How to hire a senior windows systems administrator

How to hire a senior windows systems administrator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior windows systems administrator 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 windows systems administrator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior windows systems administrator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior windows systems administrator do?

Post a senior windows systems administrator job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior windows systems administrator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 windows systems administrator 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 windows systems administrator that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of senior windows systems administrator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Senior Windows Systems Administrator	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Windows Systems Administrator	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.	$40-68
   Systems Engineer	Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs... Show more	$29-52
   LAN Administrator	LAN administrators are responsible for maintaining the local area network of an organization. These administrators manage the server that connects an organization's network to computers and equipment that need them... Show more	$20-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • PowerShell
   • Windows Server
   • Infrastructure
   • Windows Systems
   • SCCM
   • DNS
   • Group Policy
   • Linux
   • Troubleshoot
   • OS
   • Azure
   • DHCP
   • SAN
   • DOD

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain and support internal database repository and manage the service and application creation/deletion and association with SQL sever instances.
   • Provide enterprise validation input to support the engineering review board to generate and manage mitigation plans for the overall mission architecture.
   • Experience with DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP technologies.
   • Administer OS patch deployment for all corporate endpoints using SCCM.
   • Create documentation for ITIL compliance.
   • Create DNS records for Unix counterparts during migrations.

   More senior windows systems administrator duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your senior windows systems administrator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A senior windows systems administrator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, senior windows systems administrators' average salary in michigan is 36% less than in idaho.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior windows systems administrators earn 40% less than senior-level senior windows systems administrators.
   • Certifications. A senior windows systems administrator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a senior windows systems administrator's salary.

   Average senior windows systems administrator salary

   $110,427yearly

   $53.09 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior windows systems administrator salary

   $85,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average senior windows systems administrator salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$142,416	$68
   2	Idaho	$129,367	$62
   3	Arizona	$117,015	$56
   4	Ohio	$114,640	$55
   5	New York	$112,131	$54
   6	North Carolina	$111,568	$54
   7	Pennsylvania	$110,514	$53
   8	Maryland	$109,375	$53
   9	Florida	$106,216	$51
   10	Colorado	$100,322	$48
   11	Texas	$99,787	$48
   12	Alabama	$99,134	$48
   13	Tennessee	$98,573	$47
   14	Georgia	$97,710	$47
   15	Massachusetts	$97,198	$47
   16	District of Columbia	$90,368	$43
   17	Illinois	$90,249	$43
   18	Virginia	$90,055	$43

   Average senior windows systems administrator salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	LendingClub	$130,258	$62.62
   2	KBI Global Investors	$130,030	$62.51
   3	Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group	$129,543	$62.28
   4	Citi	$126,826	$60.97	3
   5	ShoeDazzle	$126,343	$60.74
   6	ESM	$120,416	$57.89	10
   7	Ball	$119,972	$57.68
   8	AllianceBernstein	$119,614	$57.51
   9	B&H Photo Video	$119,323	$57.37
   10	McAfee	$118,313	$56.88
   11	S&G	$117,074	$56.29
   12	Randstad North America, Inc.	$116,530	$56.02	29
   13	National Geographic	$116,165	$55.85
   14	Choice Hotels	$115,367	$55.46
   15	Motion Recruitment	$115,272	$55.42	21
   16	Kforce	$113,429	$54.53	47
   17	McKesson	$113,380	$54.51	3
   18	Innovative Management & Technology Approaches	$113,267	$54.46	3
   19	Alaka`ina Foundation Family Of Companies	$112,363	$54.02	5
   20	CMP	$111,158	$53.44

4. Writing a senior windows systems administrator job description

   A good senior windows systems administrator job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a senior windows systems administrator job description:

   Senior windows systems administrator job description example

   At over 45 years old and counting, B&H has built a reputation as the trusted resource for photography and videography enthusiasts via its NYC SuperStore and its award-winning website. Long known as "The Professional's Source", B&H is recognized by savvy consumers worldwide for its honest, knowledgeable guidance, expert tips and articles... and always-great prices.
   
   B&H offers competitive salaries, medical benefits, a 401K plan, employee discounts and opportunities to grow within a high-energy, low-attitude environment. Make your move to B&H today!
   
   The Windows Systems Administration team designs, installs, configures, and maintains all Windows and VMware systems. All systems are configured and maintained to handle the capacity requirements as well as future growth. High availability and disaster recovery solutions are implemented to prevent issues in the event of any level of system failure.
   
   Under minimal supervision, the Windows Systems Engineer Level 3 collaborates with various B&H departments and external resources to actively develop both short and long term projects pertaining to the overall architecture, design, and planning of server systems. Additionally, the Level 3 Engineer assists in the installation, configuration, and overall maintenance of each system. The Level 3 ensures that all server systems are constructed according to current capacity requirements, set up with high availability and disaster recovery, and equipped to handle additional future server loads.
   
   The Level 3 Engineer accurately documents server system statuses and records and corrects major issues as they arise. To prevent many issues, routine diagnostic checks are performed as well as the configuration and installation of system patches, updates, and upgrades.
   Essential Responsibilities:
   
   Design, plan, and create architecture for large scale server implementations for strategic business purposes Research all viable solutions and collaborate with other IS teams, consultants, and external vendors for cost effective options on integration of additional server systems as well as upgrades to current systems Recommend and implement system enhancements that will improve the performance and reliability of the systems Configure, install, and accurately document server environments Diagnose and repair server and software failures Perform an RCA and appropriately document all system issues Maintain and monitor server environments and infrastructure for high availability and disaster recovery requirements Collaborate with Networking/Security teams to ensure proper server configuration Perform patching, update, upgrades, and vulnerability remediation Utilizes project management software and time tracking systems Provide support to lower level Engineers for training or support purposes Participates in on-call rotation and available 24hr (7d/wk, 365d/yr) for any critical issues Create and maintain dashboards
   
   Additional Responsibilities:
   As assigned by manager
   Preferred Experience:
   5 years as a Systems Engineer in an enterprise Vmware / Windows environment
   Specific Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
   
   Highly motivated and ability to work in a fast paced work environment Expert knowledge and use of Windows servers and VMware technologies Proficient with complete integration of server systems within an enterprise network Familiar with Databases technologies such as MS SQL Understanding of storage and networking systems Basic understanding of Linux systems PowerShell scripting skills a plus Experience with Citrix XenApp a plus Experience with Cisco UCS Manager and Central a plus Great team-work skills, strong communicator, articulate, excellent grammar and writing skills, and professional phone demeanor Detail-oriented, quick and analytical thinker, resourceful and efficient research skills Knowledge of B&H policies and procedures
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All persons shall have the opportunity to be considered for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, alienage or citizenship status, age, disability or handicap, sex or gender, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, arrest record, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.
   
   We will endeavor to make a reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of our business. If you believe you require such assistance to complete this form or to participate in an interview, please let us know.
   
   Apply Now

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find senior windows systems administrators for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your senior windows systems administrator job on Zippia to find and recruit senior windows systems administrator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit senior windows systems administrators, 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with senior windows systems administrator 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 windows systems administrator

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior windows systems administrator position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the 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.

   To prepare for the new senior windows systems administrator first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a senior windows systems administrator?