Assistant Vice President, Student Experience Engineering

Assistant Vice President, Student Experience Engineering

Platform Engineering US Exempt Regular Full time Stateside Exempt 5.2 Assistant Vice President, Student Experience Engineering Office of the Senior Vice President & Chief Information Officer Exempt, Regular, Full-Time University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) seeks an experienced servant leader as our next Assistant Vice President, Student Experience Engineering (AVP). Reporting to the Vice President, Platform Engineering, this AVP is responsible for leading a team of directors overseeing the engineering, modernization, escalated support, and continuous improvement of user-facing digital experiences across UMGC. This role oversees application engineering teams supporting Student Portal, Chatbot, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, Microsoft productivity solutions, and related digital experience platforms. They also collaborate with Business Relationship Managers, Enterprise Architecture, Domain and Solution Architects, Data, Integrations, Cybersecurity, Quality Management, Release Enablement, IT Operations, and business stakeholders to ensure delivery of secure, scalable, and maintainable solutions that support UMGC priorities and operational excellence. Position is hybrid with 2-3 days/week in office. Relocation to the Maryland/DC/Northern Virginia metro area is required. Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to: Student Experience Engineering Strategy, Digital Experience & Domain Alignment. Partner with enterprise and domain architecture to develop and execute applications strategies and investments across multiple technology domains, initiatives, modernization, and lifecycle plans ensuring alignment with architecture standards, business priorities, cybersecurity requirements, and technology direction. Engineering, User Experience & Solution Delivery. Accountable for high quality, efficient application design, engineering, testing, and escalated support of web, mobile, portal, chatbot, and digital experience solutions while following engineering standards, UX/UI practices, accessibility standards, and delivery methodologies that ensure high-quality, engaging, and reliable user experiences; also responsible for the student experience engineering budget. Management, Operations & Service Excellence. Work with architects to provide guidance on digital experience lifecycle planning, Tier 3 operational support, issue resolution, performance optimization, and continuous improvement activities that ensure application reliability, availability, security, and business continuity objectives are achieved. Engineering Governance & Delivery Performance. Partner with domain architects to establish engineering governance and performance measures while collaborating with Quality Management and Release Enablement teams to support effective testing, usability validation, quality assurance, release readiness, and deployment activities. Business Partnership, Technology Enablement & Vendor Management. Partner with Business Relationship Managers, Enterprise Architecture, Architects, PMO, business leaders, Data, Integrations, Cybersecurity, and IT Operations to understand requirements, evaluate solutions, manage vendor relationships, and deliver technology that enables UMGC objectives and digital initiatives. Leadership, Workforce Development & Organizational Effectiveness. Lead and develop application engineering managers, solution architects, and engineers through workforce planning, talent development, succession planning, coaching, performance management, and organizational leadership practices that strengthen engineering maturity and delivery effectiveness. Technology Policy Advisory. Assist the Information Technology Policy Administrator with UMGC technology policy development and refinement. Incident & Problem Management Leadership. Provide leadership for major incident response, escalation management, and operational resilience. Oversee on-call readiness and coverage for critical off-hours support, and drive post-incident reviews, root cause analysis, problem management, and continuous service improvement.

Required education & experience: A demonstrated ability to get things done and deliver results. An earned Bachelor’s degree in from an accredited institution of higher learning in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience; at least 10 years of progressive experience in software engineering, application development, digital platforms, systems integration, or related technology disciplines, including at least seven (7) years of leadership experience managing engineering or technology delivery teams; demonstrated experience leading enterprise application portfolios, digital transformation and modernization initiatives using Agile, DevOps, CI/CD, and modern software delivery practices; hands‑on experience managing enterprise, cloud, low‑code/no‑code, and open‑source platforms, including the adoption of AI‑enabled engineering tools and practices; proven ability to collaborate with architecture, cybersecurity, data, operations, and business stakeholders to deliver secure, scalable, reliable and accessible technology solutions; deep experience in application lifecycle management, engineering governance, vendor management, service operations, incident and problem management, budget oversight, strategic planning, talent development, and continuous improvement, with excellent leadership, communication, and problem‑solving skills; as well as echo‑functional experience on engagement platforms in a higher education workplace. Preferred education & experience: An earned Master’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning in information technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Software Engineering, Business, or a related field; progressive leadership experience directing digital experience engineering, enterprise applications, product engineering, or software development organizations, preferably within higher education or similarly complex customer‑facing environments; experience implementing, supporting, and modernizing solutions across Salesforce, Microsoft platforms, contact center technologies, related enterprise applications, including leadership of engineering teams supporting Next.js, Salesforce Sales Cloud, Salesforce Marketing Cloud, chatbot, Omnichannel communication, digital engagement platforms; experience leading cloud transformation, enterprise modernization, platform consolidation, and cross‑application integration initiatives, with knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks and practices such as TOGAF. Professional certifications such as PMP, CBAP, TOGAF, SAFe, Agile, Lean Six Sigma, ITIL, or related credentials are desirable.

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. UMGC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, ancestry, political affiliation or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions. Workplace Accommodations: The University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus (UMGC) is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive working environment for people of all abilities. UMGC is dedicated to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, based on disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be subjected to discrimination. For information about UMGC’s Reasonable Workplace Accommodation Policy or to request an accommodation, applicants/candidates can contact Employee Accommodations via email at employee‑View email address on click.appcast.io.

Benefits Package Highlights

Generous Time Off: Enjoy 22 days of paid vacation, 15 days of sick leave, 3 personal days, and 16 paid holidays (17 during general election years).

For part‑time employees, time off rates will be prorated based on the number of hours worked.

Comprehensive Health Coverage: Access to health care, medical with vision, dental, and prescription plans for both individuals and families, effective from the 1st of the month following your hire date.

Insurance Options: Term Life Insurance, Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance, and Long‑Term Disability (LTD) Insurance. Part‑time employees working less than 0.5 FTE are not eligible for LTD.

Flexible Spending Accounts: Available for medical and dependent care expenses.

Retirement Plans: Choose between the Optional Retirement Program (ORP) or the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (MSRPS).

Supplemental Retirement Plans: include 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), and various Roth options. The university does not provide matching funds.

Tuition Remission: Immediate availability for Regular Exempt Staff. Spouses and dependent children are eligible for undergraduate tuition remission after two years of service.

NOTE: For part‑time employees (at least 50 percent of the time), tuition remission benefits are prorated.

Hiring Range

$225,000.00 - $235,000.00

UMGC is not just a great place to learn. It’s also a great place to work. The university offers an array of career options, along with ample opportunities for growth and advancement. Explore the broad range of faculty and staff positions and become a member of the UMGC community.