Role Identity
The Proactive Technical Alignment Engineer (TAE) is the disciplined guardian of GXA’s technical standards. They ensure client environments remain aligned, secure, and predictable—building the foundation that allows vCTOs to focus on strategy, relationships, and growth.
This role thrives on structure, detail, and accuracy. TAEs are independent problem-solvers, data-driven in their work, and relentless in their pursuit of documentation excellence. They are not client-facing strategists; instead, they are the behind-the-scenes technical stewards who make vCTO conversations possible.
To be successful, a TAE must bring very strong, senior-level Systems Engineer (Sr. SE) technical skills—able to operate at an L3 level across Windows Server, Active Directory/Entra ID, Office 365, Azure, virtualization, networking, Intune, endpoint compliance, and conditional access.
Summary
The ideal TAE is not a generalist firefighter—they are a specialized engineer with discipline and precision. They excel in environments where documentation, process, and accuracy are paramount. They thrive in the background, supplying the intelligence that allows vCTOs to shine in front of clients.
They are guardians of standards, custodians of documentation, and analysts of technical data. Their work reduces noise, strengthens security, and ensures GXA delivers consistent, proactive service across every client.
Core Traits & Personality
- Methodical & Disciplined – Always follows checklists, standards, and procedures with precision.
- Detail-Oriented – Notices the gaps others miss; ensures every environment is fully documented.
- Independent & Accountable – Requires minimal supervision, owns their results, and consistently delivers.
- Analytical & Data-Driven – Enjoys finding patterns in health checks and reports; skilled at root cause analysis.
- Structured Communicator – Writes clear, concise, and reliable documentation; communicates issues effectively to vCTOs and technical peers.
- Process-Focused – Believes in repeatability, standardization, and continuous improvement.
Primary Responsibilities
- Environment Alignment & Health Checks
- Perform recurring health checks across assigned clients using RMM, monitoring tools, and checklists.
- Detect misalignments in firewalls, backups, licensing, server health, Microsoft 365, and endpoint compliance.
- Provide structured reports to vCTOs with risks, gaps, and recommendations.
- Handle support escalations requiring L3 technical knowledge.
- Ensure proactive alignment and remediation in the following core areas:
- Windows Server & Active Directory/Entra ID – Validate domain health, replication, GPOs, DNS/DHCP configuration, user/role management, and Entra ID synchronization.
- Office 365 & Azure – Review configuration, licensing, security policies, conditional access, and backup solutions; ensure compliance with best practices.
- Virtualization (VMware/Hyper-V) – Monitor host/server health, cluster configurations, storage, networking, and failover capabilities.
- Networking (LAN/WAN, VLANs, Firewalls, VPNs) – Verify firewall rules, VLAN segmentation, site-to-site/client VPNs, and monitoring for security or performance anomalies.
- Endpoint Management (Intune, Compliance & Conditional Access) – Review device enrollment, compliance policies, Intune configurations, patch/update compliance, and conditional access enforcement.
- Documentation Excellence
- Maintain and improve documentation in IT Glue and Autotask.
- Eliminate inconsistencies and ensure “single source of truth” across all client environments.
- Create repeatable playbooks and process documentation for future reuse.
- Analysis & Standards Enforcement
- Identify systemic issues and recurring misalignments across multiple clients.
- Suggest remediations and contribute insights to Project Initiation Documents (PIDs).
- Provide feedback to refine GXA’s alignment methodology and technical standards.
- Collaboration & Support
- Partner with vCTOs by supplying accurate, actionable data for QBRs and strategic client engagements.
- Collaborate with Centralized Services, Service Desk, and Security teams to ensure standard enforcement.
- Mentor junior team members and help raise GXA’s technical maturity.
Success Measures (Key Accountabilities)
- Improved Technical Alignment – Client environments consistently meet GXA standards.
- Reduced Reactive Noise – Lower recurring tickets and escalations by catching issues early.
- Documentation Excellence – IT Glue and Autotask remain accurate, current, and complete.
- Analytical Insight – Reports and data directly inform vCTO strategies and client roadmaps.
- Standards Advancement – GXA’s standards evolve through TAE feedback and real-world findings.
- Operational Consistency – Health checks and documentation delivered on schedule with precision.
- Team Enablement – vCTOs and service teams rely on the TAE’s data to improve client experience.
- Professional Growth – Progress toward certifications, advanced technical mastery, and leadership in standards enforcement.
Requirements
Technical Must-Haves
7+ years of IT systems/network engineering at an L4 level.
- Advanced expertise with:
- Windows Server, Active Directory/Entra ID, Office 365, Azure
- Virtualization and Storage (VMware/Hyper-V)
- Networking (LAN/WAN, VLANs, firewalls, VPNs)
- Intune, endpoint compliance, and conditional access policies
- Strong troubleshooting, diagnostic, and problem isolation skills.
- Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Methodical, detail-oriented, and disciplined approach.
Preferred / Developmental Goals
- Familiarity with RMM tools (Kaseya, N-able) and IT Glue/Autotask.
- Contributions to technical standards and alignment libraries.
- Bachelor’s degree in IT, Networking, or equivalent experience (7+ years).
- Certifications (growth path):
- CompTIA Security+ or Network+
- Microsoft Azure/M365 Fundamentals
- Cisco CCNA
- Fortinet NSE 3/4
- VMware VCP/VCTA
- ITIL Foundation
- Willingness to continuously learn and adapt to evolving standards.