JOB DESCRIPTION

POSITION: Director, IT Operations and Support
JOB GOALS: Provides professional, supervisory, administrative and technical work in connection with all Town and School District IT operations. Under general direction of the CIO, plans, directs and manages the activities of major functions of the Department: Service Desk, Data Center Operations, Network and Infrastructure; all other related work as required.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems or related field; 15 years of experience in IT project management and operations; 7-10 years of supervisory responsibility within a related field; or any equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Experience with implementation of complex governmental or non-profit organizations is advantageous but not required. Experience with ERP software required. Munis software is a plus.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY AND SKILL

• Knowledge. Thorough knowledge of contemporary information-technology; understanding of modern techniques of business-systems analysis and consultative skills. Knowledge of mid-range/server Apple and PC-based systems. Thorough knowledge of programming methods and techniques. Knowledge of enterprise-wide network and telecommunications. Considerable knowledge of strategic planning, systems, cybersecurity and project management. Knowledge and experience of IT practices and business process improvement techniques.
• Ability. Ability to establish and maintain effective communication, both written and oral, with all groups of employees, public officials, vendors, citizen groups and committees, and others inside and outside the Town government as required. Ability to evaluate hardware and software options and plan for their future use, including procurement. Ability to work effectively with Town and District policy-makers and managerial employees, including the assessment and resolution of problems and setting of priorities. Ability to facilitate teams and to lead decision-making processes in a collaborative environment. Ability to provide training to employees on a wide variety of computer software and hardware. Ability to effectively manage and supervise personnel and interdepartmental technology committees and work programs. Ability to work with tact and discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Skill. Strong conceptual, analytical, triage and problem solving skills. Extensive group process and process improvement skills. Infrastructure skills that include network architecture, data center and server operations and application maintenance. Project management skills to ensure stakeholder identification and engagement, collection and review of business requirements, implementation of technical standards and handoff from development to support. Desktop computer skills that encompass effective use of productivity and collaboration suites (i.e. Office 365), project management, presentation, email, operating systems, browser software and endpoint protection.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Minimal physical effort required to perform work under typical office conditions, with frequent moderate effort in such tasks as moving and installing computer hardware and related office equipment. Position requires the ability to operate a keyboard for extended periods of time. Position requires the ability to view computer screens for an extended period of time. Position requires the ability to walk around to access Town offices on a regular basis including traversing flights of stairs in various buildings. Position requires fully correctable close vision, color vision and depth perception.
• This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee, and is subject to change by the employer, as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

CONTRACT AND SALARY: $120,000-$135,000

The Arlington Public Schools are committed to creating an inclusive and safe learning and working environment that reflects a diversity of perspectives, values, and experiences. We welcome staff who are aware of the role that bias and prejudice play in society, are creative and willing to try new approaches, and are reflective about their daily practice. We are looking for candidates who welcome a challenge, are eager to collaborate and contribute to the success of students, are ready to engage in two-way partnership with families, and who will contribute their diverse talents to the organization as a whole.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND 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.

• Builds strong working relationships between IT and other departments. Provides vision and leadership to enable the Town and District to meet its goals and objectives. Manages the IT Service Desk, Network Operations and Service Catalog. Oversees scheduling of personnel.
• Consistently and successfully executes projects of varying complexity with department sponsors.
• Provides direction in the area of IT operations including the implementation and maintenance of the enterprise-wide administrative and academic computers, systems software, hosted services and wired and wireless networks of the Town and District.
• Manages business continuity and disaster recovery within the department as well as the recommendation and implementation of new investments within the technology infrastructure.
• Oversees the entire network and system infrastructure ensuring proper configuration, implementation, maintenance, and monitoring of security firewalls, sites/software, servers, data and file encryption, and internet connections.
• Works to ensure consistency and maintainability of existing infrastructure environments through the creation, maintenance, and enforcement of well documented standards and procedures for the implementation of technical solutions.
• Develops annual road maps. Contributes to the annual decision-making process that will produce an IT financial plan, which prioritizes the IT initiatives and incorporates them into the budget process. Assists in the preparation and administration of the department’s operating and capital budgets; performs long-range planning for information technology. Develops and implements plans for implementing, maintaining, retiring and replacing systems in accordance with funding. Prepares reports, plans requests for proposals. Prepares cost-benefit analysis of proposed IT changes and initiatives.
• As directed, works with stakeholders to provide input into IT decisions; provides expertise and input into the IT strategic plan, including annual updates, reviews the annual IT capital plan; and reviews the status of major IT initiatives.
• Enforces security on all computer and network systems throughout the Town and systems that are hosted in Cloud environments.
• Develops and implements policies and practices to improve the use of information technology in the Town and District. Reviews policies and practices to evaluate the level of effectiveness and compliance.
• Reports any possible violations of the Town’s IT Acceptable Use Policy to the CIO and assists in investigations at the direction of the CIO and/or Town Manager. Reviews requests for documents and videos associated with public information requests and subpoenas. Assists in Police investigations where data, access and surveillance information is requested.
• Oversees system operations such as backups, hot and cold starts, diagnostics and trouble-shooting, hosted disaster recovery systems, installation of hardware, and coordination of hardware and software maintenance with vendors.
• Builds a culture of collaboration and problem solving. Establishes and maintains a working environment conducive to trust, positive morale, quality, creativity, and teamwork.
• Performs similar or related work as required, directed or as situation dictates.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Directly supervises 2 employees: Service Desk Manager (with 8 direct reports) and Network Manager. Supports the CIO in supervision of all employees within the Information Technology Department. Regularly supervises and confers with direct reporting staff and contractors; reviews their work, the results achieved, and the associated programs, projects, and activities. Serves as the primary supervisor and backup to network, voice and server system personnel. Coordinates activities with other senior managers across departments to ensure consistency in goals, policies, technical and administrative procedures and management direction.
Manages a dynamic team of consultants/contractors associated with specific projects and ongoing systems maintenance. Responsible for the professional development of staff. Serves as hiring manager for recruitment and retention of direction reports. Responsible for development and promotion of staff as well as performance management and disciplinary actions. Serves as the CIO in their absence.
Work Environment
Work is performed under typical office conditions for an office directly involved with Information Technology. Regularly works outside of normal working hours and is on call on evenings and weekends to respond to after-hours emergencies. Evening meetings, and meetings outside normal working hours with elected and appointed boards is necessary in order to work out priorities and finalize objectives.
Has regular, daily contact with personnel and offices throughout the Town and Schools in answering questions, solving problems, maintaining and supporting applications from vendors, both on site and in the cloud.
Has access to extensive confidential information throughout the Town government.
Errors in administration and judgment could significantly affect the municipality’s ability to deliver services, could have financial and legal repercussions, and could result in deterioration in public relations and confidence.