Senior Systems Engineer

Senior Systems Engineer Location: Newcastle (primary), Stafford, Leek, IOT, Axia, Gradbach Hours: Full Time Salary: Competitive Holiday: 43 Days, rising to 47 following 5 years’ service (Inclusive of Bank holidays and Christmas closure) Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group (NSCG) is one of the very best colleges in the country.  In October 2024 we became the first and only further education provider in England to achieve a full set of outstanding grades in consecutive Ofsted Inspections. This includes recognition of our strong contribution towards meeting Local Skills Needs under the latest version of the Education Inspection Framework (EIF). The inspection report praised all areas of the College’s provision and acknowledged NSCG’s ‘staff are professional, friendly, incredibly supportive and work tirelessly to meet the needs of learners’ ‘teachers improve their practice based upon the support they receive’ and ‘teachers create highly supportive, calm and highly aspirational environments in which learners and apprentices thrive’.‘ In summary, NSCG is a great place to work and study. The group is currently home to a population of over 6,500 full-time students with around 2000 adult learners and students on higher education programmes. We have over 1,500 apprentices where we work with over 850 individual employers.  Our Sixth Form provision has a reputation for high academic achievement and excellence. We are seeking an experienced Senior IT Engineer to play a key role in the strategic development, security, and modernisation of our IT environment. This position goes beyond day-to-day support and focuses on driving our cloud and security strategy, and delivering long-term infrastructure improvements aligned with business objectives. The role will lead critical initiatives including the migration from on-premises Exchange and file storage to Microsoft 365 and OneDrive/SharePoint, strengthening our cybersecurity posture, and the design, support, and evolution of VMware-based infrastructure and enterprise networking. The successful candidate will act as a technical authority and trusted advisor, balancing hands-on engineering with forward-looking planning, standards development, and continuous improvement. This is an ideal hands-on role for a senior engineer who enjoys influencing IT strategy, modernising legacy systems, and delivering secure, scalable solutions to reflect the requirements of the curriculum and College senior leadership team. Main Duties and Responsibilities: Design, implement, and maintain security controls across on-premises and cloud environments Lead and support the migration from on-premises Exchange and MS Office suite to Microsoft 365 (O365) Assist with infrastructure upgrades and lifecycle management Troubleshoot complex multi-site network connectivity and performance issues Act as a senior escalation point for complex technical issuesRequired Skills and Experience: Strong background in IT security across on-prem and cloud environments 5+ years of experience in a senior IT engineering or infrastructure role Proven experience migrating Exchange on-prem to Microsoft 365 Solid working knowledge and qualification in VMware VSphere 7, 8 or 9 Strong working knowledge of PowerShell scripting and automation experience Excellent communication and documentation abilities Experience with Windows Server (Apply online only), Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, SCCM HPE / Aruba Networking certification (current or latest equivalent)What’s in it for you? The college offers an excellent benefits package which includes: Local Government Pension Scheme. 28 days annual leave rising to 32 days after 5 years’ service (plus Bank Holiday and Christmas closure). Subsidised Gym Membership. Health-related benefits including a subsidised Health Scheme. Excellent Training and Development Opportunities (supported with a dedicated budget). Free Parking On site restaurant and FREE early morning tea/coffee and toast.How to apply To apply for the role of Senior Systems Engineer, please click ‘Apply Now’ to complete an online application form. (If you are applying via a jobs board, you will receive an e-mail and link that will take you directly to our application form on the Newcastle & Stafford Colleges Group website). The closing date for completed applications is 10th May 2026. This college is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All college based positions are subject to enhanced DBS check and are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act. As an equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from all sectors of the community