Administrator Principal - Systems

Westlake offers you the potential to enrich your work life and career experience in an entrepreneurial environment. We work together to enhance peoples' lives through our products and presence in the communities in which we operate.​

SUMMARY

Experienced Systems Administrator, Principal, proficient in Software Lifecycle Planning (SLCP), Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), and software support. These activities include gathering and organizing business requirements, analyzing data requirements, performing systems analysis and design activities, and supporting system development, testing, and delivery efforts. This position will be responsible for supporting all phases of the SDLC process for numerous applications but primarily with internally developed applications for document management and operator shift handover notes. Applicants must have excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and prior experience with delivery of applications. Applicants must have strong project management skills with experience in following project management standards. This role has ultimate responsibility to monitor the details and status of projects, prepare standard ad hoc reports, identify and resolve project issues, and establish quality measures and standards. This role has ultimate responsibility to monitor the use and performance, prepare ad hoc reports, identify and resolve application issues, and establish quality measures and standards that ensure the application runs at peak performance. The admin will also ensure the application has proper security and bug fixes applied, ensure the application meets the business needs, and upgrade the application as necessary to ensure the application is within the vendor support window.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Establish and maintain communications with business sponsors and business owners to ensure user satisfaction is maintained. Plans, controls and manages the delivery of IS projects and applications to meet the agreed business needs, acquiring and utilizing the necessary resources and skills, and agreed parameters of cost, timescales and quality.
• Develops project plans (i.e., detailed plan, milestones, and work breakdown structures) and assigns tasks to resources to ensure the project will be completed on time and according to specifications.
• Manages project life cycles, including project scope, resources, schedule, initiation, start-up/design, building, and deployment to see projects from beginning-to-end.
• Forwards project documents to stakeholders to obtain sign-off, agreement on project costs, and needed resources; and works with Transition Managers to facilitate the introduction of new capability to the organization.
• Follows up with assigned resources formally (e.g., status meetings, etc.) and informally to continuously manage the productivity of the team, project timelines, and deliverables.
• Conducts “lessons learned” meetings with customers to validate commitments were met and identify gaps and shortfalls.
• Balances multiple projects and deployment schedules to meet stakeholder goals and expectations and communicates with management to ensure agreement on design and status of the project.
• Communicates potential conflicts and/or problems (e.g., missing milestone deadlines) to management to manage expectations and solicit assistance and assesses project team member contributions to provide input to management on performance.
• Manages requirements gathering through coordination and facilitation of work sessions with business partners and appropriate IT groups to ensure inclusion of all stakeholders.
• Oversees the development of requirements documentation (e.g., business requirements, functional specifications, etc.) to ensure requirements are properly defined and assists in the analysis of current processes to identify system and business impacts.
• Support and maintenance of applications.
• Evaluate, interpret, and understand Functional Specifications for highly complex custom development.
• Provide technical and functional consulting as needed.
• Comply with all Company policies and procedures.
• Fully supports Company goals of continuous improvement and operational excellence at strategic and tactical levels including reviewing area of responsibility for improvement opportunities to initiate projects or communicate ideas to management as well as active participation on project teams.
• Any additional responsibilities or tasks as assigned.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or a related field. Degree or an equivalent combination of education and demonstrated related experience may be accepted
• Eight or more years of experience with delivery of application solutions
• Excellent understanding of SLCP and SDLC preferred.
• Proficiency with SQL, Oracle, Snowflake, Postgres, or other database management systems is required
• Proficiency in programming languages such as .Net, JavaScript, C#, Visual Basic or Python is required
• Experience with integration of enterprise applications
• Strong Project Management skills. Certification in PMP or equivalent would be an asset
• Expert troubleshooting and performance tuning skills
• Strong systems analysis and design skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to balance multiple job assignments at once
• Ability to produce high quality work in a short period of time with little supervision
• Demonstrates initiative, taking prompt action to identify issues/opportunities and accomplish objectives, going beyond what is required and/or expected.
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills and ability to frame issues clearly for less technical colleagues and customers.
• Ability to attend training courses, learn and apply new technologies
• Strong written and verbal communication
• Strong command of MS Office tool set (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access) and MS Project

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 5 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Significant digital dexterity, e.g. using computer keyboard is required. Use of oral communication to perform work is required.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate as normally based in an open office concept. Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc. May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators.

Westlake is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristics protected by applicable legislation.

If you are an active Westlake employee (or an employee of any Westlake affiliates), please do not apply here. You will apply via the Jobs Hub application in Workday.