This position lives in the Nelnet Diversified Services (NDS) Program Office, within IT Process Governance & Atlassian Products. At hire, this role owns the technical health and governance of NDS's Atlassian Cloud ecosystem — Jira, Confluence, permissions, automation, and platform configuration. This is not a help desk role; the right candidate is comfortable making architectural decisions and troubleshooting at a system level. This role is designed to grow. Within the first 30 days, you will begin absorbing the broader IT Program Administrator scope — change management, CMMI process documentation, SDLC process governance. Candidates who already have experience in these areas are welcome, but it's not required at hire — what matters is genuine willingness to learn and grow into the full scope over time. Nelnet believes in a hybrid work environment that accommodates both in-office and remote work. This model promotes a positive work-life balance and culture, enabling in-person collaboration when possible while also providing benefits associated with remote work. The standard hybrid work schedule includes 24 hours of in-office work each week, for associates that reside within 30 miles of an office. This is subject to change, based on manager discretion. Annual compensation range for this role is $100,000–$120,000, depending on experience. Atlassian Cloud Platform Administration — Core Function at Hire - Administer NDS's Atlassian Cloud platform (Jira, Confluence) at a system health and governance level. - Write and maintain scripts (Python and/or Groovy/ScriptRunner) and advanced Jira Automation rules to support platform workflows. - Evaluate and develop cloud-native automation solutions (Jira Automation, Forge, REST API integrations) as legacy ScriptRunner capabilities are assessed and transitioned. - Partner closely with development teams and leadership to support active products and ensure adherence to standards. - Perform value stream mapping for processes owned within NDS IT, with a focus on streamlining Atlassian-supported workflows and eliminating waste. - Mentor other Atlassian administrators toward cloud platform competency, and build knowledge transfer materials to reduce single-person dependencies. IT Program Administration — Growth Begins Within 30 Days - Support and facilitate change management activities associated with process, tool, and governance changes across NDS IT. - Ensure users have access to the training they need on Program Office tools — facilitating and coordinating training resources, not necessarily delivering it directly. - Document, measure, and improve system and software lifecycles to meet business objectives across NDS IT programs. - Interpret contractual and regulatory documentation (CMMI, NIST, FSA Contract, RFPs) to identify gaps in lifecycles, policies, and procedures, and work with stakeholders to close those gaps. - Document processes and procedures in an organized, user-friendly format. - Provide clear and concise verbal and written communication tailored to the appropriate audience — technical and non-technical. Education - Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience. Required Experience - 2+ years of Jira and Confluence administration experience at a system health. - Demonstrated experience with Atlassian Cloud (not exclusively data center). - Scripting experience: Python and/or Groovy (ScriptRunner); willingness to learn Forge. - Ability to read and write advanced Jira Automation rules. - Experience with SSO and identity integration (SAML, SCIM, Okta, Azure AD, or equivalent). - Experience designing and implementing workflows, dashboards, and Kanban or Scrum boards. - Familiarity with the full software development lifecycle (SDLC), including Agile or other iterative methodologies. - Hands-on experience with AI tools used in a professional setting, with a genuine willingness to deepen that fluency. - Proven experience collaborating across multiple functional areas to achieve shared business objectives. - Experience working in a team-based, collaborative environment. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook). - Ability to create and interpret analytical reports and performance metrics. Preferred Experience - Experience with AI tools such as Rovo or Claude Code. - Exposure to AI governance, agentic systems, or AI-specific SDLC requirements. - Experience with large-scale change management initiatives; change management certification (Prosci, CCMP, or equivalent). - Knowledge of compliance frameworks such as NIST and CMMI. - Experience creating and utilizing performance metrics for individuals or teams. - Experience with Power BI for reporting and dashboard development. - Familiarity with process improvement techniques such as value stream mapping or other Lean methodologies. - Atlassian certification at the cloud administrator level or equivalent. - Experience supporting a data center-to-cloud migration. Skills & Competencies - AI-first mindset — defaults to evaluating whether AI tools can solve a problem before reaching for manual or legacy approaches. - Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively across all organizational levels. - Excellent interpersonal, consensus-building, and analytical skills. - Ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. - Highly self-motivated and proactive, with a strong sense of ownership. - Comfortable operating in ambiguous or rapidly changing environments. - Quick learner with the ability to adapt to new roles, tools, and functions. - Strong organizational skills with a commitment to follow-through. - Ability to work successfully in a virtual and geographically distributed team.