Senior Systems Administrator & Architect

Job Title: Senior Systems Administrator & Architect

Department: Information Technology & Digital Security

Salary Range: ​Commensurate with skills and experience and in line with typical local market pay. If hired in the US: $110,331 - $121,364 (or market equivalent if hired outside of the US).

Location: ​United States (Eastern time zone working hours) or Western/Central European time zone

Workspace Designation: Hybrid-Optional or Remote

Reports to Title: Senior Director, Information Technology & Digital Security

Closing Date: October 30th, 2026

Organization Overview:

Founded in 1981, the Committee to Protect Journalists (“CPJ”) is an independent, non-profit organization defending journalists worldwide without regard to their political ideology. Through its work to safeguard journalists, CPJ protects the rights of all people to have access to diverse and independent sources of information. For over four decades, CPJ has helped win the early release of imprisoned journalists, secure convictions in journalist murders, and enable legal reform in countries where free expression has deteriorated. CPJ’s widely cited database and reports have raised global awareness of attacks on press freedom. Learn more about CPJ’s fight to defend freedom of the press here http://cpj.org

At CPJ, we are dedicated to upholding values of equity and free expression in both our internal operations and external endeavors. As a global organization headquartered in the United States, we aspire to build a diverse workplace and foster an inclusive and welcoming environment. We strive for our people to be representative of the global community on which we report and to equip them with the opportunities and resources they need to learn and succeed.

Job Summary:

CPJ is seeking a hands-on Senior Systems Administrator & Architect who pairs technical aptitude with a strong understanding of functional process design. Reporting to the Senior Director, Information Technology and Digital Security, the right candidate will join a small team that works closely with our Managed Service Provider (MSP)
and supports staff across many countries and time zones.

The primary focus of the role is administering, co-architecting, implementing solutions and supporting both our Salesforce-based data management and workflow system and our enterprise collaboration platforms, and may also be asked to support additional technology products while helping design enterprise data and process models to help inform the technical work within those systems. This is a builder and problem-solver role for someone who enjoys connecting systems, people, and processes.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Business Process & Documentation

• Partner with stakeholders to map current-state processes and identify gaps or inefficiencies in systems

• Translate business requirements into system solutions and clear functional designs

• Create and maintain process documentation, system documentation, and user guides

• Manage the Information technology change lifecycle: requirements, build, testing, rollout, and training

• Serve as a go-to resource for system questions and provide user support and training

Information Architecture and Knowledge Management

• Conduct user interviews, stakeholder sessions, usability tests, and sorting exercises to understand how target audiences group and search for information

• Build structural blue-prints, flowcharts, and site maps that define how content and data are organized and accessed across platforms

• Sketch low-fidelity wireframes and interactive mockups to show screen layouts, navigation paths, and user flows

• Design clear naming conventions, category structures, and metadata tagging systems matching user mental models

• Work alongside internal teams and development consultants to translate business goals into technology system solutions

Systems Administration:

• Administer and configure core systems, including Salesforce and other cloud productivity and collaboration platforms such as Google Suite or Microsoft 365

• Manage user access, roles, permissions, and security settings across platforms

• Build and maintain workflows, automation, and validation logic within each system

• Support integrations and data flows between systems, working with vendors or technical partners as needed

• In collaboration with MSP, Monitor system health, troubleshoot issues, and coordinate resolution with vendors and consultants

• Evaluate new tools, features, and releases for fit and impact

• Maintain data quality through imports, cleanup, and governance practices

• Build reports and dashboards that support operational and leadership decisions

Software/Hardware Asset Management and General Tech Support

• General IT support and software/hardware asset management is provided via a MSP on a day-to-day basis. The successful candidate may be asked to assist with the following types of duties in surge capacity: hardware support, software management, ticket & incident handling, user accounts & security, network & connectivity, on- and off-boarding processes, asset inventory & tracking.

Qualifications & Competencies:

Required:

• 3–5+ years supporting, administering and configuring multiple enterprise business systems (CRM, ERP, HRIS, Google Workspace, MS365, Salesforce and/or similar SaaS platforms)

• Hands-on experience configuring workflows, automation, and permission models

• Experience gathering requirements and turning them into system designs

• Strong process mapping and documentation skills

• Comfort working with data: imports/exports, cleanup, and basic reporting

• Clear communicator who can explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders

• Organized, self-directed, and comfortable owning work end to end across multiple systems

• Adaptability: Ability to adjust on the fly for shifting priorities

• Experience supporting and guiding users on a variety of technology platforms

• Aptitude and willingness to provide remote training

• Communication: Ability to break down complex, technical concepts into simple, everyday language.

• Patience and Empathy: A supportive and approachable demeanor when helping frustrated or non-technical users

• Public Speaking: Confidence in presenting materials clearly and keeping an audience engaged

• Organization: Strong time management to coordinate schedules, workload and priorities

Preferred:

• Salesforce administration experience; Salesforce Certified Administrator a strong plus

• Google Workspace Administration

• Microsoft 365 administration experience including: Teams, Exchange, SharePoint and Entra ID

• Experience with Power Automate, Flow or other low-code automation tools

• Exposure to integrations, APIs, or middleware (e.g., Zapier, Workato, MuleSoft)

• Familiarity with SQL or scripting

• Relevant experience with process mapping tools (Lucidchart, Visio, or similar)

• Background in Nonprofit Administration

Physical Requirements:

This position’s physical demands reflect work in a typical office setting. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Work Location:

This position is open to candidates within the United States or those located within the Western or Central European time zones, and is classified as remote, or hybrid-optional. Availability to work and attend meetings on the US Eastern time zone and to travel to New York for meetings as needed is required.

We promote a flexible working environment with hybrid and flexible work schedule opportunities. Our office is located in New York City office in midtown Manhattan, and was designed to be a place where we can work effectively and collaboratively, bringing energy, inspiration, commitment, and deep learning to our mission. Staff hired in the commutable NYC area are welcome and encouraged to use the CPJ office.

Benefits (subject to change):

Benefit packages are specific to the hiring location. More information can be provided as part of the interview process. If this position is hired outside of the United States, it will ultimately be managed by an Employer of Record (EOR) firm that is engaged by CPJ for the purpose of employing international staff. CPJ offers a comprehensive benefits package for US employees; benefits for staff hired through the EoR will be consistent with those that are standard in the country of hire.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

CPJ provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors.