Information Technology Director - West Hartford Public Schools

Information Technology Director - West Hartford Public Schools. Description: Under the general direction of the Superintendent of Schools and Town Manager, and in consultation with school administrators and department directors, provide organization-wide vision, leadership and management in all areas of information technology for the Town of West Hartford and West Hartford Public Schools. Essential Job Functions: Responsible for the overall planning, coordination and management of information technology strategies and initiatives in support of the operational missions and objectives of the Town of West Hartford and West Hartford Public Schools. Develop organizational technology strategies by consulting with the user community, investigating and understanding informational and operational requirements and establishing new technology goals and objectives in line with organizational objectives. Develop and implement technology solutions by assembling staff, vendor and service resources to evaluate, design, test, install, and maintain hardware, applications and systems software, and networks. Work closely with Town and School leaders to understand the user communities' system requirements and ensure that the technical direction is consistent across projects. Provide cost effective and secure computer systems and services to meet Town and School needs. Improve availability, accuracy and eliminate redundancy of existing data and information from disparate systems. Organize and manage Town-wide network infrastructure to support and guide individual departments/sites in computing and information technology efforts. Devise, promulgate and enforce information technology policies and standards for Town and School departments. Establish policies and controls to coordinate and support the implementation of hardware and software consistent with established standards. Support and promote continuous improvement efforts to enhance performance and provide increased functionality. Evaluate prototypes and recommend applicable tools and technologies. Review and approve all contracts for computing and information technology software, services and equipment. Coordinate and manage the development, evaluation and implementation of all back-up and disaster recovery procedures and business continuity plans. Develop, recommend and defend departmental budget and capital improvement requests for the Town Manager, Superintendent of Schools, and the Budget & Finance Committee; authorize and expend funds consistent with town policies and procedures; monitor budgets to ensure compliance within approved levels and take action as required. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with vendors to maximize return on investment and performance of installed solutions. Ensure employees receive timely training and support from information technology staff and vendors. Ensure compliance with all applicable Federal and State privacy and public records laws. Ability to recognize Town-wide priorities and work cooperatively to support their accomplishment as part of the Town Manager's and Superintendent's management teams. Knowledge of continuous quality improvement policies and techniques. Ensure the availability of network resources on a 24/7 basis and effectively trouble shoot network problems in a timely manner. Demonstrated expertise in various technologies including: client/server and Web security, Web servers, browsers, various third-party utilities and tools for integrating applications with databases and legacy systems; LAN and WAN networking including Fiber Optics, Broadband, TCP/IP, routers, switchers, load balancers and firewalls. Ability to establish a high level of user confidence. Strong analytical and conceptual skills; ability to create original concepts/theories for various projects. Must have managed full life cycle from point of inception, analysis, Development, QA, implementation and acceptance. Ability to quickly learn and understand custom software programs. Prior experience managing a service provider organization with a strong track record in software and network architecture and technology innovation in software applications. Experience with project management of infrastructure initiatives, business case analysis, network architecture development, and network design. Ability to work independently, retain flexibility and maintain composure under pressure. Proven experience in maintaining project schedules, documentation, communications, and meeting deadlines. Strong commitment to professional development as it relates to knowledge of emerging information technology's "best practices" and standards. Supervisor Responsibility: Supervise Town and School technology staff (15). Job Environment: Work is performed primarily in a business office setting subject to continuous interruptions and background noise. Works independently with minimal supervision. Position requires an ability to frequently move throughout town and school facilities and travel to off-site locations for regular inspection of buildings and attendance at meetings. Must be able to work under stress from demanding deadlines and changing priorities and conditions. Manages and coordinates multiple priorities adhering to established time frames and performance standards. Attends to tasks/functions for more than thirty (30) minutes at a time. Attendance and participation required at occasional extended night meetings outside the normal business workday. Minimum Qualifications: Successful candidates will have a Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree preferred, in information systems, computer science, business administration, or Master's in Educational Technology, and/or comparable work experience in information systems, information technology oreducational technology. Seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in information technology involving systems planning, management operations, training, network operations and procurement. Five (5) years of supervisory experience in similar management positions within the public or private sector. Valid driver's license required. Get more information and apply online.