Director of Technology

Washington Unified School District serves an ethnically diverse and growing population of approximately 7,900 students, with a staff of 400 certificated employees and 350 classified employees. The district currently operates seven elementary schools (six K-8 schools and one Transitional Kindergarten-5 school), a comprehensive high school, an alternative high school, an independent study program, and an adult education program.

The mission of the Technology department is to provide the highest quality technology-based services, including instructional and informational technology, in the most cost-effective and efficient manner with the purpose to support students, teachers, and staff as it relates to the teaching, learning, and management of the Washington Unified School District.

We are looking for talented senior leaders to help bring this vision to reality. Together, we can realize our district mission of providing the highest quality education to enable all students to make positive life choices, strengthen our community, and successfully participate in a diverse and global society.

OPPORTUNITY AND CHARGE

Technology is a critical component of Washington Unified School District's vision. The District seeks a Director of Technology. The Director will play a leadership role in developing the technological vision, infrastructure, policies, and practices required to support WUSD's ambitious plan. He or she will be primarily responsible to make the Board of Education's (BOE) and Superintendent's commitment to using IT effectively and efficiently in an integrated manner for both instructional and administrative functions.

Reporting to the Chief Business Official, the Director will work cross-functionally as an organizational leader in collaboration with the other members of the District's leadership team, and will own all aspects of district Information Technology (IT) systems. He or she will also oversee a current team of 13, managing these team members toward their goals, coaching and developing them as professionals, and building overall team capacity moving forward.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy and Planning

• Through a collaborative process, plan, develop, direct, coordinate, and maintain a comprehensive IT short and long term plan for infrastructure, architecture, telecommunications, and instructional and administrative programming.

• Develop and present proposals for the spending of district operating, capital, and bond fund budgets for technology with a focus on cost-saving and maximizing resources.

• Convert program and IT system requirements into written plans and create visual diagrams to illustrate IT system designs and architecture.

Reporting

• Compile and prepare accurate statistical reports, studies, project plans, business correspondence, procedure manuals and presentations for all IT and information systems related topics. 

Leadership

• Participate as a member of Leadership providing oversight and management of all aspects of the district.

• Serve as principal advisor in developing and recommending sound IT management plans and practices to Executive Staff.

• Expand the IT capabilities of the management team to support efficient and timely access to information through a user-friendly school system data warehouse.

• Provide support for technology and personalized learning initiatives throughout the district.

• Supervise and evaluate the all technology staff.

Management

• Coordinate and monitor small and large scale programs throughout the district.

• Direct the daily operation of assigned teams and units to ensure efficient operations.

• Maximize financial resources when managing IT hardware and software assets, which includes cost life cycles, budget projections, short term and long term goals and asset capabilities

• Monitor operational functions including IT purchases, systems implementation, information security, technical support, hardware repair, application deployment, etc.

• Maintain adequate network security measures to secure the infrastructure while enabling greater use of the IT investments to benefit both internal and external users.

• Develop and maintain IT access and standards to ensure all users (staff, students, parents, etc.) can effectively and efficiently utilize available tools and conduct district business as needed.

Relationships

• Manage outside relationships with vendors, outsourcing contractors, and community partners.

• Maintain close working relationships with IT officials from other government agencies including Yolo County and the California Department of Education, as well as other school districts and stakeholders to gather and propose recommendations for system improvements.

• Interact with students, parents, teachers, staff, management team, community organizations, other government agencies and internal/external stakeholders to address IT training needs, concerns, questions and matters in an efficient and professional manner.

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

Mindsets

• Values champion. Motivated by the overall vision and values of the organization, and a champion of diversity, equity and inclusiveness. Committed to building teams, strategies and systems, that live out these values. Advocate for technology that serves the needs of teachers and students.

• Strong manager and leader. Able to keep self and team focused on driving toward the larger organizational vision and mission -- setting ambitious goals, and aligning, empowering and coaching team members to work collaboratively toward exceptional outcomes

• Team builder. Focused on attracting, building, and retaining top talent, with a strong orientation toward providing continuous professional development. Has an exceptional capacity for managing and leading people across multiple functions -- and the ability to connect with colleagues, students, and the public from a wide range of backgrounds, treating team and community members with respect, regardless of level, background, or role

• Effective strategist and problem solver. Able to think critically in order to develop strong strategies and make excellent decisions through a combination of data analysis, judgment and experience. Exercises initiative and pro-actively anticipates potential challenges to identify sound and creative solutions, and especially when facing ambiguity

• Systems thinker. Can quickly assess root causes and see how multiple work streams fit together into a seamless operation. When facing a large issue, instinct is to break it down into manageable pieces to determine the most efficient and effective solution -- and then prioritize against competing project needs and budget constraints in order to execute effectively

• Influencer. Can use a combination of active listening and questioning to understand motivations and barriers, and engage others to ensure that all voices are heard in the decision-making process. Able to convey complex and difficult concepts to a wide variety of audiences, and can motivate and influence effectively without having direct managerial control

Knowledge Base

• Evolving K–12 technology available to meet the needs of students and all stakeholders

• IT and IT management with a strong business orientation

• Technology, business and educational processes and their interconnectivity with the district deployment strategy

• Complex techniques of data analysis and report preparation for Cabinet, BOE and the public

• E-rate funding

• RFP and RFQ processes and preparation

Skills

• Identify, read, understand, analyze, and interpret complex technology publications, business periodicals, governmental laws, rules and regulations.

• Communicate professionally, positively, effectively, orally and in writing in English, with all internal and external stakeholders for presentations, meetings, workshops, etc.

• Utilize modern office hardware and software to effectively communicate and complete work tasks

Education

• Bachelor’s degree (Master’s preferred) from an accredited college or university with an emphasis on business administration, engineering, computer science, public or educational administration, or a closely related field.

Experience

• Considerable experience in the development and administration of management analysis, budget, planning, and IT management in diverse organizations of comparable size, ideally in a K-12 academic setting.

• Demonstrated contract and vendor management and entrepreneurial activities.

• Demonstrated experience in supervision and program oversight including developing, supporting, and evaluating staff and presenting workshops.

• Demonstrated high level of customer service with internal and external stakeholders.

Licenses or Certificates Needed

• Possession of a valid California Driver’s License. Candidates must provide (and maintain) official motor vehicle driving record, and proof of compliance with district safe driving standards. Failure to provide or to meet this requirement will result in disqualification regardless of any other qualification.

• Use of a personal automobile is required in the performance of the work.

PHYSICAL EFFORT / WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Environment:

• Indoor / outdoor environment (i.e. offices, classrooms, auditoriums, etc.)

• Office setting with phones, computer work, customer contact, drop-ins and other communications.

• Variable hours, including evenings and weekends.

Physical Abilities:

Employees in this position must have/be able to:

• Observe safe lifting and carrying practices.

• Walk, climb, stand, stoop, lift and carry sufficient to perform tasks.

• Hear and understand speech at normal levels and on the telephone with/without assistive devices.

• See, hear and speak with/without assistive devices sufficient to communicate effectively with others.

• Bend at the waist.

• Reach overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally; grasp.

• Sit for extended periods of time with intermittent walking.

• Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate office equipment.

• Drive and travel to various work and school sites.