System Administrator

Southside Electric Cooperative; Crewe (VA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Southside Electric Cooperative Inc in Virginia seeks a seasoned Systems Administrator to own and operate our server, virtualization, storage, backup, identity, endpoint, and cloud infrastructure. You will balance daily administration with strategic modernization, automation, cybersecurity, and disaster recovery initiatives to keep essential electric service secure and reliable.

Reporting to a small IT team, you will implement Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Entra ID, AD, DNS/DHCP,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent combination of experience/certs.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible enterprise systems administration experience.
• Hands-on experience with Windows Server, AD, Microsoft 365, endpoints, cybersecurity technologies, and backup/DR environments.

Responsibilities

• Administer servers, virtual environments, storage, OS, and enterprise platforms to keep infrastructure reliable, secure, and available.
• Monitor health, capacity, performance, patching, and risks; investigate issues and track through resolution.
• Manage Microsoft 365 suite (Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Entra ID, AD, DNS, DHCP) and cert services.
• Handle user accounts, permissions, security groups, mailbox access, and privileged access following security best practices.
• Strengthen resilience through backup management, DR planning, documentation, and continuity objectives.
• Support endpoint management, software deployment, imaging, mobile devices, patching, antivirus, and EDR coordination.
• Contribute to cybersecurity, vulnerability remediation, audit support, incident response, and security awareness.

Skills

Windows Server

Virtualization

Backup & DR

Microsoft 365

Identity services

Cybersecurity

SaaS platforms

Active Directory

Group Policy

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Computer Engineering, or Business Information Systems

Tools

Exchange Online

SharePoint

Entra ID

Active Directory

Job description

Build a career with purpose, impact, and ownership

Looking for more than your next IT job? Bring your systems expertise to Southside Electric Cooperative and build a long-term career helping keep essential electric service reliable, secure, and ready for the future. Your work will support the employees, systems, and operations serving communities throughout Southside Virginia.

As SEC's sole System Administrator, you will take hands‑on ownership of critical server, virtualization, storage, backup, identity, endpoint, and cloud infrastructure. You will combine day‑to‑day administration with meaningful projects in modernization, automation, cybersecurity, business continuity, and disaster recovery-building deep knowledge across an evolving technology environment.

You will work on a small, collaborative IT team alongside a Director, Help Desk Technician, and Telecommunications Specialist, partnering with employees, business leaders, vendors, and service providers. This role offers broad responsibility and the opportunity to put down professional roots while helping shape SEC's technology future.

A mission worth building a career around

Our Mission: Provide safe, reliable, affordable, and innovative power solutions through empowering our people and commitment to the Cooperative Principles.

Our Vision: Powering prosperity in Southside Virginia through community enrichment and a trusted power delivery experience.

Key responsibilities

• Administer servers, virtual environments, storage, operating systems, and enterprise technology platforms to keep critical infrastructure reliable, secure, and available.
• Monitor system health, capacity, performance, patching, availability, and emerging risks; investigate issues and track them through resolution and follow‑up.
• Administer Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Entra ID, Active Directory, Group Policy, DNS, DHCP, and certificate services.
• Manage user accounts, permissions, security groups, mailbox access, privileged access, and device access using sound security and access‑control practices.
• Strengthen organizational resilience through backup administration, restoration testing, disaster recovery planning, system documentation, and support for established business continuity and recovery objectives.
• Support endpoint management, software deployment, workstation imaging, mobile devices, patching, antivirus and endpoint detection and response coordination, and workstation lifecycle needs.
• Help protect Cooperative operations through vulnerability remediation, log review, audit support, incident response, cybersecurity compliance, and employee security awareness.
• Support critical utility and business applications related to customer information, billing, outage management, interactive voice response, document management, reporting, and other operational needs.
• Coordinate system maintenance, upgrades, troubleshooting, and incident resolution with vendors, service providers, and business owners.
• Lead and support cloud service, SaaS, integration, and automation deployments, as well as server upgrades, migrations, backup improvements, and infrastructure modernization projects.
• Maintain clear and useful documentation, including system inventories, configuration standards, licensing records, technical procedures, diagrams, and runbooks.
• Resolve escalated technical issues and recommend practical improvements that strengthen security, reliability, efficiency, and the employee experience.
• Share knowledge with IT teammates and employees to reduce operational risk, strengthen continuity, and help others use technology effectively.

How you'll work and make a difference

We're looking for someone who enjoys working independently and being a dependable teammate-ready to step in where needed and build positive, productive relationships throughout the Cooperative.

The right person will:

• Bring a service mindset: earn trust through responsive support that helps coworkers succeed and supports the Cooperative's members and communities-not technical expertise alone.
• Maintain a safety‑first and security‑conscious mindset, understanding that protecting people, information, systems, and operations is part of every decision.
• Communicate clearly, honestly, consistently, and transparently with technical and nontechnical audiences, especially about risks, system issues, delays, mistakes, or difficult technical decisions.
• Demonstrate the grit and persistence to work through complex problems when the answer is not obvious and conditions are demanding.
• Value human connection and treat employees with patience, respect, and empathy, regardless of their level of technical knowledge.
• Take initiative to identify problems, develop practical solutions, and follow through to resolution without waiting for step‑by‑step direction.
• Remain steady, organized, and responsive when balancing competing priorities, system interruptions, projects, and deadlines.

Technical knowledge and skills

• A strong technical foundation in Windows Server, virtualization, storage, backup, endpoint management, Microsoft 365, identity services, enterprise applications, SaaS platforms, licensing, and system integrations.
• The ability to troubleshoot complex infrastructure, application, cloud, identity, security, and access issues.
• Sound knowledge of cybersecurity, disaster recovery, business continuity, data protection, and high‑availability concepts.
• Strong analytical judgment and the ability to use performance data, alerts, audit findings, security information, and service issues to identify risks and recommend improvements.
• Knowledge of artificial intelligence technologies in enterprise IT, including cybersecurity risks, data privacy, secure implementation, administration, governance, and responsible use.

Certifications

• Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert
• CompTIA Server+ (or equivalent)

Qualifications

• Education: A bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Computer Engineering, or Business Information Systems-or a combination of experience, certifications, and technical education.
• Experience: At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience supporting enterprise systems administration, server infrastructure, virtualization, Microsoft 365, identity services, endpoint administration, cybersecurity technologies, and related environments.
• Hands‑on background: Experience administering Windows Server, Active Directory, Group Policy, Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, endpoint management tools, backup platforms, and electric cooperative enterprise applications.

Additional information

This is an onsite position. The Systems Administrator must also be available as needed during emergencies and storm restoration events. This may require working outside normal hours to help maintain or restore the technology and systems SEC employees depend on to serve members safely and reliably.

All hires are subject to a pre‑employment background check to include local, state, and federal criminal history; employment history; employment references; education verification; driver's record history; and, where applicable: license verification; safety history (linemen); and FMCSA query for positions requiring a CDL. We are a zero‑tolerance drug‑free workplace. All hires must take a pre‑employment drug & alcohol test and have a pre‑employment physical. All employees of Southside Electric Cooperative are subject to random drug tests at any time.