Director of Technology

Description

Position Summary
The Director of Technology (DoT) is responsible for the strategy, management, and execution of KIPP Bay Area Public Schools’ IT infrastructure and technical support. They will manage a six-person team to provide reliable IT services, exceptional customer service, and collaborative tech support for KIPP Bay Area’s Regional Support Office and 15 schools, with over 650 staff and 6,000 students. The DoT will join KIPP’s leadership team during an exciting phase of growth, as we prepare to launch in Stockton and open several more schools in the coming years.

The ideal candidate is entrepreneurial and strategic, possesses proven technical skills, has experience creating a positive culture of customer service and is an excellent project manager, strong executor, and effective communicator. This position is located at our Regional Support Office (RSO) in Oakland, with occasional travel to our school sites throughout the Bay Area – including San Jose, the Peninsula, San Francisco, and the East Bay. The Director of Technology reports to the Managing Director of Operations and Information.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience:

• 2+ years of experience in a senior IT leadership role with people management responsibilities

• 8+ years of relevant experience in IT/technical operations and projects

• Demonstrated business acumen and technical skills across:

  • IT operations, including network management and helpdesk operations management

  • Budgetary management and oversight

  • Contract negotiation

  • Government regulations and compliance

• Experience with GSuite Admin preferred

• Experience in an educational environment preferred

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent experience required

Knowledge/skills required:

• Unquestioned integrity and commitment to KIPP Bay Area Public Schools’ mission and values

• Highly self-aware and reflective, with a commitment to feedback and growth

• Ability to self‐direct, prioritize among competing goals, and exhibit flexibility in a fast‐paced, entrepreneurial environment

• Adept at thinking strategically, translating plans into action, and exhibiting excellent judgment

• Strong results orientation and skilled at analyzing and using data to drive results

• Success leading change initiatives in a complex environment with diverse stakeholders

• Outstanding project management skills and the ability to coordinate and maximize the contributions of others

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Highly resourceful with limited budget and resources

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Lead and manage the regional Technology Department to achieve excellent outcomes

• Own the IT vision, strategy, and planning for KIPP Bay Area Public Schools

• Lead, manage, and develop a six-person team, upholding a high-performing team culture and enabling each person’s professional growth

• Increase efficiency and scale of the technology department and helpdesk operations as we grow to serve more schools, staff, and students

• Set and oversee regional technology and security policies 

Manage infrastructure and services for reliability and cost-effectiveness

• Maintain a stable network infrastructure, encompassing routers, servers, firewalls, network switches, wireless access points and backup power supplies, and project-manage all upgrades, standardizations, and migrations (network support is currently outsourced to a vendor)

• Plan and manage network infrastructure projects for newly constructed facilities and campus moves that occur each summer 

• Negotiate and manage regional contracts with key service providers, like ISPs, phone and copier companies, and our network support vendor

Deliver excellent tech support to our organization

• Ensure all employees and students have the devices, software and digital content programming needed to be effective in their work

• Oversee IT helpdesk (including both remote and on-site support) to ensure high-quality customer service and Service Level Agreement adherence

• Oversee procedures to provide smooth onboarding/offboarding of employees, from equipment to software accounts

• Develop processes and training for schools on technology management, care, and usage

Steward financial resources through strong budget management and procurement

• Oversee the organization’s annual technology budget and related investments

• Determine school-level tech budgets that reflect infrastructure, device, and equipment needs, collaborating with school principals and regional Finance and Real Estate teams

• Oversee procurement of required hardware, software, and services in a cost-effective manner

• Negotiate cost-effective contracts with third-party vendors and service providers

• Manage the organization’s federal E-Rate program, applying for and supervising disbursements for eligible services and infrastructure projects

Other duties as assigned

Physical, Mental and Environmental Demands 

Physical: 
Ability to navigate office and school campuses, and hold meetings in different spaces. Traditionally, much of the day involves sitting. Ability to access and utilize technology. Occasional lifting/carrying of equipment 1-20 lbs. 

Mental:  
Ability to manage the stress of normal work standards, decision making, and deadlines. Critical thinking and mental focus necessary to analyze problems and work with interruptions.

Environmental:
Office environment. Access to reliable transportation for occasional school travel.

Classification
Full-time, exempt position

About KIPP Bay Area Public Schools
We are a thriving nonprofit network of 15 free, public charter schools open to all students. At KIPP, we believe all children should grow up free to create the future they want for themselves and that schools can and should be a critical factor in making that vision a reality. Together with families and communities, we create joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with the skills and confidence to pursue the paths they choose—college, career, and beyond—so they can lead fulfilling lives and build a more just world. 

Our student community consists of over 6,000 elementary, middle, and high school students in East Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco, San Lorenzo, San Jose, and Redwood City. 79% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, 23% are English language learners, and 10% have special needs.  We strive to cultivate a representative team of teachers and leaders that reflect our students’ diversity.

KIPP Bay Area Schools does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin or ancestry, cultural background, religious creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital/registered domestic partner status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, primary language, citizenship or immigration status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws.