Hi Guys,

I've just started working as a Network Administrator for a small web development company.
The company has expanded quite quickly so my job in a new role - one which they have desperately needed for some time IMHO!

Anyway, as a web dev firm our 'operations' dept. is known as 'Technology Services'.
My job description says that that I report to the head of technology services or one of his managers.

Well this is the problem. I report to a Technical Project Manager - which is exactly what the title says. Give him his dues, he's reasonably knowledgeable about IT but still not really an IT professional. (He's a developer)

I just find this a little strange and uncomfortable. IT provides a service to all departments on equal measure. If the telesales persons computer has blown up but a technical project managers email is slow - I'm sort of obliged to sort out the latter.
Most companies have each 'function' report to the MD. E.G. Finance, HR, Ops, IT etc.
As the only IT guy in the company I have to get sign off by two people (my boss and the head of tech services) before it even gets to the MD. This to me is very strange.

Anyone got any suggestions? Only been here a month, and I don't want to tread on any toes / rock the boat - but any ideas on how to approach a change? Think I need to?

Cheers,

Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson

Steve,

first of all, welcome to the maniacal world of small companies.  They're pig hard work, but you get golden experience.

Prioritise, and declare what your priorities will be, then get them agreed, and signed off.  If the MD's printer isn't working, this is not as important as a paying customer with a problem.  Telesales make money for the company, the MD's printer does not!  By having a pre-determined and agreed system in place, you prevent 'managers' from throwing their weight around and queue jumping.

Second, you can only have one boss, not two.  Otherwise you'll end up as piggy in the middle, as they both pile on the pressure.  Make the powers that be decide to whom you are answerable, get it written down and signed off (that bit's important) and then stick to it.

I trust that after this, life will simplify a bit.

Regards

Tharg

Grinding away at things Oracular

Oooh - and you're complaining?  It sounds to me as if you're in the perfect position, if you create the right environment...

Sounds as if you're a bit more than network admin, if you're handling peoples desktops PCs, you're helpdesk too.

Sit down, work out all your resposibilities - prioritise them.  Then prioritise types of call:

P1 - the entire network is down
P2 - an application is down, some staff can't work
P3 - an individual's PC is down, they can't work
P4 - problems with an application, inconvinient, but all can work

Set up a basic database to log calls, handle them on the basis of priority then by date - give yourself the option to move stuff up the queue, you assign them to your staff, in order of priority.

Then, look at what your group "could" do extra for the other departments, and put in a business proposal for the additional staff. Offer your boss a real Information Management group.

Rosie
"Don't try to improve one thing by 100%, try to improve 100 things by 1%"

Cheers all.

Hmm, yeah - more that just a network admin. Nearly everyone who works at the company are developers or reasonably knowledgeable so I haven't done much desktop stuff so far. Mainly project like put in a UPS (they didn't have one at all for the 28 servers they have in the server room!) and Exchange / MS CRM implementations.

My worry is that a little bit of knowledge - like the head of tech services (e.g. king of developement) has will be a dangerous thing.

Suppose i'm just not use to it. I've always reported either to the MD or to a IT director / network manager or someone who already works in networking before.

Thanks guys,

Steve.

"They have the internet on computers now!" - Homer Simpson