Senior System Administrator

JR United Kingdom; Banbury; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in digital learning is seeking an experienced Systems Administrator and IT Support Specialist to join their collaborative team in Oxford. The successful candidate will manage Linux-based systems and provide significant IT support, ensuring robust infrastructure for online course delivery, while also leading a small helpdesk team. Some remote work is possible, making it a flexible opportunity within the education sector.

Qualifications

• Proven experience with Linux system installation and management.
• Strong knowledge of IT security principles and best practices.
• Experience managing a Moodle VLE.

Responsibilities

• Lead the technical administration of Linux-based systems and provide tier 3 IT support.
• Manage and maintain Linux servers, overseeing Moodle VLE administration.
• Train and mentor junior support staff while ensuring system performance and security.

Skills

Linux administration

IT support

Technical documentation

Problem-solving

Communication skills

Education

Experience in higher education or educational technologies

Tools

Moodle

Puppet

Git

VMware

Azure

Job description

Social network you want to login/join with:

We are seeking an experienced and technically skilled Systems Administrator and IT Support Specialist to join a highly collaborative digital learning and support team based in Oxford. This is a key role responsible for maintaining a robust and secure infrastructure that supports large-scale online course delivery, including the administration of a Moodle Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and related systems.

You will lead on the technical administration of Linux-based systems and be the senior technical contact for IT support queries, including tier 3 support for staff and students. In addition to infrastructure responsibilities, you’ll supervise a small IT helpdesk team and play a strategic role in enhancing support operations and researching emerging tools and technologies to drive innovation in online learning delivery.

Some remote working is possible, but regular on-site work in Oxford is essential.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Administration

• Manage and maintain Linux (Debian) servers in a virtualised environment, supporting applications such as Moodle, WordPress, and Puppet
• Oversee the administration of a Moodle VLE including user account management, enrolments, course publishing and archiving
• Monitor performance, ensure system security, perform regular backups, and ensure high availability and disaster recovery readiness
• Collaborate with a Senior Web Developer on software updates, patches, upgrades, and automation of provisioning/configuration using tools such as Puppet
• Maintain documentation of system configurations, processes, and software licensing
• Liaise with a central IT function to ensure cohesive support and integration across infrastructure layers

IT Support

• Provide tier 3 technical support for Moodle and other learning systems to staff, students, and tutors
• Train and mentor junior support staff, sharing knowledge and promoting best practices
• Support an internal assignment-handling system (training provided)
• Manage account access issues, multi-factor authentication, and device support across Windows, macOS, Linux and mobile platforms
• Maintain the IT ticketing system and generate support performance reports
• Deliver desktop support to internal staff (20+ colleagues), and assist in prototyping and integrating new tools and technologies

Additional Duties

• Contribute to departmental budgets, proposals, and tender documentation
• Participate in team meetings, planning sessions, and cross-functional initiatives
• Provide occasional evening/weekend support to ensure smooth delivery of time-sensitive online courses
• Offer support to wider IT operations during leave cover or major projects
• Proven experience with Linux system installation, administration, and management
• Experience administering web-based services with large user volumes in a service environment
• Strong knowledge of IT security principles and hands-on implementation of best practices
• Tier 3 IT support experience, especially for non-technical end users
• Confident, approachable communicator able to maintain a professional and positive attitude
• Practical experience using Git for code deployment
• Analytical and creative problem-solving capabilities
• Understanding of IP networking fundamentals
• Broad familiarity with multiple OS platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile)
• Proven ability to manage a dynamic workload, prioritising and adapting as needed
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation
• Experience managing a Moodle VLE
• Automation and configuration management experience (e.g. Puppet)
• Awareness of GDPR and compliance in a data-sensitive environment
• Previous experience working in higher education or with educational technologies
• Familiarity with virtual infrastructure management (e.g., VMware, Azure)