Network Manager Pay

[ICT_GUY]

nm in liverpool

 

1000+ users

100+ staff

450 machines inc laptops

9 servers etc

 

manage our own mail,and every system (no contractors to manage any systems-all inhouse), manage 2 ict techs

help with bsf documentation, train some staff, propose strategies to more the school forward

manage all instalations

interactive whiteboards projectors etc

manage sims (no sims manager currently)

brought in new backup systems replaced every server in the place and really trying to modernise it.

 

 

pay scale 5 - 19k

 

from what i have been reading im guessing im on the lower scale for my job role>?

 

You should expect to be on 24K, and thats low compared to private sector.

[Dos_Box]

You should expect to be on 24K, and thats low compared to private sector.

 

Agreed. Somebody is having a joke with that wage, in fact it is getting ranked in the 'disgusting' bracket!

[mdking]

I thought i would join in...

 

Even tho im not a NM this is my job des.

 

 

There is the NM and 2 techs (jnr_ and me lead tech

 

 

Maintain our in house VLE (Frog)

Support 100+ user Avaya IP400 system

 

1700+ students support with AD

 

150+ Teaching staff and TAs with AD

 

700+ Workstations (Desktops, thins and staff laptops)

 

12 servers (3 dcs, 4 files servers, 2 thin severs, 1 exchange, 1 VLE server, 1 wireless server)

 

cabling is all sorted in house

 

I just installed our new school wireless (100% coverage)

 

and all other other normal bits (ghost, sims etc etc)

 

 

16k kent

[wesleyw]

Not good either Top of grade scale 5 for Technicians and SO1 and So2 for NM is more usual.

 

 

Wes

[cookie_monster]

Not good either Top of grade scale 5 for Technicians and SO1 and So2 for NM is more usual.

 

 

Wes

 

 

Thats what it should be but some schools will just try to get away with a little as they can.

[hillskill]

nm in liverpool

 

1000+ users

100+ staff

450 machines inc laptops

9 servers etc

 

manage our own mail,and every system (no contractors to manage any systems-all inhouse), manage 2 ict techs

help with bsf documentation, train some staff, propose strategies to more the school forward

manage all instalations

interactive whiteboards projectors etc

manage sims (no sims manager currently)

brought in new backup systems replaced every server in the place and really trying to modernise it.

 

 

pay scale 5 - 19k

 

from what i have been reading im guessing im on the lower scale for my job role>?

 

19 k for network manager role is really poor! 23-24K should be min (tho this aint that good either) Are you doing any day release training etc?

 

It annoys me that schools can get away with this kind of pay!

[cookie_monster]

It annoys me that schools can get away with this kind of pay!

 

 

We don't have a good union to look after our interests like teachers do and if people will keep taking these jobs then schools will pay it. This is the difference if you tried to get a teacher on 19K no one would apply, of course a school would never 'insult' a teacher with such a salary.

[timzim]

...if people will keep taking these jobs then schools will pay it

 

Hit the nail on the head there feller

[penfold]

This is an age old debate, but the problem being that there is always someone who is looking to get into IT and working in a school provides very good grounding. I started my first job in a school on about 11k and term time only thinking that once I was there and could prove my skills and enhance the job, maybe promotion (well more pay) may be a possibility. Problem being as like many of you here, the school didn't recognise the job I was doing changed over the years, and refused to acknowledge I had taken on the role of a NM and not an entry level tech. Sadly the biggest jump came from going to full time, and they tried to tell me that it was a pay rise rather than change my scale.

 

Sad thing is like cookie_monster says, while people keep taking these jobs things wont change.

[simpsonj]

As has been mentioned beofre, it really doesn't matter how many workstations you look after, or how many users at the school (although that should determine the schools budget...) What really matters is the SLT view of your job, and how important they deem ICT.

 

The unfortunate state of school support staff contracts is that they are largely based on who you manage, and not on the quality of the job you do. If my school added another 600 laptops (within the realms of possibility), I wouldn't expect to get paid more to support them, as my job description doesn't change (it would remain "support all hardware on site" or similar).

 

However, if I was asked to plan, budget, and implement such a system, with direct contact with the SLT, then I would expect a pay increase. Not only would the SLT's opinion of me differ, but also I would be adding new responsibilities to my job role.

 

I do find it surprising the difference in pay for people doing essentially the same job. But if you can sell yourself to the governors, SLT, Head teacher, your line manager, that you are doing a job, and helping the school succeed in its plans, then your worth to the school increases, as should your pay!

 

My final point would be that you have to see the entire school picture, and actively help departments, faculties, the SLT in their aims. You are, afterall, an enabler. You support teaching and learning. It doesn't matter if you have the most efficient server setup ever, if its not seen to help teaching and learning, it won't matter a dime when your pay review comes up.

 

Just my two cents.

 

For the record, I'm on 27k rising to 30k+ in April

[penfold]

simpsonj - you are spot on there, what becomes a problem is when you explain to the SMT what roles and responsibilites you have, and how that should be updated in your current JD and pay scale and they get caught up in the title of your job. I have been told before now that I couldn't be called a Network Manager as I didn't manage people:rolleyes: Personally I dont care what I'm called, just what I'm paid for the work I do.

 

I have since moved on twice because the SMT did not recognise the repsonsibility I had taken on or the skills required to do the job, and would not look at increasing my pay accordingly.

[Landi]

some very good points so far, especially about people taking jobs that pay so low in the first place.

 

For me it was implied that there was room for some increase down the line, that now appears not to be the case-not like i can get promoted anyway, however i though it was more important to get experience in a school at management level which im sure is why most people go for these jobs in the first place.

 

I did alot of training since working here got my bcs chartered and mcts from microsoft on top of my degree and am now in a situation where i have the quals and experiance to move but would like to stay if the school(s) had a realistic wage.

 

I can see it being an endless cycle of people taking the role for experience getting trained up and leaving quickly and that is a shame. Anther problem rightly pointed out is the lack of knowlege people have about the jobs we do, they have no idea that if everything is working its due to hours of work and not because 'stuff' hasent broken. This is what i believe most people believe...you dont do anything until is breaks!

 

Also they seem to forget its a highly skilled job, dont want to have a go too much at teachers because its not their fault they dont know (after all they dident choose i.t) but i have tried very hard to educate them in just what it is we do so they can apriciate just how much work goes in to things.

 

after reading this thread it makes me realise even more just how underpaid my possition is, all those years of study and extra qualifications to get paid less then a nqt.

 

I am applying for a pay rise- although not sure how much to ask for yet, if they say no then at least i can look for a new job safe in the knowledge i have maxed out this possition.

 

ill post back if i get it......

[cookie_monster]

TBH it can be worse in private often you get what you ask for, I've known people doing the same job and one is getting thousands more simply because they got the job then negotiated the salary. The difference in private is that often the hirer knows the value of the person they're hiring.

[Robot]

I'm currently a senior IT Tech at a fairly large high school / 6th form with near on 1700 student / 300 staff users, 700 end user PC/laptops, 18 servers, 2 networks, fully managed LAN infrastructure (I manage this) with 40 switches and 20 Wireless-AP's (with 2 wireless networks) Phone system, CCTV, We manage the networks at 5 primary schools, And I have in the past I have provided 6th form students training, including CISCO IT essentials, and IT lessons of a more technical nature to the usual stuff.

 

I work along side 5 colleges, 1 being the network manager, the 4 others being technicians, some focusing on more specific areas such as media / VLE support...

 

The network manager was appointed about 6 months ago and I recall the post being advertised in the region of 23K.

 

My salary (and it has been this for 3 years despite repeated requests for review) is 14K ish. The only reason I've been about so long is due to them paying for CISCO qualifications for me.

After one last try at a rise (I like my job here) I have decided its time to move on, so I am

[A5Ben]

It is interesting to read how the pay works in the UK as compared to the US. I am a NM for a medium sized "School District", as we call it here. Hope you don't mind me joining in on this conversation.

 

I manage a network of 12k students, 2k staff, 22 school locations (Networks), 125+ servers with Novel and AD environments. We have a staff of 10 techs and 2 Engineers (I'm one of them).

 

My pay works out converted to roughly £43K. How does that compare with your area?

 

 

 

Ben

Edited November 2, 2009 by A5Ben
Added the proper currency.

[cookie_monster]

It is interesting to read how the pay works in the UK as compared to the US. I am a NM for a medium sized "School District", as we call it here. Hope you don't mind me joining in on this conversation.

 

I manage a network of 12k students, 2k staff, 22 school locations (Networks), 125+ servers with Novel and AD environments. We have a staff of 10 techs and 2 Engineers (I'm one of them).

 

My pay works out converted to roughly 43K. How does that compare with your area?

 

 

 

Ben

 

 

 

For a post like that in the U.K it should be paid around SO1-SO2 grades which span from roughly 24k to £29k ($40000 - $47000). So they look comparable but of course the cost of living is higher in the U.K.

[A5Ben]

What is s SO1-SO2, exactly?

 

Also, I didn't place the proper currency in the original post. Corrected now....

[cookie_monster]

What is s SO1-SO2, exactly?

 

Also, I didn't place the proper currency in the original post. Corrected now....

 

 

 

They're just part of the local government pay scale Salary scales and allowances

 

Actually looking back over your role I think I've put it a bit low but I still don't think you would get much over £35k in the U.K in the public sector.

[FreelanceX]

Well I am not a NM, but reading through this thread, it has urged me to reply.

 

I work as the ICT Tech, underneath the NM. There is only two of us.

 

We have 1350 odd students and about 175+ staff (Teaching and support).

 

We have two networks, one admin network and one RM network.

 

The RM network is fully managed by RM and consists of 3 Servers, 400+ PCs, 70+ IWB/Projectors and 40+ Network Printers.

 

The Admin network is managed on site and consists of 2 Servers, 50+ PCs and about 30+ printers. There are also another 30+ laptops.

 

We also have a full VOIP phone system.

 

I have been here over 3 years now and started straight after college after getting my CCNA (First interview, first job ) on SCP4 (12k). Asked for a rise after 2 years due to increased responsibility and after 4 months, they moved me to SCP14 (15.5k). I work full time btw, not term time.

 

The NM is between S01 and S02 but not sure where (24-28k) but has been here for about 8 years.

 

He has never complained about his wage so I assume it is towards the higher end.

 

I do all the day to day 1st line support and some 3rd line.

 

We have just started to have a sixth form built so that will mean even more equipment etc in sept 2010. (More pay and another techy hopefully which will hopefully mean Senior Tech for me! lol).

[Jiser]

Back to pay issues again on edugeek !! End of the day not everyone can do an I.T. technical job, this isn't going to change any time soon.

 

Yet this isn't reflect in schools pay towards technical staff - This won't change either. There still seems to be a large difference in places all over the country paying different levels. Unfortunately people are gonna just hop about which it seems you need to do nowa days anyway to get anywhere in life, even in the economic climate of doom and gloom.

 

So surely like it or lump it?

 

This is my opinion:

 

Trainee techs shud be on 15-18k depending on prior qualifications/experience? Surely they should be on slightly more than the average Tesco worker or bar worker.

 

A tech with experience/knows what their doing should be on at least the same level of pay as an NQT 20k with pay going up every year to a certain level - 25k ? based on responsibilities.

 

Network Managers 25k - 40k depending on responsibilities, scale of network, staff managed + experience.

 

Generally speaking, how does a highly trained technical member of staff, one with experience or good technical knowledge come under a fresh graduate who came str8 from uni and then back to school and yet is earning more than them?

Edited November 2, 2009 by Jiser

[GrumbleDook]

@Jiser

Graduates coming in like that has been going on for years, across lots of different sectors! Banking, Police, HM Forces, Nursing ...

[torledo]

I have been here over 3 years now and started straight after college after getting my CCNA (First interview, first job ) on SCP4 (12k). Asked for a rise after 2 years due to increased responsibility and after 4 months, they moved me to SCP14 (15.5k). I work full time btw, not term time.

 

in even a moderate inflation environment of say 4-6%, if your pay increases were to track the higher of the inflation measures then you'd have been up to around 15k just via YoY increases without needing to ask for a pay rise.

 

that's the most shocking thing about pay for school techs. and others on low pay.

 

i agree with jiser that it's ridiculous that such technically demanding roles command such low salaries.

 

especially when you consider a role no technically demanding than throwing some rubbish in the back of a van can command [or used to command] upwards of 30k including bonuses and overtime. but then i think that has a lot to do with bargaining power and he's also correct to say that to get on you've really got to move on. i don't even consider 16-18k to be a moderate salary, that very much comes under the low pay tag in my view.

 

Personally i think, depending on your circumstances, being in the 15050k to 26k bracket is not a great place to be if your single or a single income houshold.

 

My suspision is that that is where the largest marginal tax burden exists. So if my personal circumstances were such i'd prefer to either get paid less than 15050k or more than 26k. Rather than being stuck betwixed and between.

 

It's certainly the case that a single income family gets the rough end of the stick as far as tax credits because the award is income contingent, so that extra you gain above 15050 via pay rises

[after tax it's still not a lot] is negated somewhat by reduction in tax credits award [both wtc and ctc]. Unfortunately i don't think any of this is factored in when public sector employers set pay levels, they seem to be totally arbitrary and they've benefited from a weak jobs market recently, and have no shortage of candidates more than willing to work for these sums.

[torledo]

They're just part of the local government pay scale Salary scales and allowances

 

Actually looking back over your role I think I've put it a bit low but I still don't think you would get much over £35k in the U.K in the public sector.

 

you've saved me the trouble of correcting you cookie.

 

I agree such a role would probable be advertised around the 32-35k region. But that doesn't mean to say that the postholder couldn't progress quite rapidly depending on how the size and scope of the team expanded. Especially if the role were to become more systems architect than sys admin. before too long they could well be on the 38-40k. The amount that A5Ben is on in £ is more reflective of the current exchange rate. Progression to 38-40k here in the uk is probably tops for a technical district/LA role such as that.

Edited November 3, 2009 by torledo

[cookie_monster]

Back to pay issues again on edugeek !! End of the day not everyone can do an I.T. technical job, this isn't going to change any time soon.

 

Yet this isn't reflect in schools pay towards technical staff - This won't change either. There still seems to be a large difference in places all over the country paying different levels. Unfortunately people are gonna just hop about which it seems you need to do nowa days anyway to get anywhere in life, even in the economic climate of doom and gloom.

 

So surely like it or lump it?

 

This is my opinion:

 

Trainee techs shud be on 15-18k depending on prior qualifications/experience? Surely they should be on slightly more than the average Tesco worker or bar worker.

 

A tech with experience/knows what their doing should be on at least the same level of pay as an NQT 20k with pay going up every year to a certain level - 25k ? based on responsibilities.

 

Network Managers 25k - 40k depending on responsibilities, scale of network, staff managed + experience.

 

Generally speaking, how does a highly trained technical member of staff, one with experience or good technical knowledge come under a fresh graduate who came str8 from uni and then back to school and yet is earning more than them?

 

 

 

One of the biggest issues is that people 'enjoy' doing this job. People don't go into banking because it's their hobby but people working in IT often do the same at home as at work. You can say that they should get paid more than a bar worker (and they 'should') or a shelf stacker but at the end of the day which would you rather do. The same goes for teaching I know allot of teachers enjoy their job but they wouldn't do it for £12k, I bet there's plenty of people out there who could teach and probably would do it for £12-15k but they aren't allowed. That's the benefit of a heavily unionised industry

[Landi]

Just to lean towards regional differences again, anyone in the morth west specifically liverpool area care to post their pay scale?

It might help in my review if i can give more area specific pay rates :0)

 

Oh an to pick up on doing the job as a hobby thing is one of my pet hates in work, (i totally understand this is the case for some people and thats fine) but when a staff member assumes im doing this job because its my hobby and i like 'playing with computer bits', and its said in a way that puts down the role.

I think why did i spend all those years getting more qualified then the person making the assumption for them to think im doing this job for fun. (remember its said in a put down tone)

 

Now i am making a difference between enjoying the job -which i do/being 'in to computers' and the assumption you get from some people that the only reason you are doing it is because were some how incapable of doing a real job.

 

I dont know maybe it was just a couple of staff but i do think eitherway most peoples perception of trained I.T staff is not really of mutual respect and they dont understand the role.