Current Postings

University of Rochester
University Information Technology Director of Networking and Communications

Job Description
August, 2010

Overview
The University of Rochester (UR) is recruiting an experienced leader to oversee the Institution’s networking and communications. This Director level position reports to the Vice Provost/Chief Information Officer (VP/CIO), along with other Directors on the University IT leadership team. With guidance from the VP/CIO, the Director will be accountable for leading the University’s networking and communications organization and operations to best meet the needs of our growing institution. Responsibilities will include developing, proposing and implementing plans and policy for current and future communication services and managing the multi-million dollar annual budget. This position also provides leadership to plan, develop and implement telecommunications and networking systems, in collaboration with University colleagues, that meet the evolving needs of a world-class research University with an academic Medical Center. The Director has broad responsibility for university telecommunications and networking vendor relations, contract development, management and regulatory monitoring.

As part of the University’s strategic planning efforts, the successful candidate will work collaboratively with the distributed University community to ensure that networking and communications staff understand, and are responsive to, the evolving institution needs, including growing needs for further mobility and security. Responsibilities include assessing systems and networks for criticality levels and developing strategies to promote efficiencies, reduce risk, maximize system availability and allow for business continuity in a 24x7x365 environment.

The Director will lead multi-year planning efforts for networking and communications, building in the capability for flexibility to accommodate new initiatives as they arise. In addition, the successful candidate will recommend enterprise-wide networking and communications policies and practices.

• Fosters an environment that is service focused, embraces the University IT values and recognizes team member contributions within the IT organization as well as across the University.
• With the networking and communications team, develops professional development plans to allow staff to best meet the evolving needs of the institution and grow as IT professionals. Assures that staff is aware of the University’s mission and University IT priorities.
• Provides leadership and mentorship to a team that welcomes, encourages and supports individuals who desire to contribute and benefit from the various missions of the University by recruiting and including diverse perspectives in all aspects of the organization’s operations.

• With the VP/CIO, other IT leadership, networking and communications teams and University community works with external subject matter experts, and vendors to establish technology direction and strategies in alignment with institution goals.
• Advances the IT Strategic Plan.
• Benchmarks peers, keeps abreast of IT market trends related to networking and communications

• Directs network and voice systems engineering, implementation, administration and operations processes. Supervises, coordinates and evaluates the work of networking and communications management and staff to ensure appropriate performance and availability of network.
• With other UR leaders, ensures the implementation of features and products to provide appropriate controls over University communication systems and networks.
• Manages department budgets and resources in coordination with the VP/CIO and University IT Finance Team. Oversees the day to day operations and financial oversight of specific information technology systems, and services including, but not limited to, digital communication devices such as collaborative tools and mobile devices, campus networking, wireless communication, telephony, directory, and operator services.
• Provides advice, guidance, and assistance to University staff and faculty on networking and communications. Serves as the University authority on emerging technologies related to networking and communications.
• Recommends University policies and procedures related to management of networking and communications. Informs the community about best practices.
• Leads the updating of the University networking and communications business continuity policies, plans, and procedures.
• Represents the University as an information technology leader as appropriate, at local, state, and national levels regarding information technology as it applies to higher education and healthcare. Participates in next generation data networks to support advanced research and education. This includes representing UR in collaborative efforts to promote voice, data, video and audio streams.
• Participates in special projects as assigned by the VP/CIO.

• Establishes goals and objectives in coordination with the VP/CIO and various University advisory councils. Maintains a collaborative relationship with faculty staff and students across the University, including academic and medical information technology and facilities teams to manage priorities, allocate resources efficiently, and ensure solutions are architected for the institution and that a constituent focus is maintained.

The position requires strong analytic skills and the ability to assess and express tradeoffs between control and risk as it applies to higher education and healthcare environments. It requires the ability to communicate effectively with diverse constituencies. The successful candidate must be result-oriented and measure and document progress achieved.

Minimum requirements include:

• Excellent communication skills, demonstrated ability to successfully interface at all University levels, including executive or board level.
• Strong commitment to customer service.
• Demonstrated ability to develop information strategy for large, decentralized organizations and to make standards-based networking and communications recommendations and facilitate implementation
• Excellent management and general leadership skills, including coaching and facilitation.
• High level of integrity and excellent judgment concerning networking and communications processes and procedures.
• Ability to work with academic and business units to understand their needs in the context of networking and communications services, make recommendations and document the business case for change where needed.
• Ability to understand and implement cultural change related to technology with an awareness that developing new IT practices involves both technology and people.
• Demonstrated team performance and change management skills.
• Bachelors degree in information systems or related disciplines. Master's degree in business, MIS or computer science preferred.
• Ten years of progressive IT-related work experience in information systems with a focus on networking and communications or related areas, preferably in a complex, higher education/not-for-profit IT environment.
• Equivalent combinations of experience, training and/or education will be considered.

Candidates should send their resumes and reference list to University IT Director Search, University Information Technology, University of Rochester, PO Box 270020, Rochester, NY 14627-0020 or directorsearch@rochester.edu Our call for candidates is expected to continue through September 7, 2010. Due to the large volume of expected interest in this position, phone inquiries cannot be accommodated. Interested candidates are encouraged to follow the mail/e-mail process described above.

The University of Rochester is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.