Director of Technology

La Jolla Country Day School seeks a strategic partner to join the operations team as a director of technology. 

The director of technology is responsible for the technology necessary to facilitate teaching and learning, maintaining/upgrading school infrastructure, and safeguarding the school’s assets. This includes both long-term strategic planning and day-to-day operation support of these items. This individual provides leadership to the technology department and school as a whole. The director of technology is responsible for all aspects of technology management and control.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities  

• Create and maintain an articulated technology plan in coherence with the overall strategic plan that also provides goals and strategies for using technology to improve teaching, as well as a professional development strategy that ensures consistent and effective use of technology throughout the curriculum; 

• Work with the academic divisions to provide faculty with a greater understanding of the skills to appropriately leverage technology into their professional lives. This would include but is not limited to:   

  • Provide perspectives and insights to shape a culture where students have the ability to create, connect and collaborate with a global audience  

  • Inform educators on how to think of ways to teach today's generation to be responsible and ethical lifelong learners of the digital age  

  • Provide programs to both parents and teachers to assist with the prevention of cyberbullying   

• Develop and maintain an Acceptable Use Policy, which is a set of behavioral rules to ensure appropriate student usage of the internet and technology equipment at school.; 

• Coordinate experiences to help the LJCDS community become better prepared digital citizens; 

• Provide leadership, vision, and management to the department    

  • Hold regular departmental meetings to review strategic goals and initiatives, promote team building and work to provide professional growth paths for staff   

  • Supervise the ongoing operations of the Tech support desk providing quality and timely support to school employees concerning hardware and software needs   

  • Provide day-to-day supervision, conduct performance appraisals, and delegate work assignments for all Tech personnel   

  • Assist in recruiting, hiring, and providing appropriate training for Tech support staff    

• Administer the department budget; 

• Serve on appropriate planning and policy-making committees; 

• Create and maintain a long-term strategic plan for school infrastructure; 

• Identify emerging technologies to be assimilated, integrated, and introduced within the school infrastructure; 

• Oversee the development, design, and implementation of new applications and changes to existing computer systems and software packages; 

• Supervise the ordering, acquisition, inventorying, and disposition of hardware and software; 

• Serve as primary contact with outside vendors in the generation of RFPs, bids, contracts, agreements, and other major vendor interactions;  

• Systems Operations and Maintenance   

  • Maintain the integrity and continual operation of the campus network including the inter- and intra-building wiring and wireless networks   

  • Ensure the continual functioning of mission critical operations   

  • Maintain security and privacy of the technology systems, communication lines, and equipment  

  • Develop, review, and certify all backup and disaster recovery procedures and plans   

  • Oversee Tech related aspects of all school construction and renovation projects  

  • Coordinate with operation’s department on selection, physical installation and maintenance of shared technology (e.g., camera, surveillance/DVR, phone, and emergency broadcast systems)   

• Other duties as assigned   

Position Requirements 

The director of technology must possess a bachelor’s degree, and at least seven years of related experience in information systems. A graduate degree and technical certification is highly desirable.  

The director of technology must have significant experience in the field of computing, networking, systems, servers, and support. It is necessary that they have broad relevant technical knowledge coupled with good management expertise, including: documented working experience with mixed Apple and Microsoft Environments, including Microsoft Exchange/Office 365, Windows Server, Active Directory, Virtualization, Student Information Systems, Learning Management Systems, security systems/cyber threat deterrents, and other education applications. Experience with Microsoft windows and Mac configuration, installation, maintenance, support and troubleshooting of modern campus networks supporting, Windows Server/Active Directory, VoIP telephony, desktops, notebooks, BYOD environments and other system configurations; system development, complex project management, knowledge of network hardware, client/server technology, cloud applications, and Internet/intranets.    

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following: a growth mindset, self-motivation, positive energy, strong interpersonal skills, a service-oriented and team approach to work, approachability, openness to new and divergent ideas, excellent oral and written communication skills, and comfort in an educational setting where children and adults are present.