How to hire a senior system administration manager

How to hire a senior system administration manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior system administration manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a senior system administration manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior system administration manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior system administration manager job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a senior system administration manager for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a senior system administration manager to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a senior system administration manager that fits the bill.

   This list shows salaries for various types of senior system administration managers.

   Type of Senior System Administration Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior System Administration Manager	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$42-75
   Network Manager	A network manager is responsible for monitoring the efficient network connection of the company's technology systems, analyzing system designs, and overseeing installation processes and programs. Network managers inspect the efficiency of existing network management systems, upgrading network data to boost optimal performance and communication transportation... Show more	$34-63
   Information Technology Support Manager	Information technology support manager primarily supervises information technology support staff, oversees system and software maintenance, and repairs. They assist with computer equipment installation and purchasing and maintaining a secure network and connectivity for users... Show more	$36-68

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Customer Service
   • Systems Administration
   • Network Infrastructure
   • Linux
   • Technical Support
   • Disaster Recovery
   • ITIL
   • OS
   • DNS
   • SQL Server
   • Unix
   • Patch Management
   • SR
   • Switches

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Accomplish major WSUS development on site and implement Mcafee EPO deployment.
   • Manage domain name server (DNS) and develop group policy for site.
   • Manage a team of five system administrators, database administrators and student employees.
   • Manage office technology including VoIP phones, copiers, network, workstations and servers.
   • Evaluate and fine tune components such as switches, and routers to achieve peak efficiency.
   • Manage uptime of business critical Solaris servers and storage systems that hostedAltera's key business applications 24x7.

   More senior system administration manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior system administration manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A senior system administration manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a senior system administration manager in Indiana may be lower than in Oregon, and an entry-level senior system administration manager usually earns less than a senior-level senior system administration manager. Additionally, a senior system administration manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average senior system administration manager salary

   $118,755yearly

   $57.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior system administration manager salary

   $89,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average senior system administration manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$149,398	$72
   2	New York	$136,385	$66
   3	Texas	$126,476	$61
   4	Arizona	$120,772	$58
   5	Virginia	$117,163	$56
   6	Connecticut	$117,029	$56
   7	Hawaii	$111,841	$54
   8	Illinois	$110,710	$53
   9	Maryland	$105,837	$51
   10	Michigan	$103,661	$50
   11	Florida	$94,867	$46

   Average senior system administration manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	PayPal	$153,465	$73.78	3
   2	eBay	$152,565	$73.35	2
   3	Sun Communities	$147,369	$70.85
   4	Ross Stores	$129,764	$62.39	8
   5	WebMD	$121,226	$58.28
   6	Dell	$114,934	$55.26	8
   7	Solutions	$114,191	$54.90
   8	Gallagher	$114,127	$54.87
   9	Neustar	$112,281	$53.98
   10	ARRIS	$111,862	$53.78
   11	Gartner	$110,206	$52.98
   12	SOS International	$109,145	$52.47	4
   13	Peraton	$109,133	$52.47	172
   14	Global Resource Solutions Inc	$108,550	$52.19	1
   15	NeoPost USA	$106,925	$51.41
   16	Vencore	$100,435	$48.29	1
   17	NTT Data International L.L.C.	$95,820	$46.07	34
   18	L3Harris	$87,796	$42.21	100

4. Writing a senior system administration manager job description

   A senior system administration manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a senior system administration manager job description:

   Senior system administration manager job description example

   • Bachelor's degree with 5-7 years, Master's degree with 3-5 years, PhD with 0-2 years of experience.
   • 5+ years of experience with the following:
     • IT Asset Management (ITAM)
     • Hardware procurement
     • Hardware inventory management processes (e.g., receiving, asset-tagging, disposals, and swaps)
     • Software audits and auditing processes.
     • Software spending/budgeting processes.
     • Software license procurement.
     • Software license reconciliation processes.
     • Software license reclamation processes.
   • Various Software licensing models (e.g., traditional by user/by workstation models, and newer).
   • BYO to cloud or SaaS subscription models.
   • ServiceNow ITAM.
   • Hardware Asset Management (HAM).
   • Software Asset Management (SAM).
   • Discovery.
   • Configuration management database (CMDB)
   • Must be a U.S. Citizenship or have been a permanent resident for more than 3 years.
   • Must be able to obtain a Public Trust security clearance.
   • Possess any of the following certifications:
     • IAITAM (International Association of IT Asset Managers) certifications: CITAM (Certified IT Asset Manager), CAMP (Certified Asset Management Professional), CHAMP (Certified Hardware Management Professional), CSAM (Certified Software Asset Manager), Institute of Asset Management (IAM), Certificate or Diploma.
     • ServiceNow certifications: Certified Implementation Specialist - Hardware Asset Management, Certified Implementation Specialist - Software Asset Management, Certified Implementation Specialist - Discovery.
   • After 6 months, Tele-work opperintunites may be available.

   Qualifications Desired:

   • Bachelor's degree in IT, or a related field.
   • Public Trust security clearance ( or higher).
     
   • Multiple certifications with ServiceNow.

   Benefits:

   At Peraton, our benefits are designed to help keep you at your best beyond the work you do with us daily. We're fully committed to the growth of our employees. From fully comprehensive medical plans to tuition reimbursement, tuition assistance, and fertility treatment, we are there to support you all the way.

   Peraton Overview

   Peraton drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted and highly differentiated national security solutions and technologies that keep people safe and secure. Peraton serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies across the intelligence, space, cyber, defense, civilian, health, and state and local markets. Every day, our employees do the can't be done, solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers.

   For Colorado Residents Colorado Salary Minimum: $61,921.60
   Colorado Salary Maximum:$132,371.20
   
   The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position, and is just one component of Peraton's total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Peraton provides a variety of benefits to employees.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right senior system administration manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   To find senior system administration manager candidates, you can consider the following options:

   • Post your job opening on Zippia or other job search websites.
   • Use niche websites that focus on engineering and technology jobs, such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post your job on free job posting websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior system administration managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with senior system administration manager applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new senior system administration manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect senior system administration manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new senior system administration manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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