Is a Web Administrator a Technical Position?

WooWooChx · 06-04-2003, 05:21 PM

I need assistance with my job description. I am a Web Administrator for a town website. It is a fairly new and large site with over 300 pages. It requires Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Fireworks, Html, Javascript and CSS knowledge to maintain. The boss has called in an independent service to write up our job descriptions. One of the bullets that is on mine states:

- Act as “technical” liaison for all web site applications with vendors, technical support and external developers.

Now, as far as the website itself goes I am the only person that runs it. I make changes, updates, add new pages, write the code etc. If we need new software I make recommendations, research vendors, and purchase the product. If something fails I either fix it or call in second level support. However when it comes to more in-depth problems such as web server, database or development issues I have to pass these along to someone with more knowledge. The boss here has penned in a change on my job description so that it now reads:

- Act as “NON-technical” liaison for all web site applications with vendors, technical support and external developers.

I also noticed that on another line where it said:

- Develop & maintain a functional, operational and "technical" expertise to administer the town's web site to provide information on town departments, services, databases and forms, community organizations, boards and commissions.

He crossed out the word Technical, so it now just reads:

- Develop & maintain a functional, "operational expertise" to administer the town's web site to provide information on town departments, services, databases and forms, community organizations, boards and commissions.

He has effectively removed the word “technical” from my entire job description. I'm not sure that I agree with this. I still feel that I at least contribute some sort of technical knowledge even if it’s not from the perspective of a DBA or Programmer. Supposedly these job descriptions are supposed to reflect only what you need to know in order to perform the job. Is it me? Am I just being bias? I really thought that I had some technical knowledge. Maybe I don't?

Please help me get some perspective.

Spookster · 06-04-2003, 05:33 PM

Well technically this is the wrong forum to post this question in. And technically it should be moved to a more suitable forum.

Technically your boss can do whatever he/she wants as technically they are the boss.

What was the question again? .......Oh yeah do you have a technical position...

Dictionary.com's definition of "technical":

Quote:

Having special skill or practical knowledge especially in a mechanical or scientific field: a technical adviser.

This is technically correct. So in your case if you have special or practical skills in web development then technically you could use the word....awwww shoot what was that word......oh yeah "technical" in your job description.

mouse · 06-04-2003, 06:30 PM

Running a website nomatter how big, is not a technical position, it's management imo. If you were running a server, recompiling kernels, patching security issues etc that would be technical.

Spookster · 06-04-2003, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mouse
Running a website nomatter how big, is not a technical position, it's management imo. If you were running a server, recompiling kernels, patching security issues etc that would be technical.

Quote:

I make changes, updates, add new pages, write the code etc.

???

sage45 · 06-04-2003, 08:22 PM

When it all comes down to it, it looks as if your Boss making your position more of a managment or facilitative position as opposed to a grease monkey position...

But this is just on paper... That does not mean that you don't put your hands in the proverbial grease and get down and dirty with the equipment (filthy minded Spookitha may reply to that last one

)...

-sage-

Spookster · 06-04-2003, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sage45
When it all comes down to it, it looks as if your Boss making your position more of a managment or facilitative position as opposed to a grease monkey position...

But this is just on paper... That does not mean that you don't put your hands in the proverbial grease and get down and dirty with the equipment (filthy minded Spookitha may reply to that last one )...

-sage-

Hmmmm greasy.