Network Administrator

Job Details

The Kinkaid School - HOUSTON, TX

Full Time

4f.Technology/IT

Description

The Network Administrator is responsible for designing, managing, and optimizing the School’s comprehensive wired and wireless network infrastructure across the entire campus. Reporting to the Assistant Director of Technology, the Network Administrator is responsible for the network design and management, security and compliance, and reporting of critical systems in support of school-wide objectives in order to deliver reliable, secure, and scalable infrastructure.

The Kinkaid School is a co-educational, nonsectarian day school enrolling over 1,400 students in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The student body is divided into the Lower School (PreK - 4th Grade), the Middle School (5th grade - 8th grade) and the Upper School (9th grade - 12th grade). Located on a sixty-five-acre campus in the heart of Houston, Texas, the Kinkaid offers a thriving intellectual community in the midst of a vibrant, urban, and diverse culture.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Collaborate with the Assistant Director of Technology and the Director of Technology to develop infrastructure strategies aligned with the School’s educational initiatives and implement robust network security protocols, including firewalls, instruction detection systems, VPNs, VLAN configurations, and monitoring tools

Plan, configure, and maintain all network infrastructure, including switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points, and associated networking hardware

Monitor network performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement improvements to ensure efficient and reliable connectivity

Develop, refine, and test disaster recovery plans for critical network and server systems and implement redundancy and failover measures to ensure high availability and minimal downtime

Regularly review and simulate emergency scenarios, updating recovery plans based on test outcomes and assist in educating and informing the broader IT team and school leadership about the disaster recovery plan and any implications for operational continuity in the event of a major incident

Perform regular vulnerability assessments and security audits to maintain network integrity and data protection compliance

Troubleshoot and swiftly resolve network connectivity issues across the school campuses and serve as a high-tier support resource for complex network or system-related issues escalated by the helpdesk team

Ensure network firmware and configurations are regularly updated and coordinate maintenance activities to minimize user disruption

Stay current on emerging security threats and promptly implement necessary security patches and updates

Evaluate and recommend new technologies or upgrades that improve network efficiency, reliability, and scalability

Coordinate with external vendors and contractors for infrastructure projects, ensuring standards and project goals are met

Collaborate with other IT staff, educators, and administrators to ensure seamless integration and operation of educational technology tools and platforms and communicate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Develop network diagrams, architecture charts, and administrative manuals and maintain up-to-date documentation of network and system configurations and IP addressing to enable operational continuity and troubleshooting

Prepare regular reports detailing infrastructure status, network performance metrics, and significant incidents

Provide updates and summaries of infrastructure projects or issues to the Assistant Director of Technology and or Director of Technology, ensuring transparency and informed decision-making within the department

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Network Administration, Computer Science or related field

3 years of network and systems administration experience, preferably in education or enterprise setting

Relevant certifications, such as Cisco CCNA/CCNP, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+, or Microsoft MCSA/MCSE preferred

Significant experience with network infrastructure, protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP) and network security tools

Proficient in server operating systems (Windows Server, Linux), virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper-V) and storage solutions

Experience with cloud services integration and enterprise backup solutions

Familiarity with infrastructure monitoring and management tools

Strong interpersonal, communication, and relationship skills

Strong writing, speaking, and organizational skills

Ability to lift and move equipment up to 50 pounds.

Mobility to navigate throughout campus facilities, perform installations or repairs in varied physical conditions, and occasionally respond to off-hours infrastructure emergencies

The Kinkaid School provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law, The Kinkaid School complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Submit all correspondence including your cover letter, resume, and application through The Kinkaid School application portal. Please no emails or phone calls to submit your candidacy or show interest.