Systems Administrator Lead

Stater Bros. Markets; San Bernardino (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 137,000; Full time

Job summary

Stater Bros. Markets in California is seeking a Systems Administrator Lead to guide the Systems Administration team, oversee infrastructure projects, and align IT services with business needs.

You will drive on-premises and cloud initiatives, ensure DR readiness, and act as a senior technical advisor to IT leadership while maintaining operations across store locations. This full-time, on-site role requires strong leadership, deep Windows/Linux expertise, and the ability to coordinate across IT,

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of experience designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise Windows server environments.
• Valid California Driver's License and clean driving record.
• Expert knowledge of Windows Server, Linux, Unix, and related platforms.
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft cloud technologies, including Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, and related administration tools.
• Expert-level experience with Azure Infrastructure as a Service (VMs, storage, networking, identity, monitoring, and backup/recovery).
• Experience with AI-enabled technologies such as Microsoft Copilot or similar tools (preferred).
• Expert-level experience with Active Directory, Group Policy, Entra ID, Intune, and policy design.
• Expert knowledge of virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper-V).
• Working knowledge of containerization (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Working knowledge of LAN/WAN networking concepts.
• Expert knowledge of SAN storage technologies.
• Expert-level experience with DNS and DHCP administration.
• Advanced experience supporting Exchange Online and on-premises Exchange environments, including mail flow troubleshooting and archiving.
• Experience with disaster recovery and business resumption planning, testing, and support.
• Demonstrate ability to lead technical initiatives, mentor team members, and coordinate work across infrastructure support teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and oversight for the Systems Administration team, establishing priorities and aligning with department goals.
• Lead infrastructure planning for system modernization, resiliency, scalability, and operational improvement.
• Oversee development and maintenance of operational standards, support models, recovery procedures, and documentation for on-premises and cloud environments.
• Coordinate resolution of high-impact or complex technical matters with stakeholders.
• Monitor infrastructure performance, capacity, availability, and service health trends to identify risks and improvements.
• Champion infrastructure changes that balance reliability, security, cost, and maintainability.
• Travel to retail store locations as needed for troubleshooting and rollouts of network, server, and POS infrastructure.
• Participate in mandatory annual Disaster Recovery testing, including travel to DR sites.
• Lead DR planning and readiness activities with IT Operations, Applications, Security, and business stakeholders.
• Communicate strategy and project status to technical teams and leadership.
• Drive accountability for project delivery and timely completion of objectives.
• Apply analytical and problem-solving skills to guide decisions and drive improvements.
• Set automation and tooling strategy and drive adoption across the team.
• Support additional leadership, planning, and strategic initiatives as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Mentorship

Automation strategy

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or related field

Tools

Windows Server

Linux/Unix

Azure

Microsoft 365

Entra ID

Intune

Azure IaaS

VMware

Hyper-V

Docker

Kubernetes

DNS

DHCP

Exchange Online

Exchange on-premises

Job description

Work Schedule: Day

Job Type: Full-Time

Union Position: Non-Union

Employee Pay Type: Salaried

Work Environment: 100% On-Site

Compensation: $110,000.00 – $137,000.00

(this represents the expected pay range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we'll consider your experience and other job-related factors)

DEPARTMENT

Information Technology

The following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employee(s) assigned to this job.

JOB SUMMARY

The Systems Administrator Lead provides leadership, oversight, and direction for the Systems Administration team. This role guides team priorities, ensures successful delivery of infrastructure projects and operational objectives, and serves as senior technical advisor to the Manager, Systems Engineering. The position aligns infrastructure capabilities with business needs, develops team effectiveness, and drives continuous improvement across on-premises and cloud environments.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide leadership and oversight for the Systems Administration team, establishing priorities, clarifying expectations, and ensuring work is aligned with department goals
• Lead infrastructure planning efforts by providing technical direction and recommendations for system modernization, resiliency, scalability, and operational improvement
• Oversee the development and maintenance of operational standards, support models, recovery procedures, and knowledge documentation for on-premises and cloud environments
• Guide resolution of high-impact or complex technical matters by coordinating resources, removing obstacles, and ensuring appropriate follow-through with stakeholders
• Monitor infrastructure performance, capacity, availability, and service health trends to identify risks, inform decisions, and recommend improvements
• Champion infrastructure changes that support business objectives, balancing reliability, security, cost effectiveness, scalability, and long-term maintainability
• Travel to retail store locations as needed to perform complex, hands-on troubleshooting, hardware replacements, and execute rollouts of new network, server, and point-of-sale (POS) infrastructure
• Participate in mandatory, annual Disaster Recovery (DR) testing exercises, which require traveling (flying and/or driving) to secondary data center or failover sites to test, validate, and restore critical IT operations
• Lead coordination of disaster recovery planning, testing, and readiness activities in partnership with IT Operations, Applications, Security, and business stakeholders
• Communicate strategy, project status, risks, and technical recommendations clearly to technical teams, business partners, and leadership audiences
• Drive accountability for project delivery, operational commitments, and team outcomes by tracking progress, escalating risks, and ensuring timely completion of agreed objectives
• Apply strong analytical, evaluation, and problem-solving skills to guide team decisions, improve infrastructure practices, and support continuous improvement
• Set automation and tooling strategy and drive adoption across the team
• Support additional leadership, planning, and strategic initiatives as assigned

REQUIREMENTS / QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field preferred
• 10+ years of experience designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise Windows server environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Valid California Driver’s License and maintain a clean driving record suitable for operating company vehicles to transport equipment and travel between store locations
• Expert knowledge of server operating systems, including Windows Server, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Unix, and related platforms
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft cloud technologies, including Azure, Microsoft 365, Entra ID, Intune, and related administration tools
• Expert-level experience with Azure Infrastructure as a Service, including virtual machines, storage, networking, identity, monitoring, and backup/recovery
• Experience with AI-enabled technologies and platforms, such as Microsoft Copilot, vLLM, or similar tools, preferred
• Expert-level experience with Active Directory, Group Policy, Entra ID, Intune, and policy design
• Expert knowledge of virtualization technologies, including VMware, Hyper-V, or similar enterprise platforms
• Working knowledge of containerization technologies, including Docker, Kubernetes, or similar platforms
• Working knowledge of LAN/WAN networking concepts
• Expert knowledge of SAN storage technologies
• Expert-level experience with DNS and DHCP administration
• Advanced experience supporting Exchange Online and on-premises Exchange environments, including mail flow troubleshooting and archiving
• Experience with disaster recovery and business resumption planning, testing, and support
• Demonstrate ability to lead technical initiatives, mentor team members, and coordinate work across infrastructure support teams

Additional Information: