IT Customer Support Senior/Specialist

Description

AGRICULTURE - A Cornerstone of Washington's Economy

 

The Washington State Department of Agriculture has been serving the state for more than 100 years. Through service, regulation, and advocacy, we keep agriculture viable and vital in Washington State, while protecting consumers, public health, and the environment. We work extensively with farmers and ranchers, but our responsibilities – from ensuring food safety to environmental protection – touch the lives of millions of people locally, nationally, and abroad.

The agency includes 780 employees approximately and grows close to 1,000 employees at the peak of seasonal work. To learn more and view additional openings, please visit our Employment Page.

The Opportunity:
 

This position works within the lT Program Service Desk group and is responsible for architecting the agency's endpoints using advanced technical knowledge of computing hardware, Microsoft Active Directory, software and systems to develop agency wide standards and solutions for all business units within the agency. This position is directly responsible for configuring, monitoring, and upgrading agency endpoint hardware and software.

The Service Desk Supervisor oversees all incident response including collaborating with multiple lT teams to identify the root cause, troubleshooting technical issues, composing, and distributing agency wide communications and implementing lasting resolutions.

The position is a liaison between agency and the lT program ensuring product, service or system being deployed meet the agency needs, organizational change management has been completed, and customers are aware and ready for rollout, technical teams have been trained and are ready to provide support and agency staff and management have the training and tools needed.

This position must maintain the continuity of business operation in keeping computers, devices, and access to their applications operational for use by designated Agency personnel, especially during an emergency or disaster. Every Division in the agency will be looking to this position to provide information that will enable their staff to perform, or get back to performing, daily business functions. This position is also a support role for Emergency Response activities.

This position reports to the lT Operations Manager and provides technical leadership for six (6) lT Customer Support Technicians, both journey and entry, and three (3) System Administrators act as the agency's spokesperson in the area of technical expertise and may make commitments on behalf of the agency. This position must have a proven ability to translate technological activities/functions
into business terms and interact with business units and executive management in order to create technology solutions for mission critical business problems.

Position and Salary Information

WSDA is recruiting for a full-time permanent IT Customer Support Senior/Specialist position within the Administrative Services Division. This position is located in Olympia, Washington. This is a non-represented position.

The base pay offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the preferred candidate's job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The typical starting salary range for this position is: Range 05IT, Step A $84,120 - Step L $110,364 annually. 

Duties

What to Expect
Some of the various responsibilities within this role:

Endpoint Architect

•  Architect and engineer endpoint solutions for agency hardware and software.
• Provide technical guidance to ensure all technology implemented can be fully supported and meet WaTech and agency policies, standards, and guidelines. 
• Develop an lT endpoint architecture that is scalable and accommodates current and future needs, working with WaTech and other state agencies to implement cost effective and sustainable solutions. 
• Develop and implement policies, standards and procedures related to endpoints systems, hardware, and software acquisition. use, support. security. and project management assuring team project delivery.

Endpoint Administration

• Utilize expert-level knowledge to support and maintain agency endpoint hardware and software and the systems that support them.
•  Perform complex tasks including capacity planning, system configuration, troubleshooting/problem and deploying lasting resolutions in support of the agency's endpoints and IT systems.
• Directly responsible for the research, selection, configuration, installation, maintenance and support of all agency endpoint devices and software ensuring they meet WaTech. state and agency standards.  
• Serve as the focal point for all lT service-related communication from the lT Program
• Act as a project leader and expert for integrating new technologies for various lT projects that have significant agency-wide impact (e.9., the payroll system) or multi-division impact.  
• Develop and implement standards, procedures, and metrics for endpoint services to ensure service levels are being met and customers are satisfied with the services provided. 
• Directly responsible for tracking agency lT assets and software lifecycle, budget and projects rolling annual and biennial budget costs. 

Supervision and Technical Leadership of Service Desk Group

• Provide direction and oversight on all technical activities associated with endpoints and the Service Desk group to ensure projects and daily tasks are completed on time.  
• Ensure technical and staffing capacity to support agency endpoint hardware, software and systems, as well as agency initiatives.
• Guide teams rewarding work efforts, time management. priorities and agency standards and guidelines. 
• Offer strategic advice for support of the agency endpoint devices, software and systems.
• Supervise a team of skilled journey level lT technicians who administers and maintain the agency's endpoints, laptops, multi-functional network printers, mobile device management, lT asset management, and all installation and maintenance of WS DA's enterprise applications/software. 
• Supervise a team of entry level lT technicians who are the first point of contact for lT related requests and issues, communicating via the ITSM ticketing system, phone calls, e-mails, or walk-ins.
• Supervise a team of journey level System Administrator who administers and maintains the agencies mobile device management system, endpoint patching and management system and the agency enterprise Software as a Service (SaaS) applications to include all mobile devices, endpoint and software configurations ensuring WaTech and agency security policies and processes are enforced. 

Incident Response Coordinator

• Use expert knowledge and experience to identify lT incidents and perform root cause analysis to determine the extent of the issue. 
• Oversee and coordinate all lT incidents from beginning phases through resolution.
• Create and distribute incident communication to affected users. keeping agency management and staff updated throughout the incident. 

Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent. 

• Seven (7) years of progressive professional IT experience. 

• An associate's degree. 

• Nine (9) years of progressive professional IT Experience. Additional relevant work experience may be substituted for educational requirements

IT experience includes but not limited to: 

• Configuring, troubleshooting, and resolving complex hardware, software, system, and application issues.
• Resolving Local Area Network and wireless network connectivity issues utilizing advanced troubleshooting and following OSI model.
• Configuring policies and managing mobile endpoints using advanced knowledge of device hardware, OS, and applications to resolve complex issues.

Five (5) years of concurrent information technology experience such as:

• Consulting, analyzing, designing, programming, installing and/or maintaining computer software applications, hardware, telecommunications, or network infrastructure equipment.
• Directing projects.  
• Providing customer or technical support in progressive experience in, and demonstrated ability to, independently and proactively supervise technical staff.

• Knowledge and skills to support and provide assistance to field staff that is geographically dispersed and working remotely. 
• Two (2) + years of project management experience.
• Effective oral communication skills, effective presentation skills, ability to conduct effective interviews, applies effective listening skills, ability to resolve issues, effective written mate rial, logical organization, concise and readable. 
• Skills in group presentations and the ability to present complex information in a way that is understandable to the audience. 
• Demonstrated organization and time management skills.
• Must be able to function as part of a team, build rapport, and provide excellent customer service

Desired Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to apply negotiation and conflict resolution.
• Progressive experience in constructing vendor statements of work for infrastructure service contracts. 
• A+ Certification or equivalent experience.
• Two (2) + years of experience with PowerShell.
• Two (2) + years working with Microsoft Exchange.
• Working knowledge of HTML, SharePoint, Microsoft, and other web development software.

Supplemental Information

Employee Benefits

• A healthy work/life balance, which may include flexible work schedules, and teleworking.
• WSDA provides an excellent benefits package beyond traditional benefits. State employment offers Dependent Care Assistance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Tuition Waiver, Deferred Compensation, Employee Recognition Leave; click here for more information.
• 12 paid Holidays & Vacation and Leave Accruals.
• All Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) required will be provided by the agency. 

How to apply

You must complete your careers.wa.gov profile and answer the supplemental questions. In addition to completing the online application, and supplemental questions applicants must attach the following documents to their profile to be considered for this position:    

· A resume detailing experience and education

· A cover letter describing how you meet the specific qualifications for this position

· Three professional references 

 

By submitting these materials, you are indicating that all information is true and correct. The state may verify information. Any untruthful or misleading information is cause for removal from the applicant pool or dismissal if employed.

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or email support@neogov.com.

 

The initial screening will be solely based on the contents and completeness of your application and the materials submitted. All information may be verified, and documentation may be required. Applications received via e-mail will not be accepted in lieu of applying through the state's on-line recruitment system.

WSDA uses a I-9 form (Download PDF reader) (Download PDF reader) to determine Employment Eligibility and Verification, once hired. This document is the authorization of an individual’s ability to be hired for employment within the United States. Applicants must be eligible to work in the United States. 

 

Equity at WSDA 

The Department of Agriculture recognizes, appreciates, supports, embraces, and respects all cultural identities and backgrounds while we collaborate in authentic ways. We hire amazing people that share in the commitment to our Pro-Equity Anti-Racist (PEAR) strategic plan, our Healthy Environment for All (HEAL) Act implementation plan, and our unique needs and desires for belonging, respect, and inclusion. We value the growth and development of our team members by providing equitable access to resources and opportunities for continuous learning, improvement, and advancement.

 

We strive to hire, cultivate, and retain a productive and dedicated workforce that reflects the communities we serve while we are committed to a workplace that celebrates our differences and supports equal opportunity employment and inclusion regardless of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, families with children (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sex, sexual orientation, gender identity diversity, age, status as a protected veteran, honorably discharged veteran or military status, status as an individual with the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with disabilities or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this position or the online application, contact the Human Resource Office at Recruitment@agr.wa.gov. 

Prior to a new appointment into the Department of Agriculture, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant's suitability and competence to perform in the position. 

The Human Resources Division may use referrals from this recruitment to help fill future similar vacancies for up to six months.    

Veteran's Preference: Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and wish to claim Veteran's Preference MUST attach a copy of their DD214, or other verification of military service. Please blackout any personally identifiable data such as social security numbers. For additional information on Veteran's Preference and guidance on how to determine if you are eligible, click here. 

Persons with a disability, who need assistance with their application or need this announcement in an alternative format, may call 664-1960 or toll free (877) 664-1960. TTY users should first call 711 to access the Washington Relay Service.

For more information about the Washington State Department of Agriculture, visit us at www.agr.wa.gov.