Systems Administrator

Applications are invited for the post of Senior Systems Administrator in the IT Services Department., As a Senior Systems Administrator, you will be a subject matter expert within our Hybrid Cloud team, responsible for the design, administration, and optimisation of our Microsoft 365 environment and Microsoft Entra ID. You'll ensure our systems are secure, stable, and resilient, while driving service improvement and contributing strategic insight to our evolving cloud roadmap.
You will work across core M365 services-including Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams and the Power Platform-and help ensure they are well-designed, governed and delivering an excellent user experience. You'll also support the operation of our hybrid cloud platforms (including Azure, HPE Greenlake and VMware), ensuring they run effectively and continue to scale with the needs of the University.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys combining hands-on technical work with strategic thinking, has deep knowledge of Microsoft cloud technologies, and thrives in a collaborative team environment.
Key Responsibilities
# Act as a subject matter expert for Microsoft 365 services and security best practice.
# Design, administer and govern Microsoft Entra ID, including authentication, Conditional Access, identity lifecycle, privileged access, and hybrid identity.
# Support and develop core infrastructure applications across the University's hybrid cloud services.
# Monitor and enhance the performance, security and reliability of Microsoft 365, Azure, Entra and related infrastructure.
# Lead technical design, implementation, and service transition for infrastructure projects.
# Advise on emerging technologies and the Microsoft roadmap, identifying opportunities to improve services.
# Share knowledge, provide guidance to colleagues, and contribute to best-practice procedures across IT Services.
# Support capacity planning, incident response, and service continuity across hybrid cloud platforms.

Are you an experienced Microsoft 365 professional looking to shape the future of our services? Join us at Royal Holloway where you'll play a key technical role in delivering secure, robust, and innovative IT services that empower thousands of staff and students.

In return we offer a highly competitive rewards and benefits package including:
# Generous annual leave entitlement
# Training and Development opportunities
# Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
# Various schemes including Cycle to Work, Season Ticket Loans and help with the cost of Eyesight testing.
# Free parking
The post is based in Egham, Surrey where the University is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus near to Windsor Great Park and within commuting distance from London.

Back to blog

Other Jobs To Apply

No other job posts for this day.

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...