offers a fantastic opportunity to join our Infrastructure department as a Mid-Range Systems Administrator. You will support and maintain Linux platforms running on IBM Power-VM and VMWare ESXi virtualisation layers.

This is a permanent role based at our office on Brackmills, Northampton, with an onsite presence of 4 days per week and 1 day working from home.

What you will be doing

1. Install, configure, document, and maintain Linux servers and underlying management platforms according to build and compliance policies.
2. Proactively monitor and report on the capacity and performance of Howdens platforms.
3. Participate in and lead IS projects, providing expert support and guidance to deliver solutions that meet business needs.
4. Provide detailed 2nd/3rd level design and documentation for Linux and IBM Power platforms.
5. Ensure system availability, resolve service-impacting issues, and escalate as necessary.
6. Deliver projects and introduce new Mid-Range platforms in a timely and cost-effective manner.
7. Adopt best practices for Linux platforms and hardware to meet capacity, performance, availability, and security requirements.
8. Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners.

What we need from you

1. Experience designing, implementing, and supporting Linux systems (e.g., RHEL, SLES).
2. RedHat Satellite server experience.
3. Shell scripting skills (Bash and Korn).
4. Understanding of server performance analysis and tuning.
5. Experience with monitoring, alerting, and dashboarding tools such as Zabbix and Grafana.
6. Automation technologies like Ansible and Terraform.
7. Familiarity with Docker, GIT, Kubernetes, Azure DevOps.
8. Willingness to travel to other Howdens locations and work outside normal hours.
9. Support rota for Out of Hours coverage, approximately 5 hours per week.

Applicants with experience in the following areas are highly desirable:

1. IBM Power, AIX, VIO, NIM, CMC/HMC administration.
2. High availability architecture and solutions.
3. Virtualisation and containerisation technologies.
4. Delivery and support of cloud services in Azure and/or AWS.
5. Redwood Cronacle/RunMyJobs.
6. Project management methodologies (SAFe Agile, Prince II, ITIL).

What we can offer you:

• Competitive salary and annual bonus.
• Excellent pension scheme (up to 12% company contribution).
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, with options to buy additional days.
• Staff Discount, Employee Assistance Programme, and Reward events.

About Howdens:

Howdens Joinery is the UK's leading trade kitchen supplier, with over 900 depots across the UK and Europe, serving more than 460,000 trade professionals. Our sales last year reached approximately £2.3 billion, and we have an ambitious growth plan.

Join us to develop your career in a fast-paced, rewarding environment recognized as one of the Best Big Companies to Work For.

How to apply

We aim to build a future where service, innovation, and sustainability are core to our DNA. If you see yourself here, we want to hear from you.

We are committed to inclusivity and supporting all applicants. If you require adjustments during our recruitment process, please email us with the job title and location, and we will assist you.