Director of IT

Description

The mission of Goodwin University is to educate a diverse student population in a dynamic environment that aligns education, commerce, and community. Our innovative programs of study prepare students for professional careers while promoting lifelong learning and civic responsibility. As a nurturing university community, we challenge students, faculty, staff, and administration to fully realize their highest academic, professional, and personal potential.

 Position Description Summary/Purpose:

The Director of Information Technology is responsible for overseeing and managing the University’s and Magnet Schools IT infrastructure, ensuring efficient, secure, and innovative technology solutions for students, faculty, and staff. This leadership role requires strategic planning, technical expertise, and the ability to foster a high-performing IT team that supports the university’s mission and growth.

Essential Job Functions/Primary Responsibilities:

(The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)

• Organization leadership
  • Recruit, supervise and develop highly performing information technology staff.
  • Create and maintain a professional team-work environment that reflects the University’s and Magnet Schools mission and values.
  • As a member of the University’s Leadership Council, participate in non-technical projects and initiatives to benefit the University’s community as needed.
  • Foster a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging innovation, knowledge-sharing, and ongoing professional development within the IT department.
  • Lead strategic planning efforts for IT services, ensuring alignment with the University’s overall goals and objectives
  • Cultivate partnerships with external organizations, alumni, and industry leaders to bring new technologies, ideas, and resources to the University and Magnet Schools’ IT ecosystem.
• Technical leadership
  • Serve as a liaison for administration, staff and faculty regarding future planning and goals of the University and Magnet Schools.
  • Consult with management on computer system and telecommunications needs for information and functional operations, scope and priorities of projects, strategic planning, system capacity and equipment acquisition
  • Analyze data and present information to non-technical colleagues in order to solve key business issues.
  • Work with academic and support departments to recommend information systems policy and make appropriate decisions on the acquisition of products and systems.
  • Lead the development and implementation of IT strategies to optimize the performance and scalability of the University and Magnet Schools’ technological infrastructure.
  • Establish best practices and standards for system architecture, data management, and network security to ensure the University’s systems are secure, efficient, and reliable.
  • Advise on emerging technologies and trends in the IT field, ensuring that the University stays competitive and innovative in its technological solutions.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of technical initiatives with organizational goals and objectives, ensuring seamless integration across departments.
  • Develop and implement disaster recovery and business continuity plans to mitigate risks and maintain operational uptime in the event of system failures.
  • Mentor and provide guidance to senior technical staff, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and excellence within the IT team.
  • Research, recommend, develop, and manage plans and budgets for systems development and operations, hardware replacement cycles and software upgrades, hardware, and software purchases.
• Systems management
  • Ensure that proper information protection tools, policies and procedures are in place and working properly at all times.  Partner with all software and systems “owners” in the University and Magnet Schools to support the school’s compliance with all federal and state regulations including FERPA and HIPAA
  • Ensure the consistent performance and long-term viability of systems by creating and maintaining and enforcing standards/procedures for implementing technical solutions
  • Support the University’s and Magnet Schools on-line learning by ensuring that appropriate systems and infrastructure are in place.
  • Manage system lifecycle processes, including planning, deployment, maintenance, and decommissioning, to ensure systems remain current, cost-effective, and aligned with institutional needs.
  • Develop and enforce change management procedures to ensure that system updates, patches, and modifications are conducted in a controlled, predictable, and efficient manner with minimal disruption.
  • Stay current on industry best practices and emerging technologies to make informed recommendations on new systems, software, and technologies that may enhance operational performance.
• Vendor management
  • Effectively assess, select, and manage technical vendors as needed to ensure seamless and cost-effective service delivery for the University and Magnet Schools.
  • Collaborate with external vendors and service providers to ensure third-party systems and services are aligned with University and Magnet Schools’ needs, meet performance expectations, and are compliant with security standards.
• The position has access to sensitive data including payroll, and personal information of students as well as knowledge of the organization’s future technology policies and plans.
• Conducts all work in a safe manner and ensures all work safety practices are followed.

Other Functions: 

• Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation permits.
• Continuing professional development and training; keeps current with trends.
• Assists other department staff as needed to promote a team effort.

Knowledge, Ability and Skill:

• Strong technical knowledge with significant knowledge of application integration and database development, understanding of Helpdesk concept, Web technology, telecommunications, data archiving and retention required.
• Ability to successfully create and maintain a high performing team
• Exceptional skills in communication, influencing/negotiation, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking
• Ability to work effectively with colleagues at all levels of the organization
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret technical information, write technical reports, and present information and respond to technical questions from various sources
• Creativity, foresight, and ability to make quality decisions under pressure 
• Ability to anticipate the needs of the entire organization for considerations such as network speed, disc capacity, computer availability and adaptation to changing technology
• Ability to participate actively in creating, disseminating, and monitoring policies, goals and procedures related to information technology 
• Proven experience in IT budget management and resource allocation to optimize investments in technology and ensure cost-effective solutions.
• Expertise in IT project management, including the ability to manage complex, multi-phase projects, timeliness, and cross-functional teams.
• Ability to assess and manage vendor relationships to ensure that external technology providers meet service level agreements (SLAs) and contribute positively to business goals.
• Proficiency in data analytics and business intelligence tools to inform data-driven decision-making across the organization.
• Demonstrated commitment to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and work in an environment in which all members of the University community are treated with respect and dignity 

Qualifications

Education, Training and Experience:

• 10-15 years of relevant experience in information systems management, with at least 5 years in leadership and supervising professional staff
• Bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field
• Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) preferred
• Experience in both for-profit and non-profit sectors and education industry

Special Requirements:

• None

Physical and Mental Requirements: 

Vision Requirements:

_X_     Close vision (i.e. clear vision at 20 inches or less)

___      Distance vision (i.e. clear vision at 20 feet or more)

___      Color vision (i.e. ability to identify and distinguish colors)

___      Peripheral vision (i.e. ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or

            left and right while the eyes are fixed on a given point)

___      Depth perception (i.e. three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and

            spatial relationships)

___      No special vision requirements

Full-Time Employee Benefits:

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Pet Insurance
• 401k employer match
• Employee & dependent life insurance
• Great tuition benefits for employee, spouse & dependents
• PTO program
• Flexible work schedules / work from home opportunities

(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the university and employee. It is used as a guide for personnel actions and is subject to change by the university as the needs of the university and requirements of the job change.)