System Administrator and Technology Manager

Growing and dynamic organization seeks an experienced professional in the area of technology support and administration. Housed at Boston College, the Mary E. Walsh Center for Thriving Children (CTC) is a national hub for implementation, research, and policy to promote students’ holistic development. Its flagship program, City Connects, is an innovative approach to addressing the out-of-school factors that can impact students’ achievement and thriving in schools. Currently implemented in schools across multiple U.S. states and Dublin, Ireland, City Connects collaborates closely with districts, schools, and partnering community agencies to connect every student to a tailored set of supports and enrichments in the school and community. 

The City Connects practice is enabled by a proprietary software system. The System Administrator and Technology Manager will be a member of the team that develops and maintains this proprietary software and that engages with the wider team regarding the role of technology in the strategy and growth of CTC. The System Administrator will work closely with the MyConnects team’s in-house development staff on enhancements and updates to the system. In addition, the System Administrator will serve a key role in the research-practice partnership at CTC by supporting both the research and evaluation team who research the intervention and the programs and practice team who provide the day-to-day support to schools and staff implementing the City Connects model in schools. 

City Connects is seeking a full-time System Administrator and Technology Manager with responsibility in the following areas:

MyConnects system administration and technical support

• Manage the MyConnects system, including user account creation and management; and annual upload of student and administrative data, including the use of Clever (API) middleware
• Provide technical support for all users in collaboration with the City Connects Programs and Practice Team
• Triage system inquiries to identify and resolve system bugs and areas for continuous quality improvement
• Train and provide ongoing support to other MyConnects system administrators in City Connects partner organizations (such as Technical Assistance Centers collaborating to implement City Connects)

MyConnects data access and interpretation

• Serve as a key collaborator with the research and evaluation team by providing data exports and support with interpreting MyConnects data  
• Serve as a key collaborator with the City Connects Programs and Practice team to identify data to inform strategy and coaching 
• Manage information requests related to MyConnects implementation for internal team members
• Support data exchanges with City Connects partner organizations

MyConnects strategy, maintenance, and development

• Serve as a conceptual leader in envisioning the role of MyConnects in supporting the City Connects practice and the broader strategic aims of CTC
• Support initiatives to create derivative implementation of MyConnects in new practice contexts
• Provide documentation and technical specifications for planning and implementing new features or upgrades of the MyConnects system
• Collaborate with the MyConnects technical team to execute specified maintenance and development tasks, including User Acceptance Testing
• Serve as the lead content expert to support the ongoing development of professional development and training materials 

Technology leadership and support

• Interpret and help implement BC technology initiatives with staff
• Manage and support staff hardware and software acquisitions and updates per the BC protocol
• Provide technology support for staff including technology set-up for meetings, calls, and events and instructions for technology use

Requirements: 

• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in education-related or technology-related field or a minimum of five years of database, network administration, or system administration experience
• A proven track record of developing and implementing IT strategy and plans
• Helpdesk experience providing direct support to users of a software application, including documenting, troubleshooting and resolving tickets 
• Strong knowledge of implementing and effectively developing helpdesk and IT operations best practices, including knowledge of security, storage, data protection, and disaster recovery protocols
• General familiarity with relational databases (SQL), writing queries, and utilizing an ORM (PHP/Laravel Eloquent)
• Experience managing Amazon Web Services (AWS) instances, security groups, and monitoring
• Skill documenting software features and enhancements 
• Ability to prioritize goals and organize a team’s work in accordance with priorities
• Experience collaborating with a team of technology experts

The Center for Thriving Children is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build and sustain a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from candidates of color and from any minoritized or marginalized groups. Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume.