System Administrator (APS6 equivalent) – Sourcing Strategy

1. Simple Explanation of the Role

What this person actually does day-to-day:
A System Administrator keeps an organisation's computer systems running smoothly and securely. Think of them as the people who look after the "engine room" of IT — servers, software platforms, user accounts, and security settings.

Typical daily tasks:

• Making sure work systems and applications are running properly (fixing issues when something breaks)
• Setting up and maintaining the software platforms the organisation depends on
• Managing who has access to what (creating logins, removing access when people leave, checking permissions are correct)
• Watching for and responding to security risks (e.g. unusual activity, vulnerabilities)
• Writing instructions/documentation so others know how systems work and how to fix common problems

How to recognise a good candidate (plain English):

• They can explain technical things simply (a good sign they actually understand it, not just using buzzwords)
• They've supported real systems/platforms, not just helped with a helpdesk
• They've handled user access and security tasks, not just "general IT support"
• They keep things documented — not just fixing it and moving on
• They're calm under pressure (systems break, and they need to stay level-headed)

2. What to Look for on a Candidate's Profile

Key skills or technologies:

• Windows Server and/or Linux administration
• Active Directory / Identity and Access Management (user account setup, permissions)
• Cloud platforms (Azure, AWS) or on-premise server environments
• Security tools/practices (patching, vulnerability management, firewalls)
• Application support (helping keep specific business software running)
• Documentation tools (SharePoint, Confluence, internal wikis)
• ITIL (a common IT service framework — a good sign of structured experience)

Job titles to look for:
(see Section 3 below)

Signs they have relevant experience:

• Mentions of "Tier 2/3 support" (more advanced than basic helpdesk)
• Experience with user account/access management
• Mentions of "patching," "system hardening," "security compliance"
• Experience writing SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) or knowledge base articles
• Government, defence, or regulated-industry experience
• Holds or is working towards certifications (see below)

Nice-to-have certifications:

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator / Windows Server
• CompTIA Security+ or Server+
• ITIL Foundation
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) — if Linux environment
• ISC2 or similar security certifications

3. Alternative Job Titles to Search

1. System Administrator
2. Systems Administrator
3. IT Systems Administrator
4. Infrastructure Administrator
5. Platform Administrator
6. Network and Systems Administrator
7. Application Support Officer / Analyst
8. IT Support Engineer (Tier 2/3)
9. IT Operations Officer
10. Identity and Access Management (IAM) Administrator

4. Boolean Search Strings (Simple)

Copy and paste into SEEK, LinkedIn, or your ATS. Adjust quotation marks if a platform doesn't support them.

1. Broad title + government:
("System Administrator" OR "Systems Administrator") AND ("government" OR "APS" OR "Commonwealth")

2. Title + security clearance:
("System Administrator" OR "IT Support Engineer") AND ("NV1" OR "NV2" OR "security clearance" OR "baseline clearance")

3. Skills-based search:
("System Administrator") AND ("Active Directory" OR "identity and access management" OR "IAM")

4. Application + platform support combined:
("Application Support" OR "Platform Administrator") AND ("Canberra")

5. Documentation/knowledge management angle (shows well-rounded candidates):
("System Administrator") AND ("documentation" OR "knowledge base" OR "SOP")

5. Target Companies

These are organisations likely to employ candidates with this exact mix of skills (government-relevant + technical + security clearance):

6. Different Ways to Search

By job title:
Use the alternative titles from Section 3 — many people doing this job won't have "System Administrator" as their exact title.

By company:
Search LinkedIn/SEEK for people who currently work or previously worked at the companies listed in Section 5 — even if their title doesn't match exactly.

By keywords/skills:
Search for the technical skills themselves (e.g. "Active Directory," "identity and access management," "application support") rather than just job titles — this catches people whose titles are vague (e.g. "IT Officer") but who do the right work.

By government or clearance experience:

• Search for "NV1," "NV2," "baseline clearance," "security clearance," "Commonwealth," "APS" — these terms often appear in profiles/resumes of people who've worked in government before.
• Important: many cleared candidates won't openly state their clearance level (some clearances can't be advertised). Look for clues like "Department of," "APS6," or contractor companies known for government work (Section 5), and ask directly during screening.

7. Step-by-Step Plan (Checklist)

Step 1: Set up your search
☐ Save the 5 Boolean strings (Section 4) into LinkedIn Recruiter, SEEK, or your ATS
☐ Set location filter to Canberra (and "open to relocate" if allowed)

Step 2: Run title-based searches
☐ Search using each alternative title (Section 3) one at a time
☐ Shortlist anyone with relevant skills, even if title doesn't perfectly match

Step 3: Run company-based searches
☐ Search/filter by the target companies (Section 5)
☐ Look at current and past employees of those companies

Step 4: Run skills-based searches
☐ Use keyword searches (Section 4, strings 3–5) to catch candidates with vague titles
☐ Cross-check resumes/profiles for the skills listed in Section 2

Step 5: Filter for clearance and government fit
☐ Prioritise candidates with visible government/Defence experience
☐ Note candidates who mention clearance status, but don't rule out those who don't mention it — confirm during screening call

Step 6: Build your shortlist
☐ Create a shortlist of 15–20 candidates
☐ Note for each: relevant skills, certifications, clearance status (if known), current employer

Step 7: Initial screening
☐ Quick phone/email screen to confirm:

• Right to work in Australia
• Willingness to undergo or hold NV2 clearance
• Availability and salary expectations
• Basic technical fit (ask them to explain their role in plain English — good candidates can do this easily)

Step 8: Submit best matches
☐ Send your top 5–8 candidates forward with a short summary of their fit against the key skills (ASUP, SYSP, IDAM, SCTV, KNOW)