Senior IT Laboratory Administrator - Department of Information Technology Services at University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria

Job Purpose
To manage and control the service delivery and availability of geographically allocated student computing laboratories at UP, according to the needs and expectations of the clients. Management of temporary and permanently appointed staff members allocated to the team. Quality control and capacity planning to ensure continued service delivery to Faculty and student clients.

Responsibilities
The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Liaison and client satisfaction :

• Monitoring of all systems to ensure availability of facilities to clients as per agreed service level agreements;
• Liaise with responsible ITS personnel to ensure continuity and compatibility of computer systems;
• Attend all relevant communication forum meetings to implement required aspects;
• Regular interaction with Faculty members / committees to discuss client requirements. This will include lecturers, students, student representative committees, departmental heads, and faculty management where applicable;
• Attend meetings and communicate with all relevant ITS personnel, project teams, and Student Computing personnel;

Manage staff :

• Weekly meetings must be held with lab staff to discuss weekly activities and any problems that might occur;
• Work through weekly reports of all staff and ensure quality and efficiency amongst the personnel;
• Advise personnel regarding their specific skill development strategies. Plan and implement individual development plans for each staff member;
• Manage performance and conduct performance reviews with reporting staff according to UP Performance Management policies;
• Manage staff members reporting to Senior IT Laboratory Administrator, and approve and monitor all leave, overtime, and other functions according to relevant policies;
• Interview and appoint student assistant personnel in the environment;

Scheduling :

• Identify requirements for the laboratories and schedule the use of the laboratories in line with procedures;
• Monitor the laboratory capacity and usage to determine future needs for laboratory spaces and equipment;
• Prepare a yearly lab or semester schedule and CBT schedule according to demands and waiting lists;
• Effective scheduling of laboratories for students, exams, and lectures;
• Work with Academic Administration to plan all lab scheduling published in the yearbook;

Facilities and operational management :

• Ensure software in the computer laboratory is in a good working condition for each course;
• Ensure tidiness of training room and that everything needed are available;
• Ensure availability of stock;
• Ensure that computer laboratory facilities meet demand and process requests for new hardware and software;
• Manage the introduction of new or updated technology in accordance with standard methodologies in a controlled and managed way, reducing any potential adverse impact of the implementation. This covers the installation of a single PC to the setting up of a new network within the laboratory environment;
• Attend to all high-level support functions that subordinates are not technically skilled to handle. Research solutions to third level support functions, and implement as necessary;

Computer based testing :

• Monitor all computer-based test bookings in the designated test laboratories;
• Work through weekly reports of all staff and ensure quality and efficiency amongst the personnel in the test laboratory environment;
• Regular liaison with Education Innovation regarding Computer Based Tests and the CBT environment. Implement policies and procedures. Maintain standards;
• Take responsibility for initiating the solving of technical problems that might arise during computer-based testing;

Projects :

• Be involved with any projects pertaining to the environment that the Senior IT Laboratory Administrator is responsible for. These include internal and registered ITS projects, internal Student Computing projects, new computer facilities being built, new technology systems that are implemented;
• Assist with facility design and budgeting for the project when new facilities are being constructed;
• Assist Project Manager and Lab Manager by sharing specialized knowledge of the Student Computing environment in order to improve the outcome of the project;

Teamwork :

• Backup behaviour , communication, coordination, feedback, monitoring, team leadership and team orientation.

Minimum Requirements

• A relevant Bachelors / BTech degree with the following major subjects:

1. Informatics; Computer Science; Information Science; Multimedia; or Computer Engineering;

• Completed courses in IT: A+ / N+ / Windows certifications / Network certifications / programming certifications or Linux certifications;
• Completed training courses in management and supervisory skills;

Experience needs to comprise of the following:

• Four years’ relevant experience managing and maintaining a computer laboratory at a Higher Education facility;
• Four years’ hands on experience as a computer Laboratory Administrator or Supervisor, responsible for maintaining computing facilities comprising of 200 or more computers;
• Supervision of staff;
• Technical experience in the maintenance of complex environments servicing multiple clients and schedules;
• Responsible for image creation and casting of multiple locations;
• Four years’ experience relating to the facilitation of computer-based lecturing and computer based courses presented in a lab environment;
• Helpdesk supervision;
• Two years’ experience in computer laboratory implementation (Computer hardware replacements, budgeting, scheduling, quality control, planning and implementation of new facilities, capacity planning);
• Two years’ experience in conducting and managing electronic assessments.

Required Competencies (skills, Knowledge And Behavioural Attributes)

Knowledge:

• Business Management knowledge within a computer lab environment;
• Supervision;
• Financial management;
• Ability to identify and manage escalation requirements for incident and problem resolution;
• Knowledge of computer based lecturing management and assessment;
• Problem solving;
• Ability to plan usage and capacity of a facility;

Technical competencies:

• Project coordination;
• Hardware maintenance and software installations and maintenance;
• Image casting methods;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Active Directory;
• Servers and networks, Linux (working knowledge);
• Windows desktop operating systems knowledge;
• Lab maintenance systems;

Behavioural competencies:

• Proven ability to liaise with clients and resolve conflict;
• Ability to manage service level agreements;
• Strong conflict management skills;
• Proven communication skills in both vertical and horizontal hierarchy;
• Effective team leadership and team working skills;
• Strong language skills (written and spoken);
• General skills in staff management and lab operations (scheduling, planning, resourcing);
• Ability to balance client needs with technology capabilities;
• Creativity;
• Strategic planning skills;
• Resource management skills;
• Learning mindset and continuous improvement.

Added Advantages And Preferences

• A relevant post graduate degree specializing in IT;
• Current valid IT certifications: A+ / N+ / Windows / network / programming / Linux;
• Training courses completed: Basic project management, management and supervisory skills, client service;
• Four years’ experience in managing electronic assessments, using an enterprise level electronic assessment system (i.e. Blackboard, QuestionMark Perception);
• Experience in implementing projects related to a practical computer laboratory environment;
• Management of permanent staff members.

Closing Date: 10th, June 2022