I started as the only internal IT person at a mid-size business about a week ago. An outside provider handles network administration, management controls endpoint setup, and I need to submit a ticket even to add a directory user.
So far I'm mostly collecting laptop serial numbers. Management has denied my access requests and doesn't want endpoints enrolled in centralized management. Is there a useful way to approach this, or should I start looking elsewhere?
A week is early, but the lack of authority is worth addressing now. Ask your supervisor what you're responsible for, what decisions you can make, and which tasks must go through the provider. Then ask what success in the role looks like over the next few months.
For access, request specific permissions tied to specific duties rather than broad admin rights. If management says no, agree on who owns the task and how requests will be handled. That gives you something concrete to work from instead of guessing where the boundaries are.
The inventory isn't pointless. Knowing which devices exist and who has them is useful even without endpoint management. The catch is keeping it current when equipment is issued, returned, replaced, or reported missing.
Use the time to document the environment you can see, then pick one problem and make a short proposal. Explain the business impact, the expected result, and the rough steps. If you propose centralized management, address the security concerns directly instead of assuming management already agrees with the premise.
Keep a written record of requests, decisions, and follow-ups. If something needs access you don't have, say who you've asked and what you're waiting on. That's not about blaming the provider or management. It's about making the handoffs visible so you aren't expected to fix something you can't reach.
There's another option besides fixing the whole place or quitting tomorrow. Do the work you're allowed to do, learn the environment, and use any spare time to study skills or certifications that interest you.
At the same time, it's reasonable to update your resume and look around. If management won't clarify the role or let you contribute in a way that fits your career goals, you don't have to wait indefinitely for that to change.
z44!hingeplate_615:
When interviewing elsewhere, ask who controls access and what the internal IT person actually owns. That should help reveal whether the next role has the same limits.
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_mostly+in_transit_3:
It also helps to find out what response times the business expects from the provider. A ticket process can work, but not if everyone expects you to make the change immediately.