Lead VMware VDI/Windows Administrator

Lead VMware VDI / Windows AdministratorLocation : ChennaiExperience : 1015 YearsEmployment Type : Full-TimeJob Summary :We are looking for an experienced Lead VMware VDI / Windows Administrator to manage and support enterprise VMware VDI and Windows infrastructure within a banking environment. The ideal candidate should have strong hands-on expertise in VMware Horizon, Windows Server, Active Directory, VMware vSphere/ESXi and enterprise VDI administration, along with experience supporting business-critical production environments with high standards of availability, security and operational governance. The role requires a combination of strong technical expertise, troubleshooting capabilities, infrastructure ownership and the ability to lead and guide technical teams.Key Responsibilities :- Lead the administration, maintenance and support of enterprise VMware Horizon / VDI environments.- Manage VMware Horizon components including Connection Servers, Unified Access Gateway (UAG), desktop pools, golden images and related VDI infrastructure.- Administer and troubleshoot enterprise Windows Server environments.- Manage Active Directory, Group Policy (GPO), DNS, DHCP, user/group administration and Windows authentication services.- Administer and support VMware vSphere, ESXi and vCenter environments.- Perform VDI provisioning, image management, patching, upgrades, capacity planning and performance optimization.- Troubleshoot complex issues related to VDI sessions, user profiles, authentication, application access, connectivity and desktop performance.- Monitor infrastructure availability, utilization, capacity and overall system health.- Handle and provide technical leadership during P1/P2 production incidents, including troubleshooting, root cause analysis and implementation of preventive measures.- Ensure timely resolution of incidents, service requests and infrastructure-related problems in accordance with defined SLAs.- Plan and execute infrastructure upgrades, migrations, patching and lifecycle management activities.- Support security hardening, vulnerability remediation, patch compliance and access-control requirements.- Ensure VDI and Windows infrastructure complies with organizational security, risk and audit requirements.- Support Disaster Recovery (DR) and Business Continuity Planning (BCP) activities, including periodic DR exercises where applicable.- Follow established Incident, Problem, Change and Release Management processes.- Coordinate with Information Security, Network, Application, Database and other infrastructure teams for issue resolution and project delivery.- Maintain technical documentation, SOPs, architecture details, troubleshooting guides and audit-related evidence.- Provide technical guidance and mentoring to junior administrators and act as an escalation point for complex infrastructure issues.- Participate in infrastructure planning, capacity management, technology evaluation and continuous improvement initiatives.- Provide support during critical production incidents and planned infrastructure activities, as required.Required Skills & Experience:- 1015 years of overall experience in IT Infrastructure / System Administration.- Strong hands-on experience in VMware Horizon / Horizon View and VDI administration.- Strong experience in Windows Server Administration.- Strong knowledge of Active Directory, Group Policy (GPO), DNS and DHCP.- Hands-on experience with VMware vSphere, ESXi and vCenter.- Strong understanding of VDI architecture, desktop pools, golden image management and user profile management.- Experience managing and troubleshooting large-scale, business-critical production environments.- Strong troubleshooting skills across Windows, VMware, VDI, networking and authentication environments.- Experience with infrastructure monitoring, performance tuning, capacity planning, patching and upgrades.- Experience handling L2/L3 infrastructure incidents, P1/P2 issues and Root Cause Analysis (RCA).- Good understanding of security hardening, vulnerability management and infrastructure security best practices.- Experience with Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity processes.- Good understanding of ITIL processes, including Incident, Problem and Change Management.- Experience leading technical activities and providing guidance to infrastructure/support teams.- Strong communication, stakeholder management and documentation skills.Good to Have :- Experience with FSLogix, VMware App Volumes, Dynamic Environment Manager (DEM) or similar profile/application management technologies.- Knowledge of PowerShell scripting and infrastructure automation.- Experience with SCCM/MECM, Intune or similar endpoint management and patching tools.- Exposure to Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops / Citrix VDI.- Exposure to cloud or hybrid VDI solutions such as Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD).- Relevant VMware or Microsoft certifications.- Experience working within Banking/BFSI, Financial Services or other regulated enterprise environments would be preferred.Preferred Candidate Profile :We are looking for candidates with a strong Windows and VMware infrastructure administration background who have developed substantial hands-on expertise in VMware Horizon VDI environments. The ideal candidate should be comfortable taking ownership of critical infrastructure, troubleshooting complex production issues, coordinating with multiple technology teams and providing technical leadership to the team. Experience supporting high-availability, security-sensitive or regulated enterprise environments will be an added advantage. (ref:hirist.tech)