Senior Director, IT Infrastructure

Company: Cleveland State University
Location: Cleveland
Posted on: May 3, 2025

Job Description:

Cleveland State UniversityEngaged LearningThe Senior Director, IT Infrastructure provides high level technical leadership and collaborative management for all activities related to security operations, network, on-premises and cloud server infrastructure, database, and telecommunications. Builds infrastructure that enables research, collaboration, teaching, and learning. Prepares feasibility studies and time and cost estimates for new initiatives. Enhances user services, builds strong client relationships, and aligns priorities. Leads development and support of technical infrastructure. Serves on Cleveland State University (CSU) committees, teams, and task forces. Performs other functionally related duties as assigned.Essential Job FunctionsThe performance of the duties outlined below must be carried out within the mission of the University: We are in and of the city of Cleveland. We leverage our unique location and strategic partnerships to equip learners with knowledge and future-ready skills. Through innovative research, dedicated service, and exceptional talent, we address the evolving needs of our community.

• Leadership and Strategy (35%)

• Leadership - Leads the network, telecommunications, enterprise systems, datacenter and high-performance compute teams.
• Strategy - Works with others to set the strategic direction regarding on-premises and cloud initiatives. Acts as technical consultant for all Data Processing activities and participates in the resolution of complex technical systems software problems. Conducts trending analysis and application life cycle projections.
• Stakeholder Engagement - Works collaboratively with peers to build and implement information security policies, guidelines and procedures ensuring compliance with policy, state, and federal law.
• Vendor Oversight - Manages relationships with infrastructure vendors to ensure tools and services align with CSU standards and industry landscape.
• Project and Budget Management (25%)
  • Project Management - Directs planning, design and implementation of technical solutions for telecommunications, network, messaging, server infrastructure and ERP CSU-wide. Provides high level technical leadership, collaborative management, and strategic planning for all activities related to those units. Interfaces with IS&T management and user community to coordinate software, hardware, and systems capabilities. Develops efficiencies through automation.
  • Financial Oversight - Tracks infrastructure-related spending and enforces cost-effective measures to stay within budget.
  • Contract Management - Negotiate contracts with infrastructure vendors to secure high-quality services at optimal value for CSU.
  • Forecasting - Builds infrastructure timelines, refresh cycles with scalability, reliability, and alignment with CSU goals.
  • Operations (25%)
    • Development - Oversees the development, installation and maintenance of programming standards and control procedures in areas of security, operations, backup and recovery.
    • Strategic Planning - Directs the development and delivery of IT standards, best practices, architecture and systems to ensure data and network sustainability across the enterprise. Builds infrastructure that enables research, collaboration, teaching and learning.
    • Communication - Ensures resource availability, compliance review outcomes, and equipment, training and related support needs. Prepares scheduled and/or ad hoc statistical and narrative reports and summaries.
    • Engagement (15%)
      • Readiness Planning - Facilitates organizational readiness by preparing departments across CSU or in IS&T for the adoption of new technologies, infrastructure and processes.
      • Representation - Represents the department and CSU on a variety of committees.
      • Provides strategic leadership, training, and guidance to assigned staff. Manages a dynamic workload and reassigns staff resources as business needs change. Sets teams performance objectives, monitors, and evaluates outcomes.
      • Performs other functionally related duties as assigned.Minimum Qualifications
        • Bachelor's degree preferably in computer science, engineering, information technology, or a related field.
        • Five (5) years of progressive experience in IT infrastructure management, with three (3) of the five (5) years in a supervisory role.
        • Experience managing budgets, conducting cost-benefit analyses, and negotiating vendor contracts to optimize infrastructure investments.
        • Requires occasional evening or weekend work and travel to various organizational locations or vendor sites.Preferred Qualifications
          • Master's degree in computer science, engineering, information technology, or a related field.
          • Experience in a leadership role within a higher education institution, with a deep understanding of academic, research, and administrative technology needs.
          • Experience in developing and executing multi-year infrastructure roadmaps that align with institutional goals, including experience with forecasting, refresh cycles, and capacity planning.
          • Expertise in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and hybrid cloud solutions, with a track record of implementing innovative infrastructure solutions in a complex environment.
          • Familiarity with cybersecurity best practices and tools e.g., firewalls, intrusion detection systems, to support secure infrastructure operations.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)
            • Expertise in enterprise IT infrastructure frameworks and their application to higher education systems, including scalability and lifecycle management. Ability to craft and execute a security strategy that protects all systems, including the ERP. Strategic vision to anticipate technological needs and adaptability to align with evolving institutional priorities.
            • Familiarity with data center operations, cloud platforms, networking, and virtualization technologies. Proficiency in managing infrastructure integrations, upgrades, and incident response to ensure operational continuity. Analytical capacity to identify system weaknesses and maintain robust, scalable infrastructure solutions.
            • Awareness of the diverse needs of stakeholders, including faculty, students, staff, and external partners. Exceptional communication skills to translate technical infrastructure concepts into actionable insights for non-technical audiences. Capacity to build consensus and foster collaboration across departments to align infrastructure initiatives with institutional goals.
            • Understanding of emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, hybrid cloud, and their potential to enhance campus operations. Ability to lead infrastructure modernization efforts and manage change with minimal disruption to academic and administrative functions. Vision to champion innovative solutions and resilience to navigate resistance during technology transitions.
            • Understanding security metrics and evolving cyber threats. Ability to monitor performance and refine security measures over time. Attention to detail to enhance protections and communicate their impact.Requisition NumberRequisition Number PT0703590SDate grant, position, or appointment expires (For Funds Available, Temporary, and Waiver of Posting)Special Instructions to ApplicantsOffer of employment is contingent on satisfactory completion of the University's verification of credentials and other information required by law and/or University policies or practices, including but not limited to a criminal background check.Applications will be exclusively accepted online at http://www.csuohio.edu/offices/hrd/employment.html. Mailed or emailed application materials will not be accepted.Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).
              • * How did you hear about this employment opportunity?
                • Public Job Posting
                • Internal Job Posting
                • Agency Referral
                • Advertisement/Publication
                • Personal Referral
                • CSU Website
                • Other
                • If you selected 'Public Job Posting' or 'Other' please provide source.(Open Ended Question)
                  • * Do you require any type of accommodation, should you be invited to campus for further screening? Please contact CSU at (216) 687-3636 if you need accommodation.
                    • Yes
                    • No
                    • * Are you able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation?
                      • Yes
                      • No
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Keywords: Cleveland State University, Lorain , Senior Director, IT Infrastructure, Executive , Cleveland, Ohio