Director of Infrastructure Operations

Employment Status: Administrative Description of Key Responsibility Strategic & Architectural Leadership Partner with the CIO and peer IT leaders to define and execute the college's infrastructure strategy, including network, data center, cloud, and identity services, in support of the institutional mission and strategic plan. Drive the evolution of a modern, hybrid infrastructure architecture that appropriately leverages on‑premises, cloud, and managed services to improve agility, resilience, and cost‑effectiveness. Translate campus needs into infrastructure roadmaps, standards, and reference architectures, in collaboration with enterprise applications, academic technology, and security teams. Infrastructure Operations & Service Management Oversee the design, operation, and lifecycle management of enterprise infrastructure services, including campus network (wired and wireless), firewalls, data center and virtualized compute, storage and backup, identity and access management platforms, endpoints, and telephony systems. Ensure high availability, reliability, performance, and scalability of infrastructure services through robust monitoring, capacity planning, lifecycle management, and vendor support models. Establish and mature IT service management practices (e.g., incident, problem, change, configuration, and release management). Lead major incident response and communications for infrastructure issues, ensuring timely escalation, root‑cause analysis, and implementation of corrective actions. Oversee disaster recovery and business continuity planning for infrastructure services, including documentation, testing, and alignment with institutional continuity plans. Security, Risk, and Compliance Collaborate closely with external cybersecurity partners to implement and maintain security controls across infrastructure services, including network segmentation, access controls, patching, vulnerability management, and logging/monitoring. Ensure infrastructure operations comply with relevant policies, standards, and regulatory requirements (e.g., FERPA, GLBA, data privacy, etc.), and contribute to risk assessments and audits as needed. Promote security-by-design principles in all infrastructure projects and changes, balancing risk reduction with usability and performance. Team Leadership & Culture Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse team of infrastructure professionals, including managers, engineers, and administrators across network, systems, endpoints, cloud, identity, and telephony domains. Champion use of data, automation, and AI to improve efficiency and team capabilities. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, reliability, and service excellence aligned with the college's values and the needs of faculty, staff, and students. Set clear goals and expectations, provide regular feedback and coaching, and conduct performance evaluations and professional development planning. Manage and develop professional competencies alongside IT skills. Governance, Budget, and Vendor Management Work with ITS leadership to create and manage the infrastructure operations budget, including forecasting, cost optimization, and alignment with institutional financial priorities. Participate in IT governance processes and committees, providing expert input on infrastructure impacts, risks, and opportunities for proposed initiatives. Oversee vendor and service provider relationships related to infrastructure, including RFPs, contracts, and performance management, to ensure value, reliability, and alignment with institutional standards. Establish and maintain infrastructure standards, policies, and procedures to promote consistency, maintainability, and compliance across campus. Campus & Stakeholder Engagement Work collaboratively with academic and administrative units to understand their needs and ensure infrastructure services effectively support teaching, learning, student success, and campus operations. Communicate complex technical concepts and decisions in clear, accessible language for non‑technical stakeholders and governance bodies. Education/Training Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and directly related experience. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in Information Technology, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline. Experience Minimum Qualifications Eight (8) or more years of progressive experience in enterprise infrastructure operations (e.g., network, systems, cloud, and/or data center), with at least three (3) years in a supervisory or management role leading technical teams. Demonstrated experience operating and supporting complex, mission-critical infrastructure environments with high availability, security, and performance requirements. Project and portfolio management experience leading multiple complex infrastructure projects Strong hands‑on knowledge across at least one infrastructure domain, such as enterprise networking, virtualization, storage/backup, identity, access management, cybersecurity, and/or cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP). Proven ability to lead and develop technical staff, manage multiple concurrent initiatives, and make sound decisions under pressure. Preferred Qualifications Experience in higher education IT Experience implementing and using IT service management frameworks (e.g., ITIL) and tools to manage incidents, changes, problems, and service levels. Experience and/or deep knowledge in two or more infrastructure domains – enterprise networking, virtualization, storage/backup, identity, access management, cybersecurity, and/or cloud platforms e.g., Azure, AWS, GCP Experience with implementing AI with infrastructure automation Licenses or Certifications Relevant industry certifications, such as PMP, ITIL, CISSP, CCNA/CCNP/CCIE, Azure, AWS Solutions Architect, or similar infrastructure, security, or cloud credentials. Position Summary The Director of Infrastructure Services provides strategic and operational leadership for the College's core technology infrastructure, ensuring that foundational IT services are reliable, secure, cost‑effective, and aligned with institutional priorities. This role oversees the day‑to‑day operations and continuous improvement of on-premises and cloud infrastructure, including network, identity, compute, storage, telephony, and related platforms that support teaching, learning, research, and administrative functions. The Director leads a high‑performing team of IT professionals, partners closely with information security, applications, and other campus stakeholders, and contributes to the College's technology roadmap and digital transformation initiatives. #J-18808-Ljbffr North Central College - Naperville's University