Purpose of the Role

This role is perfect for someone who is ready to take ownership of a dynamic and evolving systems environment.

Frogfoot Networks is seeking a highly skilled and forward-thinking Senior Systems Support Engineer to manage and optimise our entire systems estate across both Windows and non-Windows platforms.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of our IT infrastructure, supporting business-critical operations in a fast-growing, high-availability environment.

We’re looking for someone with deep systems administration expertise and a passion for staying ahead of industry trends – including cloud-native computing, AI-enabled monitoring, automation, infrastructure-as-code, and zero-trust security. A commitment to continuous professional development and certification is essential, along with the ability to recommend and drive the adoption of technologies that meet global best practices and support Frogfoot’s long-term growth.

What Are the Main Objectives for the Role

As the Senior Systems Support Engineer & Administrator, you will be responsible for building, managing, and maintaining both Windows and non-Windows systems in accordance with industry best practices.

The role focuses on ensuring the availability, reliability, and security of business-critical systems while providing advanced tier-3 support and troubleshooting for complex issues.

The ideal individual will proactively monitor performance, manage system capacity, and implement preventative measures to reduce downtime and risk. In addition, the engineer will drive efficiency by automating routine processes, introducing innovative technologies, and advising management on system improvements and emerging industry trends. The role further requires the documentation of processes, the creation of standards, and the maintenance of compliance with relevant regulations, while also supporting system modernisation and contributing to strategic technology initiatives across the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Systems Ownership & Administration
  • Full ownership of server and operating system environments (Windows & UNIX/Linux).
  • Design, deploy, and maintain systems in line with industry best practices.
  • Administer Active Directory, Group Policy, Microsoft 365, and other enterprise platforms.
  • Manage Linux-based services (e.g., Apache, Tomcat, Nginx, MySQL/PostgreSQL).
• Performance, Monitoring & Security
  • Ensure uptime, performance, and integrity of systems through proactive monitoring.
  • Implement and enforce robust security controls, patching, and hardening processes.
  • Partner with Security & Risk to align with ISO 27001, POPIA, NIST, COBIT and other compliance frameworks.
  • Conduct capacity planning and advise management on scaling, upgrades, and risks.
• Support & Troubleshooting
  • Act as tier 3 escalation point for complex system and infrastructure incidents.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve advanced hardware, OS, and network issues.
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and support staff.
• Automation, Innovation & Optimisation
  • Automate repetitive administrative tasks using Bash, PowerShell, or Python.
  • Explore and recommend AI-driven monitoring and observability tools.
  • Run proof-of-concept projects for new technologies to assess value and adoption potential.
  • Develop system documentation, runbooks, and SOPs to improve consistency.
  • Drive initiatives for efficiency, sustainability, and cost optimisation.
• Technology Awareness & Market Relevance
  • Stay abreast of industry trends in cloud computing, AI, automation, and security.
  • Advise management on technology adoption strategies relevant to the South African market.
  • Ensure infrastructure decisions reflect long-term efficiency, scalability, and market competitiveness.
  • Participate in professional communities and forums to bring external insights into Frogfoot.
• Projects & Collaboration
  • Lead and contribute to system migrations, upgrades, and modernisation projects.
  • Collaborate with development, network, and operations teams to enable innovation.
  • Manage vendor relationships and ensure external solutions integrate seamlessly.
  • - Prepare reports, dashboards, and presentations for executive review.

What You’ll Need to Know

• Minimum 5–7 years in a systems administration/engineering role.
• Proven expertise in both Windows Server (AD, Exchange, O365) and Linux/UNIX administration.
• Experience with containers and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Virtualisation (VMware, KVM, LXC) and cloud environments (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Network fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs, routing, DNS, DHCP, firewalls).
• Backup/recovery tools and disaster recovery strategies.
• Familiarity with AI-driven monitoring or ITSM tools.

Skills That Will Help You Succeed

• Matric (Essential).
• Completed IT degree or other related fields (Desirable).
• Relevant certifications such as MCSA, RHCSA, VMware, or Microsoft Azure (Desirable).
• Cloud certifications (Azure Administrator Associate, AWS SysOps, Google Cloud Professional) are Desirable.

Qualities We Value at Frogfoot

• Strong sense of ownership and accountability for systems and outcomes.
• Curious, forward-thinking, and proactive in adopting new technologies.
• Ability to translate market trends into practical, value-adding solutions.
• Adept at troubleshooting and root cause analysis across layers (OS, application, network, hardware).
• Excellent documentation, reporting, and communication skills.
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and adaptable to a fast-moving technology landscape.
• Comfortable working independently and collaboratively in cross-functional teams.
• Willingness and drive to continuously upskill through certifications and professional learning.