IT Network and Infrastructure Officer in Oxford

Department: IT Office

Salary Scale: £47,779 - £51,983 pa depending on experience

Contract Type: 37.5 hrs per week, Permanent. This is a fully on‑site position.

Reports To: Head of IT

The College: Lincoln College is a medium‑size college housed in attractive medieval buildings in the centre of the city, on Turl Street. The college has 50 Fellows, around 600 students, equally divided between graduates and undergraduates, and a large body of administrative and domestic staff. Further information may be found on the college’s website: www.lincoln.ox.ac.uk.

The Role: We are seeking an experienced and dedicated Network and Infrastructure Officer to provide expert hands‑on support of the college’s network assets. The officer will manage firewalls, switches, physical and virtual servers, and other networking equipment. The role ensures the college’s IT systems run smoothly as the infrastructure evolves, overseeing equipment installed throughout the college’s facilities.

Duties:

• Planning: Plan improvements to the network to support current and future demands.
• Managing college firewalls: Manage all aspects of the firewalls, including security rules, device updates, VPN, VLANs, and intrusion monitoring.
• Network: Maintain the network infrastructure, monitor performance of network assets, ensure hardware is maintained and switches run latest software.
• Document: Gather and review IT systems requirements and document highly technical work.
• Wireless networks: Monitor and support local and university‑wide Wi‑Fi connections; install and support wireless access points as required.
• Disaster recovery procedures: In partnership with the Head of IT, construct, document and keep disaster recovery procedures up to date, and test them periodically.
• College server and desktop infrastructure.
• Local Active Directory user and device accounts.
• Remote access systems.
• Accounting packages.
• College EPOS systems.
• External information sharing platforms (SharePoint, College website, Raisers Edge NeXT).
• CCTV and door entry systems.
• First and second line user support.
• Assistance with hardware support and installation.
• Advise Head of IT on network strategy and propose future investment in IT solutions.
• Undertake any other duties consistent with the purpose of the job as may be assigned by the Head of IT.
• Troubleshoot hardware and network issues methodically, providing 2nd/3rd line support.
• React promptly to major incidents involving IT infrastructure, working to resolve issues effectively.
• Present a professional, helpful, and approachable demeanour when dealing with stakeholders.
• Provide timely and effective IT support to ensure the smooth delivery of infrastructure services.

Management:

The post holder reports to the Head of IT and may temporarily take on some responsibilities of that post in the Head’s absence.

Documentation:

Together with the Head of IT and IT Officer the post holder maintains clear notes and guides on the running of the college IT infrastructure.

Essential Selection Criteria:

• Experience delivering a high level of customer service.
• Strong problem‑solving skills, with a track record of effective and innovative solutions to technical and non‑technical issues.
• Ability to clearly communicate processes and procedures, both verbally and in writing.
• Ability to explain technical concepts in an accessible and supportive manner.
• Experience writing procedural and/or support documentation.
• Strong record‑keeping skills, including logging issues and resolutions in a help‑desk system.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, managing tasks to meet deadlines under pressure.
• Effective time management with a reliable and punctual approach.
• Self‑motivated with initiative and the ability to identify and resolve issues.
• Good standard of education, including BTEC or equivalent professional qualification, or substantial relevant experience.
• Willingness to work occasional non‑standard hours as required.
• Experience providing infrastructure or technical support in a complex environment, ideally within a university collegiate setting.
• Experience installing, configuring, and upgrading HP Aruba network switches or equivalent.
• Minimum of three years’ experience in 2nd or 3rd line support.
• Demonstrable knowledge of wired and wireless networking fundamentals, including DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and STP.

Desirable Selection Criteria:

• Experience in managing structured cabling, rack installations, and other physical aspects of network infrastructure.
• Experience with scripting or automation (e.g., PowerShell or Python) to streamline infrastructure management.
• A working knowledge of virtualization technologies such as Microsoft Hyper‑V or VMware vSphere.

Benefits:

• 30 days holiday including bank holidays (pro rata) each year.
• Enrolment in the Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS).
• Free lunch provided in college when on duty.
• Other benefits include access to an Employee Assistance Programme and various discounts through the Oxford University card.

Equality, Diversity and Data Protection:

Lincoln College is committed to equality of opportunity and to providing a working environment in which all individuals are treated with dignity and respect. Entry into employment with the University and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration. No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.