JOB SUMMARY

The Systems Administrator, under the direction of the Director of IT and Security Operations is responsible for the administration of the Commission’s physical and virtual network and infrastructure, business systems and platforms. The System Administrator will support a high availability network and platforms in a secure manner while assuring proper controls over accessibility of technology resources. This position is expected to perform both Tier 2 and Tier 3 support as well as network administration.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Technology Administration, and Cybersecurity

• Develop and recommend technical solutions for enterprise physical and virtual network, and server configurations and functionality;

• Administrate and manage the Commission’s technology platforms and applications working with Tier 1 and Tier 2 support teams to resolve issues and maintain uptime;

• Maintain a strong cybersecurity posture through implementation and monitoring working with third-party providers to continually enhance Commission’s cyber security;

• Collaborate with other IT professionals to develop complex technical solutions;

• Develop and maintain Commission platform maintenance and patching policy and plan and execute regular patch applications to keep all managed servers and devices up to date with required security updates. Communicate maintenance schedules and execute patching with minimal unplanned downtime;

• Liaise with vendors to manage repairs, enhancements and proactive fixes; and

• Keep current on technologies for future improvements, and work with vendors to integrate and build-on them.

Systems Support

• Support the Commission business continuity and disaster recovery preparations and incident response, including backup/recovery system, data flow, and archiving;

• Administrate and manage the Commission’s physical and virtual network infrastructure including firewalls, network switches, Virtual Private Networks (VPN) at all Commission locations as necessary to secure and maintain the Commission’s network;

• Manage wireless access points and monitor wireless network in all Commission offices;

• Act as the lead when troubleshooting network and infrastructure outages;

• Manage and work with third party vendors for telecommunications services including Internet Service Providers and Voice over IP providers.

Customer Support

• Troubleshoot and provide Tier 3 technical support and provide a resource for Tier 1 and Tier 2 support staff and act as backup for Tier 2 support;

• Achieve high client satisfaction as measured by formal company surveys and informal inquiries; and

• Utilize strong customer service skills to communicate effectively with Commission employees at varying levels, troubleshoot issues, and gain consensus on technical plans

• Work collaboratively with other staff to provide excellent customer service;

• Be primary contact for technical issues;

• Test and monitor IT business continuity and disaster recovery plans;

• Be the on-site technical support for infrastructure projects and support end users and travel to various sites as required or needed;

• Develop and maintain clear, accurate and user-friendly job aids and SOPs to standardize IT Processes, procedures and instructions for both IT staff and end users.

• Performs related duties as assigned.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Not applicable

PROFESSIONAL EXPECTATIONS

The Cannabis Control Commission expects all employees to model:

• Commitment to its Mission, Vision, and Values

• Contributions Toward Meeting Organizational Goals and Objectives

• A High Level of Integrity, Collaboration, and Professionalism

• A Culturally Sensitive, Inclusive, and Accountable Workplace Environment

• Working Respectfully with Others, Supporting Diverse Perspectives, and Upholding Organizational Values

• Transparent, Meaningful, and Effective Communication

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS, AND ATTRIBUTES

• Must possess writing skills that are able to be effectively communicated with Commission staff and/ third party vendors;

• Able to communicate in a clear and concise manner across the Commission along with individuals outside the Commission while maintaining customer satisfaction;

• Able to build constructive working relationships characterized by a high level of acceptance, integrity, cooperation, and mutual regard;

• Able to earn the trust, respect, and confidence of co-workers and customers through honesty, forthrightness, and professionalism;

• Able to accept personal responsibility for the quality and timeliness of work, and for meeting expectations;

• Able to seek opportunities to resolve problems, achieve goals, or otherwise advance the Commission’s mission;

• Ability to work out of the Worcester headquarters and travel between locations to assure high availability of technology and systems;

• Comfortable working independently, as well as with teams; and

• Experience working with people from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor’s degree required;

• 7+ years in a technology support role supporting every aspect of desktop computing including Windows, Apple, MS Office, desktop applications, printers, and hardware troubleshooting;

• Experience providing customer support and guiding users through technical steps and processes in a clear, simple and easy to understand manner.

• 5+ years proven experience supporting Microsoft Azure Infrastructure and M365 environments.

• 5+ years experience supporting virtual and physical technology infrastructure including servers, resources, networks and devices;

• Experience with Database Management and Administration a plus;

• Experience with VOIP including Ring Central preferred;

• Palo-Alto Firewall and network administration preferred;

• Familiarity with Zero-trust environments desired; and

• Experience with Cyber security AI and similar tools preferred.

1. ADA REQUIREMENTS

Physical Demands:

• Required to lift 35 pounds and push 65 pounds of computer equipment.

• Must tolerate sitting, standing, or walking for extended periods of time.

• Must be sensitive to and can manage frequent interruptions.

• Standard office environment with use of, and exposure to various office temperatures, and equipment such as computers, fax machines, copiers, etc.

CANNABIS CONTROL COMMISSION’S MISSION STATEMENT AND OPERATING PRINCIPLES

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Cannabis Control Commission is to honor the will of the voters of Massachusetts by safely, equitably, and effectively implementing and administering the laws enabling access to medical and adult-use marijuana in the Commonwealth.

The Commission will foster the creation of a safely regulated industry that will create entrepreneurial and employment opportunities and incremental tax revenues in and to communities across the state and which will be a best practice model for other states.

The industry will be characterized by participation by small and larger participants and with full and robust participation by minorities, women, and veterans.

We will develop policies and procedures to encourage and enable full participation in the marijuana industry by people from communities that have previously been disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and enforcement and positively impact those communities.

OUR OPERATING PRINCIPLES

The Commission promises to:

• Conduct all of our processes openly and transparently; and

• Engage in regular two-way communication with all concerned citizens, patients, health care providers and caregivers, partners, and other constituencies.

Build a world-class state agency by:

• Committing to the highest level of constituent services using state-of-the-art technology and multiple media;

• Defining and publicly measuring our performance versus metrics regarding timely execution, accessibility, impact on public health and safety, impact on disproportionately harmed communities, and incremental tax revenue generation;

• Becoming self-funding and generating a revenue surplus; and

• Creating a great place to work.

Enhance and ensure public health and safety by:

• Developing and enforcing effective regulations;

• Developing and executing a program of continuing public education;

• Conducting and contributing to research on marijuana-related topics; and

• Using surplus funds to help address issues in these areas.