Senior IT Director, Operations

Los Angeles Unified School District

3d • $190,956 - $237,941

About The Position

We are LAUSD. We are at the forefront of innovation in public education, focused on a clear and inspiring vision of the future for all of our students as they venture forward on their journey as lifelong learners. Here, you will have the opportunity to exercise your potential in a role supporting the business of education. Our work directly contributes toward the goal of ensuring that our students graduate ready for the world – ready to thrive in college, career and life. LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation with an enrollment of nearly 575,000 students. We serve an area totaling 710 square miles, with over 1,190 schools and educational centers, and we employ over 74,000 individuals, making us one of the largest employers in our city.

A Senior IT Director, Operations directs, plans, organizes, the activities of staff in one or more major operational and enterprise software functional areas to ensure operational and technical effectiveness and efficiency to support the District’s mission and objectives.

The ideal candidate for Senior IT Director, Operations will demonstrate the ability to effectively direct and manage the administration of multiple enterprise systems and operational platforms across a large, complex organization. This individual will lead District-wide IT operations and strategies with a focus on long-term impact, sustainability, resilience, and service continuity. The candidate will possess a comprehensive understanding of industry best practices for enterprise systems, operational platforms, and service management, along with awareness of emerging technology trends. They will also demonstrate strong cybersecurity awareness, including the integration of security, risk management, and compliance considerations into day-to-day IT operations and enterprise system design. Additionally, the candidate will have a solid understanding of applicable mandates, regulations, and data privacy requirements governing IT operations and enterprise systems, and will ensure operational compliance, reliability, and protection of organizational assets.

Requirements

• PROMOTIONAL STATUS IS REQUIRED You must be a current or retired employee of LAUSD with 130 paid days in regular status in the Classified Service or permanent status in the Certificated Service or have been laid-off within the past 39 months from a regular, permanent LAUSD position in which you passed probation. Laid-off employees' eligibility as a promotional candidate expires at the end of their 39 month period; as such, laid-off employees applying for promotional career opportunities may not be eligible to complete the assessment process or may be removed from the employment eligibility list once their eligibility as a promotional candidate expires.
• EDUCATION: Graduation from a recognized college or university with a bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, business administration, or a related field. A master’s degree in the aforementioned areas is preferred. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for up to two years of the required education on a year for year basis provided that graduation from high school or evidence of equivalent education proficiency is met.
• EXPERIENCE: Five years of management level experience with oversight of complex information technology functions in one or more of the following areas: enterprise systems management or integration; IT Operations; IT Customer Support; or applications development.
• A valid Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Managing Professional, ITIL Strategic Leader, or ITIL Practice Manager certification may be substituted for one year of the required experience.
• SPECIAL: A valid Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation certification is required.
• A valid driver’s license to legally operate a motor vehicle in the state of California and use of a motor vehicle.
• PLEASE NOTE: All entrance requirements must be met by the end of the filing period in order to move forward with the assessment process. To verify the education requirement, transcripts, diplomas, and/or certifications, must be presented at the time applications are screened. As such, please be sure to upload your educational documents as an attachment to your candidate profile. Candidates who have completed college or university course work at an institution in a country other than the United States, must obtain a complete evaluation of foreign transcripts and degrees. Please be sure to request a DETAILED report. For a list of approved evaluation organizations visit: https://www.lausd.org/Page/7876

Nice To Haves

• A valid ITIL Master certification is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Directing and leading the planning, execution, and governance of District-wide IT operations strategies and initiatives and the full application development lifecycle.
• Directing and guiding the modernization, deployment, administration, and integration of enterprise systems and operational platforms to support system interoperability.
• Establishing, monitoring, and enforcing service-level agreements, standardized release management processes, project plans and progress, operational KPIs, and system availability metrics across platform services, and ERP systems.
• Overseeing the implementation of change management and operational risk management processes across IT operations and functional areas.
• Collaborating with business process owners, senior leadership, and technical teams to define and deliver solutions that meet operational and instructional requirements.
• Implementing automation strategies to improve operational efficiency and reduce manual interventions.
• Leading the development of short- and long-range plans for operational support of District applications including system upgrades, lifecycle planning, and resource optimization.
• Ensuring compliance with applicable legal, regulatory, and security standards related to IT operations and enterprise systems.
• Overseeing the development and maintenance of operational documentation, procedural standards, and disaster recovery protocols.
• Preparing project budgets and develops appropriate fiscal controls.
• Directing and overseeing the continuous operation, performance, and reliability of the District’s core enterprise systems such as financial, human resources, payroll, and procurement.
• Assisting in software implementation services evaluation and selection.
• Managing enterprise-level vendor relationships, negotiations, and third-party support contracts.
• Participating in executive steering committees and strategic planning sessions.

Benefits

• Insurance: District paid premiums for your choice of several medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents; and life insurance plans.
• Retirement: Membership in the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS).
• Vacation: 24 days each year.
• Paid Holidays: Up to 13 days.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees