Systems Administrator – Messaging

Southern Company; Birmingham (AL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Company is seeking a Systems Administrator: Messaging to support and automate our email and messaging platforms, including Exchange Server, Exchange Online, and Proofpoint. The role emphasizes code-first problem solving with PowerShell, Graph API, and REST integrations.

You will balance incident response with automation, contribute to runbooks and documentation, participate in on-call rotations, and collaborate with senior team members to improve reliability across on-prem, hybrid, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Proficiency in PowerShell or another scripting language with solid coding fundamentals including functions, logic and error handling.
• Familiarity with Git and version control concepts.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and enterprise email concepts.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and a methodical approach to problem solving.
• Ability to learn new platforms quickly and work with senior team members.
• Clear written and verbal communication with technical and non-technical audiences.

Responsibilities

• Tier 3 messaging incident support with senior staff involvement.
• Troubleshoot recurring issues and contribute to root cause analysis.
• Participate in on-call rotation for critical systems.
• Assist patching and upgrades across messaging infrastructure.
• Administer on-premises, hybrid, and cloud platforms.
• Manage Proofpoint security administration and policy tuning.
• Write PowerShell scripts with error handling and logging.
• Automate mailbox and user lifecycle tasks and reporting.
• Maintain runbooks and knowledge articles.

Skills

PowerShell

Troubleshooting

Code-first automation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or IT, or equivalent hands-on experience

Tools

Microsoft 365

Exchange Server

Exchange Online

Proofpoint

Git

Microsoft Graph API

Job description

Digital Workplace Solutions

Position Summary

The Systems Administrator: Messaging is responsible for the support, administration, documentation, and automation of the organization’s email and messaging platforms, including Microsoft Exchange Server, Exchange Online (Microsoft 365), and Proofpoint.

This role balances operational support with a strong emphasis on automation and code-first problem solving. A core expectation of this position is the ability to write and maintain automation using PowerShell, Microsoft Graph API, and REST APIs to reduce manual effort and improve reliability, working alongside senior members of the team.

Key Responsibilities

Tier 3 Support & Escalation

• Serve as Tier 3 support for messaging incidents engaging senior team members on the most complex issues.
• Troubleshoot recurring issues and contribute to root cause analysis.
• Participate in an on-call rotation supporting critical systems.

Maintenance & Patching

• Assist with patching, updates, and upgrade cycles across messaging infrastructure.
• Perform routine administration across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud platforms.
• Support Proofpoint email security administration and policy tuning.
• Monitor alerting and respond to platform health issues.

Automation & Scripting

• Write and maintain PowerShell scripts and tooling with proper error handling and logging.
• Automate routine tasks such as mailbox and user lifecycle management, reporting, and device inventory.
• Manage all code in Git using branches, pull requests, and reviewed commits.

Documentation

• Write and maintain runbooks, known-issue articles, standard configurations, and support procedures, keeping them current as the environment changes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Working proficiency in PowerShell or another scripting or programming language, with a solid grasp of code fundamentals including functions, logic, and error handling.
• Familiarity with Git and version control concepts.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and enterprise email concepts.
• Strong troubleshooting skills and a methodical approach to problem solving.
• Ability to learn new platforms quickly and work effectively with senior team members.
• Clear written and verbal communication with both technical and non-technical audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with Exchange Server or Exchange Online.
• Exposure to Microsoft Graph API or other REST APIs.
• Microsoft certifications or equivalent industry certifications are highly desirable.

About Southern Company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO ) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service.

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf . Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.

Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.

Job Identification: 20924

Job Category: Information Technology

Job Schedule: Full time

Company: Southern Company Services