The Executive Director of IT Services serves as the primary on-site, working technology leader dedicated to a single higher education client within a Managed Services delivery model. Working directly with our client’s Chief Information Officer (CIO), this role provides hands-on operational leadership, coordination, and operational oversight of enterprise applications and infrastructure services, with a particular emphasis on Enterprise Applications and Ellucian Colleagueâ„¢ ERP environments. Â
This position functions as both a strategic partner and an active, day-to-day operational leader, serving as the primary Managed Services leader on campus. The Executive Director ensures technology services are aligned with institutional priorities, while also providing direct leadership, direction, and escalation support to enterprise applications teams, particularly those supporting Colleague, and actively interfacing with the CampusWorks Centers of Excellence and Client Success teams and broader campus community.  Â
The ideal candidate is a collaborative and service-oriented IT leader with strong Enterprise Applications leadership experience, deep knowledge of Ellucian Colleagueâ„¢ ERP, and the ability to lead by doing in a complex higher education technology and managed services provider environments.Â
Essential Job Duties:
• Architect, configure, and deploy network equipment such as switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless controllers (Cisco, Meraki, Palo Alto).
• Implement network segmentation and VLANs, ensuring efficient traffic flow, security, and scalability tailored to client-specific needs.
• Establish high-performance routing and switching, focusing on maintaining secure connections for remote access solutions like VPNs and SD-WAN technologies.
• Build and maintain virtualized environments using VMware, Hyper-V, and cloud-based solutions (Azure, AWS). Ensure virtual server performance aligns with operational and client requirements.
• Conduct regular system updates, patching, and performance tuning of Windows and Linux servers to ensure reliability, compliance, and security across all managed services.
• Utilize monitoring tools (e.g., Connectwise, SolarWinds, Nagios, Whatsup Gold, Zabbix) to oversee network health, optimize bandwidth usage, and detect anomalies. Set up proactive alerts and automated incident response protocols.
• Leverage data analytics to evaluate performance metrics, identify areas of improvement, and implement solutions that enhance system uptime and user experience.
• Implement and manage firewall policies, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and web filtering to safeguard network integrity and comply with regulatory standards such as FERPA, GLBA, and SOC II.
• Perform vulnerability scans, security audits, and incident response forensics, ensuring quick identification, containment, and remediation of threats.
• Design and implement storage solutions and disaster recovery plans, including SAN/NAS setup, backup routines, and regular testing of data recovery processes.
• Automate backup schedules, verifying data integrity, and configuring failover strategies to meet business continuity objectives.
• Develop and maintain detailed documentation for all network and system configurations, standard operating procedures, and security practices.
Leadership & Staff Development
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and operational direction to assigned technical staff and service delivery resources.
• Foster a collaborative and customer-focused team environment.
• Support staffing coordination, resource planning, and workload prioritization activities.
• Assist with employee performance management, coaching, and professional development efforts.
• Encourage continuous improvement, operational accountability, and knowledge sharing.
Additional Responsibilities:
• Lead training sessions for junior engineers and support staff, providing technical knowledge and hands-on guidance to ensure effective knowledge sharing and continuity.
• Occasional travel to clients sites, as needed.
• Other duties, as assigned.
Required Skills/Abilities:
• In-depth knowledge of network hardware and software, with hands-on experience in configuration and management.
• Advanced expertise in firewall configurations, including setup, monitoring, and optimization for security and performance.
• Proficiency with cloud platforms, specifically Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS), including deployment, management, and troubleshooting.
• Strong background in virtualization technologies, with experience in creating, managing, and scaling virtual environments to support organizational needs.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze complex technical issues and develop effective, scalable solutions.
• Strong troubleshooting skills with a focus on identifying root causes and implementing preventive measures.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively across departments, with an emphasis on aligning infrastructure solutions with business objectives.
• Commitment to delivering high-quality technical solutions that meet client needs and enhance user experiences.
• Adaptability to changing client requirements and industry standards.
• Enthusiasm for staying updated on emerging technologies and best practices in infrastructure engineering.
• Strong commitment to technical excellence and a proactive approach to self-improvement and knowledge-sharing within the team.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent work experience.
• Relevant certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, CISSP, VMware VCP, or equivalent experience with multi-vendor environments.
• 5 years of experience in a senior infrastructure engineering role with a hands-on focus on network and systems administration.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience within a managed services environment.
• Experience working in higher education.
What You Can Expect from Us
At CampusWorks, we don't just help our clients succeed; we help our employees succeed. Competitive pay, robust benefits for full-time employees, and professional development opportunities are a few of the many reasons that CampusWorks is a great place to build your career.
Our employees enjoy:
Meaningful work. Our employees often tell us that their work gives them a sense of purpose because it makes a difference in the lives of students and educators. CampusWorks Inc., as a large consulting firm, provides its employees with an opportunity to work both onsite and remotely with our clients across the United States and in Canada. With the nature of our clients’ work evolving quickly, we’re all being asked to support larger CampusWorks initiatives. Upon joining CampusWorks in a consulting role, your talent and expertise may be applied to a range of projects, assignments, and clients.Â
A CEO who cares. Chairman and CEO Liz Murphy has made it her mission to create a culture that appreciates and takes good care of its people. As a result, being an employee of CampusWorks feels like being a member of a big family.
A virtual and onsite workplace. In an effort to reduce our environmental footprint, CampusWorks became a virtual company in 2012. As such, our team members are located across the U.S. and Canada, where they work from their home offices and at client sites.
Flexibility. We value work-life balance because we know that happy employees create happy customers. That's why CampusWorks offers both full-time and part-time 1099 consulting career opportunities to fit life's unique demands.
A company that gives back. Every year CampusWorks proudly supports numerous charitable fundraising initiatives that align with our vision to make higher education accessible to everyone.
 At CampusWorks, we value the unique backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives each CampusWorker (we call ourselves CampusWorkers) brings to our workplace each day. We believe everyone deserves a fair shot at success and appreciate the experiences each person brings beyond the traditional job requirements. If you are passionate about higher education and creating Happy Campuses, let's talk! If you’re a close but not exact match with the description, we hope you’ll still consider applying. Â
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About CampusWorks
Founded in 1999, CampusWorks is dedicated to helping higher education overcome business and technological challenges that stand in the way of student success and completion. We work with community colleges, technical colleges, four-year public and private institutions, multi-college districts, and statewide higher education systems to tackle problems big and small. Our services are rooted in systems thinking and reach across the institution—from Student Services to Human Resources to Finance to Academics—to achieve transformative results.
Want to learn more about life at CampusWorks? Visit [Upgrade to PRO to see link] to see how we empower Higher Education to reach its full potential
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