Technical Support Specialist

Company Overview

At Follett Software, our mission is to support educators by delivering innovative technology solutions that enhance school operations and student success. We provide tools that simplify administrative challenges in education, helping districts and schools to improve outcomes through streamlined processes and integrated resources. Our vision is to empower educators at all levels, from primary to secondary institutions, to make a meaningful impact on students' lives through transformative digital solutions.

Position Summary

The Technical Support Specialist role involves providing expert-level, client-facing support for our global education software platforms. This position requires technical troubleshooting skills coupled with a strong customer service approach to assist schools in deploying, integrating, and maintaining our products effectively. Responsibilities include managing complex support communications from initial contact to problem resolution while collaborating with internal engineering and support teams to maximize customer satisfaction and software performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the main technical contact for international education clients via phone, email, and remote sessions.
• Diagnose and resolve software issues, performance bottlenecks, configuration errors, and connectivity problems by analyzing logs and error files.
• Install, configure, and upgrade software on customer environments including on-premises, hosted, and cloud infrastructures.
• Set up and maintain necessary web services and background processes to ensure reliable, secure software operation.
• Implement and support integration with identity management systems such as Active Directory, LDAP, single sign-on (SSO) providers, student information systems (SIS/MIS), and learning management systems (LMS).
• Work closely with customers' IT teams to configure and troubleshoot authentication and SSO workflows.
• Identify and resolve infrastructure-level challenges including network, firewall, server, and database connectivity and performance issues.
• Collaborate with customer database administrators to manage SQL Server performance, connectivity, backups, and data integrity.
• Support new software rollouts, smooth transition phases, and post-launch stabilization efforts with customers.
• Maintain detailed documentation of troubleshooting steps and resolutions; contribute knowledge to internal and customer-facing resources.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Product, and Support teams on escalations and continuous service improvement initiatives.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Candidate Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• Minimum of three years' experience in technical support, system administration, or software implementation roles, preferably in educational technology.
• Proven ability to work directly with customer IT teams in client-facing positions.
• Proficient with Windows Server operating systems, virtualization technologies, and mixed OS environments including MacOS and Linux.
• Experienced in using remote support tools and ticketing or CRM software for customer assistance.
• In-depth understanding of networking concepts such as TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls, VPNs, proxies, and load balancers, including skills to troubleshoot related issues.
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft SQL Server and other relational databases, with competency in writing SQL queries and managing performance, backups, and data integrity.
• Knowledgeable in identity and access management, including Active Directory/LDAP, SSO (e.g., SAML2, ADFS, Azure AD, Google Identity), and web services/APIs in SaaS and on-prem environments.
• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities in complex technical settings.
• Detail-oriented with precise configuration, documentation, and issue resolution skills.
• Clear and professional communication style with a customer service mindset; capable of handling multiple priorities independently.
• Committed to continuous learning; familiarity with ITIL frameworks or similar incident/change management protocols and system monitoring tools is advantageous.

Work Environment

• This hybrid role is based in Wellington, New Zealand, requiring candidates to have the legal right to work in the country.
• Work from home setup must provide a quiet and private space conducive to productivity and confidentiality.
• Work hours are scheduled to meet organizational needs and may be adjusted as necessary.

Physical Requirements

• Tasks performed primarily in a home office with frequent virtual meetings and communications, requiring effective time management and prioritization.
• Extended periods of sitting and screen focus with typical desktop computer usage.
• Repetitive hand motions with keyboard and mouse usage for navigation and typing.
• Occasional movement within workspace involving bending and reaching; occasionally lifting items up to 10 pounds.
• Minimal travel commitment, less than 10% of working time.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodations

Follett Software is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to diversity and inclusion. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, including during the application process. Candidates requiring assistance or accommodations should contact us as required.