We have an opening for a Director of Networking at our Chattanooga State campus!

Our Purpose - We support and empower everyone in our community to learn without limits.

Our Values: 

We cultivate a welcome and caring environment.

We care about the well-being of each other.

We instill trust through integrity and transparency.

We encourage fearless innovation and resilience.

We collaborate to build a better future.

Our Mission - We are Chattanooga State, a dedicated team that delivers accessible, innovative learning opportunities that surpass expectations.  Together, we enrich the lives of students, and their families; develop a talented workforce; and partner with our community to lead boldly into the future. 

JOB SUMMARY:

The Director of Networking leads the College's networking infrastructure and directly supervises dedicated networking staff. The Director's primary responsibility is completing the successful implementation of the College's software-defined access initiative, leveraging Cisco Catalyst Center to orchestrate all network components and eliminate manual device configuration. This role requires staying current with emerging networking technologies and ensuring the dedicated networking team maintains expertise in the College's Cisco environment, particularly ISE and Catalyst Center.

The Director serves as the technical leader for all networking infrastructure decisions and serves as the escalation point for complex networking issues. A key focus is maximizing the return on investment from the College's existing Cisco infrastructure by fully implementing centralized management and automation capabilities. The Director must ensure network reliability, security, and performance while supporting the College's educational mission through robust, scalable networking solutions.

In addition to infrastructure leadership, the Director contributes to the College's cross-training initiative by developing and delivering basic networking curriculum modules for Client Services Specialists. The Director provides technical expertise and evaluation input to support the Specialists' professional development. The position requires a strategic approach to networking that emphasizes automation, centralized management, and proactive maintenance to minimize service disruptions while supporting teaching excellence and student success.

POSITION OBJECTIVES

Holistic Student Support

• Develop and maintain network redundancy and failover processes to minimize connectivity disruptions that would prevent faculty from teaching

• Establish and maintain network monitoring systems to proactively identify and address connectivity issues before they impact users

• Coordinate with help desk leadership to identify and resolve network-related recurring issues affecting campus connectivity

Teaching Excellence

• Develop basic networking curriculum for the pool of Client Services Specialists and maintain it as the College’s networking environment and best practices evolve

• Continually train dedicated Networking staff on all of the Networking-related products the College owns and licenses. Appropriately combine direct instruction with external training, ensuring that travel is connected to specific learning objectives

• Evaluate Specialists and dedicated Networking staff using objective, measurable criteria

• Create hands-on learning opportunities for all staff to practice network configuration and troubleshooting in controlled environments

Program Innovation

• Complete the successful implementation of the College's software-defined access initiative

• Oversee the deployment and maintenance of Cisco networking hardware through centralized management platforms, with an emphasis on Catalyst Center

• Implement and maintain ISE-based network access control policies, after gaining understanding from other technical and functional teams about their access needs

• Develop and implement automated network provisioning and configuration management processes

• Eliminate manual network device configuration by fully implementing software-defined networking principles

Fiscal Stewardship

• Manage the networking unit budget with emphasis on maximizing ROI from existing Cisco investments

• Collaborate with inventory control personnel to maintain accurate inventory of networking hardware, software licenses, and maintenance contracts

• Evaluate and recommend network infrastructure investments that align with the College's educational mission

• Recommend appropriate engagement of outside partners for specific expertise in support of complex projects

Organizational Culture

• Work with the team to execute assigned networking projects while promoting collaborative problem-solving

• Collaborate routinely with the Directors of Media and Technical Services to set learning goals for the Client Services Specialists

• Though not in the direct supervisory chain for the Specialists, provide feedback to the Directors of Media and Technical Services about the Specialists’ progress toward defined learning goals

• Promote a culture of ongoing professional development in networking technologies and best practices

• Implement proactive network maintenance schedules to minimize downtime and service disruptions and other duties as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge:

• Cisco Networking Technologies: Expert-level understanding of Cisco routing, switching, wireless, and security technologies, with particular emphasis on ISE and Catalyst Center implementation and management

• Software-Defined Access: Comprehensive knowledge of software-defined networking principles and ability to implement centralized network orchestration using Cisco Catalyst Center

• Network Security: Deep understanding of network access control, ISE policy implementation, and network segmentation in educational environments

• Curriculum Development: Strong knowledge of curriculum development for training technical staff in networking fundamentals, including methods to ensure ongoing relevancy and effectiveness

• Network Architecture: Understanding of campus network design principles, including redundancy, scalability, and performance optimization across multiple sites

Skills:

• Leadership and Team Management: Proven ability to lead technical teams while fostering collaboration across departments and developing networking expertise in others

• Communication and Collaboration: Strong technical communication skills to effectively collaborate with senior leadership, technical staff, and other stakeholders, with ability to explain complex networking concepts to non-technical audiences

• Project Management: Skilled in managing multiple networking projects simultaneously, including infrastructure upgrades, security implementations, and automation initiatives. Skilled in managing projects involving both internal and external resources, such as those supported or even primarily led by third parties.

• Network Troubleshooting: Expert-level proficiency in network problem diagnosis, performance analysis, and systematic troubleshooting methodologies

• Training and Development: Ability to design and deliver technical networking training programs, evaluate staff performance objectively, and provide ongoing professional development opportunities in networking technologies

• Automation and Orchestration: Proficiency in using centralized management platforms to automate network configuration, monitoring, and maintenance tasks

Abilities:

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to contribute to divisional strategic planning by identifying opportunities for networking improvements and innovations that support teaching and operational excellence

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Capacity to analyze network performance data, identify trends, and make informed decisions to improve network reliability and performance

• Holistic Support Mindset: Ability to promote a network infrastructure that transparently supports all campus operations while ensuring security and reliability

• Adaptability: Ability to remain current with evolving networking technologies and implement new solutions that improve network efficiency, security, and manageability

QUALIFICATIONS

Associate degree, or equivalent experience

Minimum of 3 years’ experience leading networking teams

Minimum of 1 year’s experience of network administration on a network built predominantly on Cisco switching

Preferred: Experience with Cisco ISE and Catalyst Center implementation and management

Preferred: experience implementing software-defined access

Preferred: current Cisco certifications (CCNA or higher)

Salary Range: $76,243 - $95,304

* Pay will be determined based on experience and education in accordance with the salary guidelines of the Tennessee Board of Regents. To ensure consideration, all relevant work experience must be included in the application. *

* Resume and Cover Letter required to be considered *