Overview
Systems Administrator Jobs in Johannesburg Metropolitan Area at Third Republic
Title: Systems Administrator
Company: Third Republic
Location: Johannesburg Metropolitan Area
About us
Third Republic and AI Republic are not generalist recruiters. We are category specialists, the most trusted names in two of the most talent-scarce sectors in technology.
Third Republic has spent years building deep, trusted relationships across the global Salesforce ecosystem. Salesforce AEs, Partners, Agentforce specialists, CPQ experts — when the best Salesforce talent moves, they move through us. We are the first call for businesses that need the best.
AI Republic is our dedicated AI recruitment brand, serving the companies and investors building the next wave of enterprise AI. From Startup Founders to Chief AI Officers, from elite ML engineers to VC Talent Partners, we operate where talent scarcity meets capital intensity. This is the fastest-growing sector in technology and we are positioned at its centre.
We operate across the UK, US and Europe, with teams in London, New York, Dallas and Denver. Third Republic has a 5-year CAGR of 173% on placements and recruiter headcount. The business is scaling fast, and our internal tooling needs a dedicated owner.
Our stack
Bullhorn ATS, Dialpad telephony, LinkedIn Recruiter, Apollo, ZoomInfo, Smartlead, Clay, n8n automation, Microsoft 365 and a growing in-house AI tooling layer.
The role
You are the single-owner of our day-to-day technology and systems operations. You replace our outsourced MSP and become the first point of contact for anything tool, hardware, account or workflow related across our UK and US teams, while taking real ownership of the platforms our recruiters live in.
What makes this hire different from a typical IT-support role is the systems side. Our recruiters live inside a stack of commercial platforms, Bullhorn ATS, Dialpad telephony, LinkedIn Recruiter, Apollo, ZoomInfo. Your job is not just to keep the laptops working; it is to own those platforms, configure them, train users on them, and drive their vendors to resolution when something breaks. That is why prior experience administering comparable systems is not a 'nice to have' for us, it is the bar.
Who we will consider
To be considered, you must clear both bars below.
Bar 1: a solid IT foundation
You need to walk in able to handle our IT environment with day-one confidence. It is deliberately simple, no servers, no on-site infrastructure, just SharePoint, Windows laptops, Microsoft 365, Intune, Outlook, Exclaimer signatures, so we are not looking for specialist depth, we are looking for solid fundamentals.
• Typically 3+ years in IT support / systems administration / MSP. As few as 1 year is acceptable if you can clearly evidence that your competence is strong enough to own the environment from day one.
• Hands-on Microsoft 365 administration at admin-centre level (Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Intune) — not end-user.
• Hardware procurement and remote provisioning, ideally across multiple geographies.
• Strong written AND spoken English. You will be on calls with colleagues walking them through fixes live, and running async support for a global team.
• Able to work US business hours sustainably from Johannesburg (~2pm–midnight SAST).
Bar 2: hands-on systems ownership (one of the following)
IT alone is not enough. You also need direct, demonstrable experience administering one of the categories below in a previous role. Please be explicit on your CV about which system, what scope of ownership, and at which employer.
Ideal: recruitment-systems ownership: you have administered a recruitment ATS or recruitment-CRM (Bullhorn, Vincere, JobAdder, RecruiterFlow, Loxo, Greenhouse, Lever) inside a staffing or recruitment business configuration, user/role management, integrations, automations, data hygiene, vendor liaison, and training recruiters on it.
Strong : sales-CRM administration: you have administered a sales CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sage CRM, Zoho, Pipedrive) as a real administrator configuration, user/role/permission management, integrations, dashboards, data hygiene – not as an end-user.
Strong: another sales or commercial system: you have owned and administered a commercial-side system such as CPQ, commission/incentive software (e.g. SAP CallidusCloud), telephony admin (Dialpad, RingCentral, Aircall, 3CX), an ERP module supporting sales, OSS/BSS, or a dealer-management system.
Strong: business-application ownership inside an IT function: an 'Application Support' or 'Business Systems' role where you owned and configured the system, ran the loop with its third-party vendor, and trained end-users on it.
What does NOT count. Logging tickets in ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, Freshdesk, IBM Notes or any ITSM/ticketing system is not CRM or systems administration. Using Salesforce as an end-user (logging activities, viewing dashboards) is not administration. "Sales Operations" or "Marketing CRM" roles that did not include configuration and admin-centre work do not count. If you cannot point to a specific system you owned end-to-end, you do not clear Bar 2.
What You'll Own
**IT Operations & End-User Support**
- Act as the primary IT contact for UK and US teams, providing 1st and 2nd line support across hardware, software, accounts, and business systems.
- Administer Microsoft 365, including Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams.
- Manage device procurement, provisioning, asset tracking, replacements, and office technology vendors.
- Own end-to-end onboarding and offboarding, including first-day technical inductions.
- Maintain security and account hygiene through access reviews, phishing triage, licence management, and supplier security questionnaires.
**Business Systems & Platform Ownership**
Become the in-house expert for our recruitment and sales technology stack, including:
- Bullhorn ATS: user administration, reporting, data quality, workflow improvements, and analytics troubleshooting.
- Dialpad: telephony administration, user setup, reporting, training, and issue resolution.
- LinkedIn Recruiter, ZoomInfo, Apollo, ContactOut, Calendly, Perplexity, and related tools: licence management, troubleshooting, usage audits, renewals, and platform administration.
What a Typical Week Looks Like
- Serve as the single point of contact for IT and platform-related requests.
- Manage support across Teams, email, and calls, bringing structure and prioritisation to a fast-moving environment.
- Troubleshoot issues directly or coordinate with external vendors through to resolution.
- Deliver live user support and training sessions.
- Perform occasional data cleansing, reporting, and light automation work using PowerShell, Python, or similar tools.
What We're Looking For
- Experience administering Microsoft 365 and business-critical SaaS platforms.
- Strong troubleshooting skills and a service-first mindset.
- Comfortable working independently in a remote-first environment.
- Highly organised, detail-oriented, and able to manage competing priorities.
- Curious about systems, automation, and operational improvement.
- Confident communicating with stakeholders and setting appropriate boundaries when needed.
Nice to Have
- Experience with Bullhorn, Dialpad, Apollo, ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Recruiter, Smartlead, or Clay.
- Light scripting experience (Python, PowerShell, JavaScript).
- Workflow automation experience using n8n, Zapier, Make, or Power Automate.
- Experience transitioning services from an MSP to an internal team.
Why Join?
- Take ownership of a clearly defined function and replace an external MSP.
- Work directly with the Head of Technology & Innovation.
- Gain exposure to AI, automation, RevOps, and systems optimisation.
- Join a fast-growing business with significant investment in technology and process improvement.
- Build a strong foundation for future systems, automation, and operations-focused career growth.
Please Don't Apply If
- Your experience is limited to traditional helpdesk or desktop support without ownership of business applications.
- You have only used CRM systems as an end user.
- Your primary career goal is networking, cybersecurity, cloud architecture, GRC, or other deep IT specialisations.
- You require a highly structured ticket-queue environment to operate effectively.
- You currently run a consulting business that would divide your focus.
