Southwest Tennessee Community College is a comprehensive, multicultural, public, open—access college. Southwest has 6 campuses/centers from which it offers over 100 programs and over 20 technical certificate programs.

We foster student success, transform lives, and increase the educational level of a growing community in Shelby County. Southwest is a Tennessee Board of Regents institution, accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Title: Director - Technology Operations

Employee Classification: Other Professionals

Institution: Southwest Tennessee Community College

Department: Infrastructure Services Administration

Campus Location: STCC - Multiple Campus Locations

Job Summary

The Division of Administrative Services is seeking an innovative and experienced Director of Technology Operations to lead the strategic development and operational management of the College’s server and network infrastructure. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Information Officer, this full-time, fiscal-year role is critical in driving technological innovation, maintaining a secure and high-performing IT environment, and aligning technology strategies with institutional goals.

This position requires a visionary leader who can oversee the design, implementation, and management of enterprise IT systems, ensuring the College remains at the forefront of technological advancements.

Job Duties

• Strategic Planning and Operations
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive IT infrastructure strategy that balances performance, scalability, and security.
  • Design, implement, and maintain a next-generation network architecture that supports the College’s enterprise operations, ensuring seamless connectivity and system reliability.
  • Lead the creation and annual revision of an IT Improvement Work Plan covering a two-year horizon, in collaboration with IT and College leadership.
• Infrastructure Management
  • Oversee the management and optimization of enterprise server environments, including cloud services, virtualized infrastructure, and on-premise systems.
  • Administer and maintain hardware/software maintenance contracts, user access privileges, security protocols, email systems, and unified communication resources.
  • Lead initiatives to modernize storage, server, and network appliance technologies, with a focus on high availability and disaster recovery.
• Leadership and Collaboration
  • Serve as the system architect, guiding the continuous improvement of the College’s server and network infrastructure.
  • Provide leadership to IT staff, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and professional growth.
  • Act as a liaison to external organizations such as EDUCAUSE, TN-Summit, and NetTN, representing the College’s IT interests.
• Technology Research and Deployment
  • Research emerging technologies in cloud computing, cybersecurity, edge computing, and network management tools, ensuring alignment with institutional goals.
  • Drive the adoption of automation tools and AI-driven IT management solutions to enhance operational efficiency.
  • Maintain detailed documentation of current deployments, security protocols, and IT processes to ensure compliance and knowledge sharing.
• Process Improvement and Customer Focus
  • Continuously improve IT processes, identifying and deploying strategies to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.
  • Maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring IT solutions meet the evolving needs of the College.
  • Monitor and respond to customer needs promptly, presenting a positive and professional demeanor.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field.
  
• A minimum of 3 years of leadership experience in IT infrastructure and operations.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a related field or MBA.
  
• Industry certifications such as CISSP, CCNP, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, or ITIL.
  
• Experience implementing hybrid cloud solutions, containerized environments, or AI-powered network management tools.
  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Leadership and Strategic Vision
  
  • Expertise in strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership within a complex IT environment.
    
  • Proven ability to align unit goals with the broader mission of the organization, ensuring team members understand their role in
  • achieving success.
    
  • Demonstrated success in fostering an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture.
    
• Technical Expertise
  
  • In-depth knowledge of network technologies (e.g., SD-WAN, IPv6, VLANs, BGP), virtualization platforms(e.g., VMware, Hyper-V), and cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure).
    
  • Familiarity with cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST, CIS) and the implementation of zero-trust architectures.
    
  • Proficiency in modern IT management tools, including Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) platforms like Terraform or Ansible.
    
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
  
  • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor content to a wide array of audiences.
    
  • Ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships with internal teams, external vendors, and industry organizations.
    
  • Demonstrated customer focus with a proactive approach to solving problems and enhancing the user experience.
    

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and shall not be construed as a declaration of the total specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Candidates who are called for an interview must notify Human Resources in writing at least five (5) days in advance of any reasonable accommodation needed prior to the date of the interview.

First consideration will be given to current Southwest Tennessee Community College employees who meet the minimum qualifications for the position.

In order to be considered for the position, the following items must be uploaded:

• Resume
• Cover letter
• Unofficial Transcripts

A summary of our benefits can be found below: 

https://www.southwest.tn.edu/hr/benefits-overview.php

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Southwest Tennessee Community College is a TBR and AA/EEO employer and does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities.