IT/Systems Senior Officer

IT/Systems Senior Officer

Position Background:

The Chesapeake Bay Trust, a non-profit grantmaking organization, seeks an IT/Systems Senior Officer for our Annapolis, MD, location to ensure the reliable and secure operation and enhancement of the organization’s technology infrastructure, systems, and user support environment. The IT/Systems Senior Officer will provide hands-on technical support to staff, manage hardware and software resources, coordinate with external vendors, and develop technology solutions that enhance system functionality and the productivity and mission of the Trust. The ideal candidate is service-oriented, proactive, and comfortable working in a collaborative, mission-driven environment. This role reports to the Administration Manager. This position requires at least two days in the office per week and the other days may be remote.

Established in 1985, the Chesapeake Bay Trust uses grantmaking as a method to promote community-based participation in the restoration and protection of the natural resources of Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay region. In the past fifteen years, the Trust has doubled its grant-making five times through new revenue from a wide range of partners, with current annual grant-making of approximately $25 million+. The Trust currently allocates these grant funds through 350-400 awards per year to entities who apply through open, competitive calls for proposals as well as programs such as the Chesapeake Conservation and Climate Corps.

Responsibilities:

Systems Administration and Business Application Support (30%)

• Manage and maintain servers, shared drives and cloud services (e.g., Microsoft 365/Google Workspace).
• Administer or coordinate user access, security groups, and role-based permissions. User access may be delegated to outsourced IT vendor, Office Manager or program administration for some applications.
• Vendor management and licensing for business specific applications to include software asset management (tracking user licenses, subscription renewals, optimizing licensing cost), and opening/monitoring and following through on support tickets.
• Provide functional and technical support for business specific applications including SmartSimple Grantmaking, Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge, Accufund, BambooHR, Concur Expense, Asana, PandaDoc, Vimeo, Esri ArcGIS and others
• Assist in the management, storage, access and archiving of Trust data, including supporting access to application data for analysis purposes.
• Assist Office Manager by advising on general office application needs for Office 365, Adobe, Zoom, etc.
• Set up and maintain integrations between systems and customize fields/workflows/automations, as appropriate
• Ensure regular updates, patching, and system monitoring with outsourced IT vendor and/or application providers.
• Provide technical and functional support to program and administration staff on maintenance of SmartSimple Grantmaking system
• Lead efforts for application/software implementation or upgrades including requirements gathering, data migration, testing, pilot programs, change management and training
• Partner with Development team to maintain MailChimp operations and integration with Raiser’s Edge (donor database)

Technical Support & Coordination (20%)

• Oversee timely IT support vendor and ensure proactive support for IT issues or requests as provided through periodic monitoring and maintenance
• Handle requests for hardware/software/equipment that may be outside of current policy and secure appropriate approvals
• Serve as escalation for troubleshooting any technical issues; printer/copier/scanner service, telephone system, internet, LogMeIn (Office Manager is primary support)
• Serve as escalation for troubleshooting conference room / av equipment, anticipating and responding changing needs of organization (Office Manager is primary support)
• Assist IT support vendor and serve as escalation for troubleshooting of hardware, software, and network issues, as needed
• Maintain a high standard of customer service and timely response.
• Support IT and audio-visual needs for in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings (e.g., Board meetings, events, etc.) which may include phone, TV, microphone, speakers, computers and various software platforms such as zoom, teams, and/or google meet
• Advise on onboarding and offboarding of staff related to hardware and software needs, as needed

Network & Infrastructure Management (5%)

• Manage local and wide-area network operations, including Wi-Fi, firewalls, switches, and VPN access with support from outsourced IT vendor.
• Monitor network performance and coordinate improvements with outsourced IT vendor.
• Manage IT equipment and hardware lifecycle; provide guidance to Office Manager on maintenance of inventory of IT equipment, as needed
• Ensure Trust domains are maintained with support from Office Manager.
• Manage website technical back-end operations including security and performance; partner with Marketing team that will manage front end functions like content and user experience

Cybersecurity & Compliance (10%)

• Implement cybersecurity best practices, including multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, data backups and access controls.
• Conduct periodic cybersecurity awareness training for staff.
• Assist with compliance efforts (e.g., data privacy, grant or funder IT requirements).

Technology Planning & Vendor Coordination (25%)

• Support the development of annual IT budgets; monitor IT/system expenses and track against Trust budget, explain variances and raise to management, as appropriate
• Develop technology strategy and roadmap; manage execution which will include equipment refresh plans (desktop and servers), hosting (cloud vs. network), Google vs. Microsoft, access and data security strategy including computer admin privileges.
• Evaluate new software, hardware, and network solutions to streamline and automate and meet the evolving needs of the Trust; make recommendations to management and ensure consideration of security protocols, financial metrics and business case
• Manage relationships with external IT consultants, software vendors, and service providers.
• Evaluate quarterly IT audit report from external consultant and execute any necessary actions.

Governance and Training (10%)

• Create and maintain user guides, SOP, reference sheets, and documentation.
• Deliver training sessions (live or recorded) and reinforce best practices (for technical aspects of how to use the system; does not include business process).
• Support documentation of processes, escalation paths, and responsibilities.
• Promote consistent system usage and governance practices.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, or related field; or equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years of experience in IT support, systems administration, application administration or a similar role.
• Experience with Windows environment.
• Experience supporting multiple platforms (Microsoft 365, Google Workspace).
• Familiarity with IT strategy, leading practices, and vendor management.
• Working knowledge of networking fundamentals.
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, documentation and customer service skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and work independently.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity practices.
• Experience with cloud-based file storage, collaboration platforms, and VOIP systems.
• Experience working in a nonprofit or mission-driven environment is a plus!
• Familiarity with CRM donor management or grantmaking systems a plus!

Salary and Benefits: $90,000-$100,000

Benefits include:

• Health Insurance with choice of medical plan and prescription, dental, vision, and life and disability insurance options, along with flexible spending accounts
• 401K retirement savings program with match
• Starting at 10 accrued vacation days, 7 accrued sick days, and 4 personal days annually
• Compensatory time available for overtime hours worked
• Eleven paid holidays per year
• Individual Professional Development fund

A successful candidate with less experience in some of the responsibilities listed above will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of this range. A successful candidate with more experience in the responsibilities listed above will be considered at a higher starting salary.

Application Instructions and Deadline:

The position will remain open until filled. Please submit your resume and cover letter. In your cover letter, please address your ability, based on your skills and experience, to accomplish the specific duties of the position as outlined above. Your cover letter is the most important piece of your application. We recognize that the skills needed in this position may be gained from a variety of personal, education, employment, and volunteer experiences. Please do not simply list your previous experience. Your cover letter should describe what makes you a strong match specifically for this position, and why this position is a match for you.

The Chesapeake Bay Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. Our values guide us to create a workplace where everyone is respected and valued. The Trust strives to recruit, retain, and promote employees that reflect the communities we engage in our work Applicants must have a residential address in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or Washington D.C and must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. The Trust does not participate in programs that require sponsorship for work visas.

Our accessibility statement is available on our website at Accessibility Statement - Chesapeake Bay Trust