The Opportunity
Avondale Stores Limited is a privately held, family-owned convenience retail company operating 74 stores across Ontario, headquartered in Jordan Station in the Niagara region. We are looking for a hands-on Intermediate Systems Administrator to own day-to-day infrastructure operations alongside our Director of Technology.
This is a player role — you will personally configure, deploy, patch, troubleshoot, and document infrastructure, not manage others doing it. You will work in a tight-knit team of three, with a structured 12–18 month knowledge transfer from a Director who has run this environment for years.
What You’ll Own
- Virtualization: VMware vSphere 8 / ESXi — cluster management, patching, capacity planning
- Microsoft stack: Active Directory, Exchange 2019 on-premises, Windows Server
- Networking: MikroTik routers and switches across 74 store locations, firewalls, VLANs, WAN circuits
- Storage & backup: NAS, Veeam Backup & Replication, tape and cloud backup operations
- Retail infrastructure: POS systems, payment terminals, surveillance, telephony, and digital signage across 74 stores where downtime directly affects revenue
What We Require
- 5–7 years of progressive hands-on IT systems administration experience
- VMware VCP-DCV — required at time of application
- At least one current Microsoft server infrastructure certification (AZ-802, AZ-104, or equivalent MCSE) — required at time of application
- Strong working proficiency in VMware vSphere, Windows Server, Active Directory, and Exchange on-premises
- Excellent verbal and written English communication skills — this role involves daily remote troubleshooting with non-technical store staff over the phone
- College diploma or bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, or a related field
- Fully on-site, Jordan Station, ON — no remote or hybrid option
Assets That Will Make You Stand Out
- Multi-site retail, convenience, hospitality, or food service experience
- MSP or field-service background
- Veeam VMCE, Cisco CCNA/CCNP, or CompTIA Security+
- AS/400 / IBM i familiarity
Who Thrives Here Our team members stay for years — many for over a decade. If you are motivated by genuine ownership, a stable long-tenure workplace, and building something you can be proud of over time, this role is a strong fit. If you’re looking for a large corporate ladder or a narrow specialty, it probably isn’t.
On-call is part of the role — shared rotation, roughly one week in four.
What We Offer
- Discretionary annual performance bonus
- Comprehensive health & dental coverage
- Group RRSP or pension contribution
- Three weeks vacation at hire, increasing with tenure
- Cell phone, laptop, and on-call equipment provided
- Mileage reimbursement for store travel
How to Apply Send your resume and a brief cover note to
[email protected]. We review applications on a rolling basis and aim to acknowledge every submission within five business days.
We particularly welcome cover notes that speak to your multi-site experience, your approach to documentation, and why a long-tenure family-business environment appeals to you.
Pay: $85,000.00-$88,000.00 per year
Benefits
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Dental care
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Jordan Station, ON: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- How many years of IT Systems Administration experience do you have?
Education:
- DCS / DEC (required)
Experience:
- Microsoft Exchange on-premises: 5 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- VMware VCP-DCV certification (required)
- Microsoft certification (AZ-802, AZ-104, or equivalent MCSE) (required)
Work Location: In person
📌 Intermediate Systems Administrator (Jordan Station)
🏢 Avondale Food Stores
📍 Jordan Station