Position: Director of Information Technology
Functional Area: Technology
Organization: LEARN Charter School Network
Location: Chicago, IL
Metro Region: Chicago
Overview:
LEARN Charter School Network’s commitment to providing underserved communities with a high-quality, college prep elementary education is unwavering. Since opening our doors as a charter school in 2001, LEARN has grown from one school serving 110 students to a thriving Network of six charter schools with over 300 employees serving nearly 2,400 students in the Chicagoland area, including the city of North Chicago. Fueled by an ambitious growth plan to serve students at thirteen schools by 2023 and supported by some of the most innovative funders in the sector, LEARN’s mission remains crystal clear: To provide children with the academic foundation and ambition to earn a college degree. We have the exceptional opportunity to build a large network of charter schools and change the landscape of public education by graduating more eighth graders to college preparatory high schools and eventually, college.
Position:
In order to best support our organization and mission, we are seeking a Director of Information Technology to strategically build our technology infrastructure to best meet our needs now and in the future. This is both a strategic and hands-on position that will require an experienced project manager to develop the technology department and deploy personnel and technology resources to best support our changing needs. This person needs to be adept at understanding a variety of technologies, software, and databases as well as a willingness to learn and deploy emerging technologies to best meet the changing needs of LEARN staff and educators. The Director of Information Technology will be building and operating an expanding department in an environment that is entrepreneurial and fast-paced. This person should be passionate about education reform and willing to uphold the 5 core values of LEARN: Respect, High Expectations, Safe & Nurturing Environment, Focus on Whole Child, and Family Involvement.
This person will be a member of the team of directors representing the information technology department, serving as the senior Technology resource for the organization, and reports directly to the President and CEO.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute strategic technology plan (to include but not limited to: all network infrastructure, databases, evaluation tools, and phone system) across all LEARN schools
- Oversee department budget and staff; Hire, train and deploy technology staff, interns, and consultants as needed to execute technology plan
- Develop technology policies and processes which guide technology use by all staff and support information security and backup redundancy for the network
- Set policy and manage negotiations for purchasing new equipment, tracking all equipment, and planning for replacement
- Works closely alongside educational staff to ensure databases and testing technology is best supporting data collection and evaluation of student progress and information tracking
- Researches emerging technologies for the back-end infrastructure and in-classroom. Develops comprehensive plan to implement these emerging technologies to ensure LEARN is cutting-edge and relevant
- Provides hands-on helpdesk and troubleshooting support as needed
- Work closely with Principals to understand the in-classroom technology needs and implement solutions in alignment with the technology plan
- As a member of the team of directors, collaborative across departments to best anticipate needs and utilize technology to support the mission of LEARN
Qualifications:
- 7+ years of experience managing and/or directing IT operations, ideally in a multi-site educational environment with a strong customer service orientation to all levels of an organization
- Strong technical experience in implementing and supporting a variety of platforms and data bases ideally to include: Microsoft, OSI model, PowerSchool, NWEA, Financial Edge, Razors Edge, EdTech integration, Cisco networking equipment, and E-Rate Funded services, with the ability to quickly learn and deploy emerging technologies that best serve LEARN’s needs
- Experience with budgetary management and oversight. Strong understanding of compliance laws around technology use in a K12 environment or demonstrated ability to learn quickly
- Strong relationship and negotiation skills in IT vendor management, including AT&T, Cisco, and other 3rd party providers
- Highly organized project manager that sets high goals and accomplishes them with little to no oversight
- Thrives in an environment that is highly entrepreneurial and has the ability to lead independently to accomplish big goals
- Microsoft, Cisco, and other technical certifications are preferred. Previous certifications will be considered
- Bachelor’s degree required and master’s degree preferred, ideally in the field of computer science, educational technology, management, or information systems
To Apply:
Please upload a resume and thoughtful cover letter, outlining how your skills and experience meet the qualifications of the position and stating how you heard about this opportunity, both in Word format, to Greg White, President and CEO, at http://jobs.cgcareers.org/application.aspx?id=1953. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
LEARN offers a competitive salary and benefits, commensurate with experience and skills.
LEARN is an equal opportunity employer.
LEARN is an equal opportunity employer.
