Assistant Director of IT

Founded in 1961, Sandy Spring Friends School  (SSFS) is a coeducational, college-preparatory day and boarding school for students in grades PK-12.  The School provides a challenging liberal arts education, grounded in Quaker values, where all students and faculty are valued and supported in their identity including their gender, age, race, religion, ethnic origin, and sexual orientation.  We are located approximately 15 minutes from either the Shady Grove or Glenmont Metro stops northwest of Washington, D.C. and midway to Baltimore in historic Sandy Spring, Maryland. Students and faculty are attracted to the School because of its 140-acre bucolic campus, a strong sense of community, and excellent academic reputation. SSFS has approximately 170 Middle  School students and 690 students in all grades. 

Philosophically, we are rooted in the idea that collaboration engenders achievement. This notion can be traced to our Quaker heritage and abiding belief in the Quaker values of simplicity, equality, honesty, stewardship of the environment, and peaceful resolution of conflict. Our belief that there is that of God in everyone – along with the continuous quest to seek the truth – is central to the understanding that diversity of thought, identity and experience is essential to academic excellence, personal growth, and spiritual development. 

Our teachers are lifelong mentors and strive to identify and cultivate each student’s intellectual, extracurricular, and social passions. In doing so, we help shape students whose actions speak volumes and whose lives become exemplars – not only among their peers and families today, but also in their personal, educational, and professional communities long after high school. Our students are taught to act upon what they learn. This call to action propels their accomplishments as graduates, in college, and beyond.

Our School is committed to fostering a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, administrators, trustees, and families who accept, appreciate and respect each individual’s uniqueness. We define ourselves as a community offering some housing opportunities and welcoming of faculty and staff applying for admission for their children. 

Sandy Spring Friends School is approved by the Maryland State Board of Education and accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland Schools. 

Immediate: Assistant Director of IT, Full-time, Exempt, 12 month

Summary:  The Assistant Director of Information Technology helps manage information technology services in support of learning and administration at Sandy Spring Friends School. The Assistant Director manages certain software systems, provisions and deploys laptops, provides direct support to users, and helps ensure continuity of IT services. The Assistant Director may have the opportunity to teach technology-related classes or courses. We seek an aspiring technology leader, excited by the possibility of collaboratively managing the diverse technology needs of an independent school. The position reports to the Director of Information Technology and will partner with the Director to proactively identify and improve the use of technology throughout the school’s operational areas. This position works normal school hours and occasional evening or weekend hours. This is a full-time 12 month exempt position.
 

Essential Job Functions:

• Help nurture and grow the skills of a collaborative five-person IT department focused on outstanding customer service.

• Collaborate with IT and IG teams implementing IT processes for effectiveness, security, and redundancy, resulting in robust productivity for end-users.

• In a continuous cycle, seek out and proactively move forward improvements to the quality of IT services, customer service, and operational efficiency of teachers, staff, and students.

• Support the administrative needs of the IT department, including reconciling purchase orders with invoices, and managing IT equipment inventory.

• Support students, faculty, and staff with Tier 1 support needs. Display a passionate commitment to the rapid resolution of all incoming Tech Support requests

• Provide training and support on demand for a variety of software to staff and administrators.

• Configure and deploy all computers designated for faculty and staff.

• Manage ID badge printing and building door-access system for all users.

• Manage additional IT systems including Windows MDM and deployment server, PaperCut print server, Mitel phone server, Ricoh photocopier scanners.

• Regularly review system logs and alerts to interpret events needing remediation.

• Support audio-visual needs of various school events including occasional evening or weekend events, both virtual and in-person.

• Manage the IT department calendar, including audio-visual event coverage assignments.

• Create and maintain detailed documentation for various IT software and hardware systems, including screencasts for end users.

• Assist in configuring network switches and servers.

• Install data and AV cabling; install projection and AV equipment.

• Other duties as assigned.

Physical Requirements:

Daily desk work, including significant amounts of telephone and computer time as well as mobility around the entire campus. This includes frequent walking as well as managing stairs as a part of daily routines and response to technology support requests. Lifting, carrying, and positioning computer equipment such as printers, computers, projectors, and peripheral devices.

Desired Knowledge and Skill Set:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Technology, Education, or a related, relevant area.

• Experience with information systems management in a school setting.

• Experience teaching students and supporting teachers at the K-12 level.

• Experience with Active Directory, PowerShell, Windows servers, Veracross, Canvas, Mac OS, iOS, Google Workspace, Linux, FileMaker, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Intune.

• Experience deploying and managing both Windows and Apple devices, scripting, group policy, databases and database administration.

• Knowledge of wireless controllers, network switches, and LAN/WAN topology.

• Experience creating and maintaining user-friendly documentation for complex systems.

• Experience with audio visual equipment including microphones and projection systems.

• Ability to work independently and prioritize complex project-oriented work.

• Ability to efficiently troubleshoot and resolve complex technology issues in a high-paced environment.

• Proclivity to move projects and issues towards rapid solutions by proactively identifying and solving problems.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, organization, attention to detail, and desire to meet or exceed deadlines.

• Ability to communicate concise, meaningful, timely information to a variety of audiences.

• Willingness to pitch in wherever needed, take responsibility, and lead by example.

Commitment to Diversity: Sandy Spring Friends School embraces the Quaker testimony of Equality and seeks applicants who represent all backgrounds and demonstrate a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We greatly value our diverse student population with 42% of students self-identifying as people of color and 89 international students representing 21 different countries. We actively seek faculty representative of our students’ diversity. Click to learn more about diversity at Sandy Spring Friends School. Special consideration may be given to members of The Religious Society of Friends.

Sandy Spring Friends School educates students for a global world and welcomes, without discrimination, faculty and staff representative of all backgrounds including race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or a person's status as a qualified candidate with a disability.