Job Overview

Overview 

The Senior System Administrator is accountable for the design, deployment, maintenance, and enhancement of enterprise systems and networks. This includes managing servers, storage, cloud environments, and cybersecurity controls. The role provides technical leadership in diagnosing and resolving complex system issues, implementing automation and monitoring solutions, and ensuring system compliance with internal and external standards. The Senior System Administrator collaborates closely with IT leadership, security, and business stakeholders to ensure technology solutions are reliable, resilient, and future-ready. 

This position also plays a key role in disaster recovery planning, infrastructure modernization, and mentoring of less experienced team members to strengthen overall IT operational capability. 

 

Key Responsibilities 

Technical Leadership & Operations 

  • Administer, configure, and optimize enterprise systems, servers, and networks (on-premise and cloud-based). 

  • Design and implement infrastructure solutions that support business continuity and scalability. 

  • Oversee system performance monitoring, tuning, and proactive capacity planning. 

  • Lead complex troubleshooting efforts and root cause analyses for critical incidents. 

  • Manage and maintain system security protocols, patching schedules, and compliance with IT security standards. 

  • Develop and maintain detailed system documentation, configurations, and SOPs. 

Innovation & Continuous Improvement 

  • Identify and implement automation opportunities to streamline system administration tasks. 

  • Drive modernization of infrastructure, including virtualization, containerization, and cloud migration initiatives. 

  • Evaluate and recommend emerging technologies and tools that improve efficiency, security, and reliability. 

Collaboration & Mentorship 

  • Serve as a technical mentor for junior System Administrators, guiding best practices and knowledge sharing. 

  • Collaborate with IT leadership, cybersecurity, and application development teams to ensure seamless integration and system alignment. 

  • Partner with vendors and external providers on system architecture, licensing, and technical support. 

Governance & Compliance 

  • Support audit and compliance initiatives (e.g., HIPAA, SOC 2, ISO) by ensuring proper controls, documentation, and reporting. 

  • Contribute to risk assessments and mitigation planning for IT infrastructure. 

  • Participate in disaster recovery planning, testing, and continuous improvement of business continuity processes.  

Education 

  • Bachelor’s Degree preferred

  • Experience in lieu of bachelor's degree – 8 years of Systems Administration Experience in Enterprise Environments without degree required without a degree

 

Experience 

  • 5 years of Systems Administration experience in an enterprise sized environment with a degree OR 

  • 8 years of Systems Administration Experience in Enterprise Environments without degree without a degree required

  • Experience – Administering , configuring , and optimizing enterprise systems, servers, and networks (on-premise and cloud-based). 

  • Experience troubleshooting efforts and root cause analyses for critical incidents. 

Sentara Health, an integrated, not-for-profit health care delivery system, celebrates more than 135 years in pursuit of its mission – “we improve health every day.” Sentara is one of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and among the top 20 largest not-for-profit integrated health systems in the country, with 34,000 employees, 12 hospitals in Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina including 10 hospitals with the prestigious Magnet® recognition, and the Sentara Health Plans division which serves more than 1 million members in Virginia and Florida. Sentara is recognized nationally for clinical quality and safety, and is strategically focused on innovation and creating an extraordinary health care experience for our patients and members. Sentara was named a Health Quality Innovator of the Year (2024), was recognized by Forbes as “America’s Best-In-State Employer” (2024), “Best Employer for Veterans” (2022, 2023), and “Best Employer for Women” (2020), and named to IBM Watson Health’s “Top 15 Health Systems” (2021, 2018).

Learn more

A woman smiling as a healthcare worker helps her with arm exercises in a bright, sunlit room.
A woman smiling as a healthcare worker helps her with arm exercises in a bright, sunlit room.
A woman smiling as a healthcare worker helps her with arm exercises in a bright, sunlit room.

Our Culture

At Sentara, our differences are our strengths. The unique backgrounds, skills, and experiences that each Sentara colleague brings to work make Sentara special and allow us to deliver excellent service and care to our patients, members, and communities.

Our Benefits

We are committed to consistently enhancing our training, advancement tracks, work-life benefits, and more. Our goal is to make you feel more excited to be here every day!

Two female doctors in lab coats smiling and chatting in a hospital hallway.
Two female doctors in lab coats smiling and chatting in a hospital hallway.
Two female doctors in lab coats smiling and chatting in a hospital hallway.
Two nurses in scrubs smiling and chatting during a break, one holding a coffee cup in a bright hospital setting.
Two nurses in scrubs smiling and chatting during a break, one holding a coffee cup in a bright hospital setting.

The Sentara Nursing Experience

Making a meaningful impact on health requires compassion, dedication, continuous learning, teamwork and collaboration. At Sentara, we also recognize that in valuing the professional and personal well-being of our nurses, we build a stronger, more supportive workplace for our nurses. And that’s making us healthier from the inside out. These principles unite our nurses across various roles and locations.

Two nurses in scrubs smiling and chatting during a break, one holding a coffee cup in a bright hospital setting.
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The Sentara Clinical Experience

No matter where you choose to join us, in an inpatient or outpatient setting, you will be part of an interdisciplinary Clinical team passionate about quality care and patient safety. You will have access to the tools and technologies you need to succeed and the chance to learn and grow through training and educational programs so you can advance your career as a Clinical professional.

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The Sentara Support Services Experience

Each day, the Sentara Support Services team helps improve healthcare at more than 300 Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina sites. We perform various patient care activities, provide multiple services, and handle administrative functions that support our patients and their families. These vital functions include assisting the medical team in all aspects of medical care, such as treatments, procedures, and diagnostic and laboratory testing.

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The Medical Group Experience

As part of Sentara Health, Sentara Medical Group providers have diverse opportunities across regions and inpatient and outpatient locations. For those providers based in one of 12 hospitals, we have close working relationships with the administration, ensuring a collegial and collaborative environment where all can come together around shared initiatives.

Guided by a dedicated board of providers, Sentara Medical Group not only offers leadership opportunities for its providers but also underscores the group’s crucial role in fulfilling Sentara’s overarching mission to meet the needs of our diverse patient populations, some of our most vulnerable communities. Our physicians and APPs enjoy opportunities for both personal and professional career growth through a network of resources aimed to cultivate an environment suitable for a lifelong career home.

Your Perspective Matters

Nurses are the heartbeat of our exceptional team. Our approach empowers nurses to actively participate in decision-making. Our nurses have a stake in shaping their workplace as well as their own career growth; one of the benefits of our focus on supporting and valuing team members. This framework encompasses our nursing mission, vision, values, philosophy, and the essential elements of our Professional Practice Model.

This image illustrates the Sentara Nursing Professional Practice Model. Read more about it on The Sentara Nurse Experience page.

Visual representation of the Sentara Nursing Professional Practice Model.

We Are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Sentara Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to the hiring, advancement, and fair treatment of every individual. Sentara and its affiliates do not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristics.

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We Are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Sentara Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to the hiring, advancement, and fair treatment of every individual. Sentara and its affiliates do not discriminate against any individual or group of individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, veteran status or any other legally protected characteristics.

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