Director of Technology Operations

Northshore School District 417•Bothell, WA

3h•Onsite

About The Position

The Director of Technology Operations provides strategic leadership and oversight of the district’s core technology infrastructure and operations to ensure reliable, secure, and scalable services that support teaching & learning, and district business functions. This role directs technical staff and leads the planning, design, procurement, implementation, and lifecycle management of wired and wireless networks, servers, enterprise systems, cybersecurity services, voice communications, and cloud-based platforms. The Director establishes and maintains both short and long-term technology infrastructure strategies, including the district’s wide area network, site-based networks, data storage and backup systems, and digital service environments. The position ensures all infrastructure changes align with district goals, compliance requirements, and best practices. Responsible for managing assigned budgets, contracts, and service agreements; overseeing staff vendor partners; and contributing to the development of policies, procedures, and operational standards to support efficient, secure, and sustainable technology services. This position participates as part of the District Leadership Team and Technology Leadership Team under the direction of the Executive Director of Technology.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems Management, or related field
At least five years’ recent experience managing data center operations teams that include a combination of server support, network support, information systems, and cybersecurity.
Valid Washington State driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Appropriate certifications may be accepted in place of a Bachelor’s degree.

Responsibilities

Direct and prioritize team workload to maintain secure, stable, and high-performing technology infrastructure.
Oversee project planning and tracking, communicate project timelines and impacts to staff and other departments, and monitor the work order system to ensure timely resolution of issues.
Recruit, hire, and retain qualified staff. Distribute responsibilities aligned with staff capabilities, support ongoing professional development, and lead staff to ensure team performance meets district and department goals.
Manage General and Capital Fund budgets for the Technology Infrastructure team. Track and project spending, follow district purchasing procedures, and verify invoices.
Ensure licensing, support renewals, and contracts are reviewed regularly and renewed on time.
Lead Bond and Levy project planning for technology infrastructure and operations. Develop budget projections for staffing, contractors, and consultants; ensure infrastructure costs and timelines are incorporated into project budgets; and notify affected departments of upcoming changes requiring systems’ modernization.
Manage contracts, easements, and agreements related to the district’s WAN fiber optic cable plant, including timely renewals, new agreements, and termination of unneeded arrangements.
Ensure the physical cable plant is documented, inspected regularly, and maintained in accordance with 811/411 requirements.
Coordinate cable testing, repairs, and cost monitoring, and work with Business Services on applicable invoicing.
Maintain long-range goals for district wide network, voice, cybersecurity, and data services. Regularly review active and planned projects against those goals and available staff capacity.
Perform annual review of core systems and processes for account & database management, server/network recovery, data center security design, etc. for long-term best practices.
Assist in data collection from email, webfilters, and other systems for authorized investigations and public records requests.
Support staff professional development for upcoming changes and engage with other Technology teams and departments to anticipate infrastructure needs.
Maintain district cybersecurity policies, procedures, and Incident Response Plans. Conduct annual security reviews benchmarked against CISA and K12SIX standards and develop remediation plans for identified gaps.
Ensure data backup procedures are documented and followed.
Oversee secure decommissioning of equipment and services in accordance with district surplus and data protection requirements.
Maintain and communicate data cable plant construction standards to Capital Projects.
Coordinate staff availability for site preparation, cable installation monitoring, and testing.
Identify and plan cable plant improvement projects and implement them in accordance with district construction procedures.
Attend district meetings and training as necessary or required.
Perform other duties as assigned, consistent with scope and intent of employee assignment.