Systems Administrator

Description

The American Counseling Association (ACA) is the world’s largest organization representing professional counselors in various practice settings.

Our vision: We are the preeminent advocate and resource for professional counselors and their clients in a world where everyone has access to mental health services.

Our mission: Advancing mental health and well-being through advocacy, community, inclusion and research.

Our values: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Integrity, Proactive Leadership, Professional Community & Relationships, Scientific Practice & Knowledge, Social Justice & Empowerment.

All American Counseling Association team members are encouraged, supported, and expected to demonstrate The Way We Work Values: Be Flexible, Be Creative, Be Empowered, Be Inquisitive, Be Collaborative and Be Respectful.

Job Purpose

The Systems Administrator will primarily be responsible for day-to-day administration of iMIS, the Association Management System (AMS) leveraged by the American Counseling Association to manage its membership database and all related membership applications. ACA utilizes the iMIS software platform to manage membership activities and engagement in several integrated applications. Administration of the iMIS system includes implementation, configuration, operational performance, and maintenance of the iMIS application software, as well as the foundational Microsoft SQL Server RDBMS on which iMIS is built.

This is a “hands-on” position requiring strong technical skills, as well as excellent interpersonal and communication skills. The Systems Administrator will be a key contact for both internal and external users of iMIS. The Systems Administrator will build and run membership reports, maintain data integrity, manage all aspects of the membership database, and collaborate with staff and partners in all areas of the ACA organization.

In addition to iMIS and its SQL Server database, the Systems Administrator will also be responsible for administration of specific third-party applications that integrate with iMIS and provide value for ACA members. Examples include Higher Logic Thrive (for community engagement), a Learning Management System (LMS), the ACA Store and related E-commerce, and Event Management applications. Integration of these value-add applications allows for sharing of member information across these systems using secure, industry-standard protocols.

The Systems Administrator is a member of a technology team consisting of both staff and managed services providers. As such, shared responsibilities exist for operational support of ACA staff for enterprise productivity applications, such as Microsoft Office 365 and Zoom Business Pro apps, as well as occasional support for standard IT technology such as network services, workstation setup, printing, and audio/visual.

The successful candidate is an all-purpose, hands-on technology person with iMIS and DBA experience, as well as skills in administration and support for these other applications. Candidate experience in planning and managing an upgrade to the cloud-based iMIS Engagement Management System (EMS) is a key differentiator. The Systems Administrator will play a key role in the planning and execution of business-critical system upgrades to the iMIS AMS, but also to third-party platforms such as the Learning Management System.

Key Responsibilities

• Configure and maintain the iMIS database server (Microsoft SQL Server), the iMIS application server, and related processes, including monitoring of system health and performance, to ensure high levels of performance, availability, and security.
• Manage and produce monthly and quarterly ACA membership reports and ACA Division reports in support of ACA membership and leadership.
• Create iMIS reports and develop IQA’s on an ad-hoc basis in support of ACA business units and projects.
• Independently analyze, solve, and correct issues in real time, providing end-to-end problem resolution. Proactively identify and fix problems uncovered by testing, alerts, and/or user feedback.
• Provide operational break/fix support for critical production systems, collaborating with managed services providers. This may necessitate after-hours and weekend hours, as necessary, to restore systems and/or applications.
• Refine and automate regular processes, track issues, and document changes.
• Perform scheduled maintenance and support release deployment activities after hours, as needed.
• Assist and/or lead troubleshooting and diagnosis of communication issues between systems, particularly when integrated with iMIS.
• Support and assist in maintaining PCI security, in partnership with managed services providers.
• Attend and support ACA’s Annual Conference event, including onsite assistance with registration and/or Help Desk duties, bookstore setup and teardown, and general technology support for ACA staff working at the event.
• Document processes, maintain/update SOPs and comply with best practices in database management, system administration, and IT security.
  
  

Requirements

• 5+ years of experience with iMIS and MS SQL Server administration. The equivalent combination of education, technical certifications, training, and work experience will be considered.
• Proven experience with building and managing reports in iMIS, leveraging IQA’s and reports to generate business-critical data for Membership, Accounting & Finance, Education, and other teams within ACA.
• Microsoft SQL Server administrator experience including the use of SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS), SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), and SQL Server Integration Services (SSIS).
• Experience and proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 suite of applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook) in support of staff productivity.
• Strong communication, organizational, analytical, and customer service skills.
• Superior organization skills and dedication to completing projects in a timely manner.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work in a fast-moving environment.
• Ability to multi-task and context-switch effectively between different activities and teams.
• The ability to work efficiently within a team environment, including both staff and third-party managed services partners.
• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems or Information Technology
• Professional certifications for iMIS software, as well as Microsoft SQL Server and related tools (MCSA and/or MCSE certifications a plus)
• Demonstrable history of building reports, leveraging tools such as Microsoft Power BI, SSRS, and Crystal Reports
• Experience with migration of on-premise iMIS 2017 to iMIS cloud version (EMS)
  
  

Location

Hybrid. Candidates must reside within the Washington, DC Metro area, and work a minimum of three (3) days per week in the office. Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Pro Disabled and Veteran Employer

At ACA, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status or any other protected status designated by federal, state or local law.