Active Directory Administrator

The Active Directory Administrator position will be assigned responsibility for Microsoft Active Directory management and administration within the Texas Health and Human Services enterprise environment. Position coordinates and/or participates in the development and execution of enterprise level strategies and technical direction, including establishing processes and procedures for executing and maintaining technology road maps. This position works under minimal supervision with considerable latitude for initiative and independent judgment.

This position performs advanced Active Directory (AD) administration. This includes technical duties involving design, research, upgrading, documentation, migration, troubleshooting and support of Microsoft Active Directory. Work involves managing the activities, methods, procedures, and tools that pertain to the operation, administration, maintenance, scripting, and provisioning of the HHS (Health and Human Services) Active Directory Forest environment. This position is responsible for analyzing user requirements and developing solutions that will improve existing solutions. Responsible for AD-integrated services like DNS and Group Policy. Performs project planning tasks such as project risk assessments, alternative implementation analyses, and project status tracking and reporting. Works with and provides technical leadership to less experienced personnel either individually or as part of a team. This position will serve as Tier III level support for all related system issues and will work extensively with members of other support teams.

Extensive experience with Active Directory and domain controllers is necessary. Candidates should have an experience in the following areas: Microsoft Active Directory (AD) services * Azure Active Directory/Microsoft Entra ID * Group Policy creation and management * AD Sites and Services * AD Domains and Trusts * AD Schema * AD replication * AD security best practices * AD troubleshooting * PowerShell and/or Windows scripting for AD * Authentication and authorization processes * DNS * PKI\Certificate services * Backup and Recovery.

This position will require occasional after-hours and weekend work. The selected candidate will be expected to attend work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy and perform other duties as assigned.

Essential Job Functions (EJFs): Attends work on a regular and predictable schedule in accordance with agency leave policy. Active Directory Administration - Manage and maintain Active Directory (AD), Azure Active Directory (Azure AD, or AAD) / Microsoft Entra ID (MEID), Domain Name System (DNS), Group Policies, AD Sites and Services, domain and forest trusts, Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)/AD Certificate Services, and user/computer/group accounts. Research and implement industry best practices/standards, resolutions to issues, security improvements. Install out of band updates/hotfixes or upgrades as needed. Associated Technologies - Utilize, manage, and maintain approved third-party tools. Research and recommend tools that can help improve our efficiency. Update tools as new versions or patches are released. Create scripts to automate tasks (PowerShell primarily). Documentation - Create and maintain documentation. Documentation to include reports, processes, procedures, training, “how to” guides, troubleshooting steps, etc. Ensures all documentation is written clearly, concisely, and in a proper context. Security - Remediation of findings from audits or security assessments. Perform Active Directory related security assessments using Microsoft and/or other third-party tools. Follow industry/manufacturer best practices. Implement security guidelines as needed by internal Security Operations team or industry standard security guidelines (for example, NIST (Network Institute of Standards and Technology) SP 800-53, IRS (Internal Revenue Service) 1075, others). Customer Service and Support - Work directly with customers and/or other IT (Information Technology) teams to resolve issues, answer questions, or assist with scheduled changes or unscheduled outages as needed. Projects - Will be responsible for various projects and tasks that require research and planning, assessing potential risks, working with other IT teams, implementation without issues, and completion within an approved time. Other Duties as Assigned - Will be required to perform or assist with additional tasks as assigned. Will provide technical leadership to less experienced teammates.

Knowledge of recent Microsoft server operating system technologies. Knowledge of Active Directory and Azure Active Directory / Microsoft Entra ID. Knowledge of DNS, Group Policy, and other technologies related to Active Directory. Skill communicating both verbally and in writing with audiences of various technical levels. Skill providing excellent customer service. Ability to analyze complex problems, design solutions, and to perform detailed work accurately. Ability to simultaneously coordinate and prioritize multiple tasks.

Registrations, Licensure Requirements or Certifications:

None required. Preference for Microsoft Active Directory or Azure certifications. Additional consideration for other professional IT related certifications.

Initial Screening Criteria: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university. Information Technology experience may substitute for the required education on a year for year basis with a maximum substitution of four (4) years. 5 years’ experience in planning, implementing, and supporting Microsoft Windows and Active Directory in a local or wide area network environment. 3 years’ experience in supporting Azure Active Directory.