Network Administrator

The Northwest School is an independent day and boarding school. We serve students in grades 6 to 12 on an urban campus in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. We provide an interdisciplinary liberal arts education that nurtures compassionate, globally aware and environmentally conscious individuals who find joy in learning and are ready to inspire and innovate in our interconnected world.    

 
Northwest fosters a warm, inclusive community dedicated to our school values. We believe that a diverse community enriches our institution, making it more creative and dynamic. The Northwest School is committed to building a faculty and student body that reflects the diversity of the broader society. We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.    

POSITION OVERVIEW  
The Network Administrator plays a critical role in maintaining the integrity, security, and performance of the School’s network infrastructure. This position ensures seamless connectivity and optimal system functionality to support academic and administrative operations. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem-solver with a strong technical foundation, capable of managing complex network environments and delivering high-quality support to users. Working closely with the IT team and other departments, the Network Administrator designs, implements, and maintains robust network solutions that align with the School’s mission and evolving technological needs. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES 

• Analyzing and resolving network hardware, software, and communications problems using diagnostic software and/or technical troubleshooting processes to root cause level. 

• Responsible for the creation, modification, and deactivation of user accounts across multiple systems. This includes assigning appropriate access rights based on user roles, managing group memberships, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies. Ensure secure access management to protect sensitive data and support organizational security protocols.  

• Assessing performance of network hardware, software, and communications systems. 

• Conducting on-going network system audits to evaluate the utility and efficiency of the system's hardware, software, and communications components. 

• Designing, configuring, implementing and monitoring an enterprise environment with appropriate hardware, operating systems software, applications software, and communications components to support business requirements. 

• Evaluating and recommending network software and hardware for the enterprise system. 

• Writing and/or maintaining up-to-date documentation for network systems and operational procedures. 

• Developing and maintaining disaster recovery procedures for the network and network resources. 

• Consulting with users and management conducting information assessments to determine user needs and to define network solutions to meet user requirements. 

• Actively integrating Professional Standards and Service Standards into daily interactions. 

• Attending meetings and school events, assigned. 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Perform other duties as assigned by the direct Supervisor or the Head of School. 

• Maintain regular and reliable attendance as a core and essential function of the position.   
   

QUALIFICATIONS:

All candidates must demonstrate a commitment to the school’s mission, values, and philosophy, especially related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, environmental sustainability, and global perspective. 

• In-depth knowledge of network/internet protocols/services such as TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, SNMP, VoIP, VPN and NAT, and security frameworks. 

• Experience with network monitoring, management and documentation platforms. 

• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Server technologies, including, but not limited to, Server 2012 R2 and above, DNS/DHCP, Print Server, Network Policy Server, Certificate Services. 

• 2+ years’ experience configuring and managing Firewalls, Routers, Switches and WLAN. 

• Excellent troubleshooting, organizational and communication skills. 

• Ability to work with a wide range of technologies. 

• Ability to interface with IT team and end users for training, implementation of new processes, and daily issues. 

• Experience in specifying projects and working with others to develop specifications. 

• Proactive with clear ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team. 

• Must have good communication and interpersonal skills, both written and verbal. 

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES 

Required: 

• TCP/IP, DNS/DHCP, VLAN, VPN 

• Enterprise-grade servers, SANs, firewalls, switches, WLAN, VoIP 

• Hybrid backup / DR solutions 

• VMware ESXi 7+ 

• Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 and later 

• PowerShell 

• Microsoft 365 and admin tools (Entra, Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, etc.) 

• Google Workspace and admin tools 

• MDM 

• Windows 10+, macOS 13+ 

Preferred: 

• HP Servers, Nimble SAN 

• Juniper switches / JUNOS, Juniper MIST WLAN 

• Palo Alto firewalls / PAN-OS 

• Mitel VoIP 
• Rubrik 
• Microsoft Endpoint Manager (Intune) 

CORE COMPETENCIES 

• Network Infrastructure Management: Proficiency in configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points. 
• Protocol Proficiency: Understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, SNMP, NAT, and VPN technologies. 
• System Administration: Experience with Windows Server and virtualization platforms like VMware or Hyper-V. 
• Security Awareness: Knowledge of network security principles, firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems, and access control. 
• Monitoring & Diagnostics: Ability to use tools like SolarWinds, PRTG, or Wireshark for performance monitoring and issue resolution. 
• Cloud Networking: Familiarity with cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS) and hybrid network environments. 
• Troubleshooting Expertise: Ability to identify root causes of network issues and implement effective solutions. 
• Performance Optimization: Skill in analyzing network performance and implementing improvements. 
• Documentation & Reporting: Competence in maintaining accurate network documentation and generating reports. 
• User Support & Training: Ability to communicate technical information clearly to non-technical users. 
• Change Management: Experience implementing new technologies and managing transitions smoothly. 
• Project Management: Ability to lead and manage network-related projects, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with organizational goals. 
• Collaboration & Communication: Effective communicator with the ability to work collaboratively across departments and with external vendors. 
• Adaptability & Innovation: Demonstrates flexibility in adapting to new technologies and evolving network demands. 
• Customer Service Orientation: Committed to providing high-quality support and service to end-users and stakeholders. 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

While performing the duties of the Network Administrator, the employee is regularly required to: 

• Sit or stand for extended periods of time. 
• Use hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment. 
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds, such as computer equipment or peripherals. 
• Bend, stoop, or reach to access equipment in server rooms or under desks. 
• Communicate effectively in person, over the phone, and via email. 
• Travel between buildings on campus or to off-site locations for meetings or professional development. 

This position primarily operates in an office environment but may require occasional work in server rooms or other technical spaces. 

COMPENSATION 

The salary range for this position is $75,000 – $85,000 (~$36.00/hr. - ~40.00/hr.), depending on education and years of experience. This is a full-time, 1.0 FTE position and is eligible benefits. 

The Northwest School offers a comprehensive benefits package, including fully paid employee-only coverage for medical, dental, vision, short- and long-term disability, and life and accident insurance. After one year of service, employees are eligible for a retirement program with a 6% salary match in a 403(b) plan. 

Additional benefits include generous paid time off, daily lunch, access to an on-site fitness facility, a strong commitment to professional development, and a vibrant, mission-driven school culture in a unique urban setting. 

APPLICATION PROCESS   
 Please submit a cover letter & resume via the Paycom system on the school's website. 
https://www.northwestschool.org/about/employment 

**Please note we are unable to consider materials submitted through other avenues such as Indeed.com without a corresponding application through our website. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer that values workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, genetic information, or marital status. 

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work required for this position and is not meant to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and is subject to change at the discretion of the employer.