Senior Systems Administrator
Rate: £25.15 per hour PAYE / £37.78 per hour Umbrella
IR35: Inside IR35
Contract: 6 months
Hours: Full time
Location: Cambridge (CB2) – hybrid/onsite as required
The Role
We are working with a large NHS organisation in Cambridge to recruit an experienced Senior Systems Administrator for a 6-month contract engagement.
This is a senior, hands-on role operating at the intersection of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT), supporting critical systems used across estates and facilities teams in a complex, highly regulated healthcare environment.
You will play a key role in ensuring the reliability, security, compliance, and documentation of enterprise infrastructure and third-party systems that directly support hospital operations.
Key Responsibilities
Systems Administration & Infrastructure
·Administer and maintain enterprise IT systems and third-party devices, following best-practice lifecycle management
·Perform advanced system monitoring to ensure availability, performance, and integrity
·Embed operational best practice across systems, processes, and teams
·Maintain IT asset data with automated monitoring and reporting
Security & Compliance
·Enforce cybersecurity standards and carry out vulnerability management
·Ensure compliance with security, Information Governance, and NHS frameworks
·Manage security tooling, patching, and hardening activities
·Support BIA, BCP, and recovery practices
Cloud & Microsoft Technologies
·Support and manage cloud environments in collaboration with suppliers
·Administer Microsoft 365 services including Teams and SharePoint Online
·Manage Identity & Access Management using Microsoft Entra ID (MFA, Conditional Access, user provisioning)
·Contribute to system maturity and continuous improvement frameworks
·Networking & Connectivity
·Provide support across WiFi, firewalls, VPNs, and core networking services
·Apply strong knowledge of DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, switches, and routers
·Monitor and optimise system performance for high availability
3rd Line Support & Escalation
·Act as escalation point for complex 2nd/3rd line incidents
·Provide expert support for business-critical systems (e.g. CAFM and estates platforms)
·Diagnose and resolve infrastructure, application, and network issues in line with SLAs
Vendors & Documentation
·Work closely with external vendors and service providers
·Maintain configuration management, technical documentation, and operational processes
·Ensure secure storage, backup, and recoverability of systems and data
Essential Experience & Skills
·Proven experience as a Senior Systems Administrator / Infrastructure Engineer in large enterprise environments
·Strong Windows Server, Active Directory, and Microsoft SQL experience
·Experience supporting Microsoft 365, Azure, and hybrid environments
·Solid understanding of cybersecurity, patching, and compliance frameworks
·Strong networking fundamentals (DNS, DHCP, VPNs, firewalls)
·Excellent documentation, troubleshooting, and stakeholder engagement skills
Desirable
·Experience working in the NHS, public sector, or highly regulated environments
·ITIL, PRINCE2, or similar service/project management certification
·Experience supporting estates, facilities, or OT-adjacent systems
·Experience mentoring or guiding junior engineers
If this role is of interest and you meet the above criteria, then please apply immediately