The primary purpose of this position is to oversee and direct all information technology (IT), audiovisual (AV), and instructional technology operations within the Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), and to provide strategic leadership within the Learning Design and Technology team. The Manager of GSEP Technology Support will provide specialized knowledge and expertise in the administration of GSEP's virtual, application, and backup server infrastructure, including hands-on support for the deployment of GSEP IT/AV services, provide in-depth troubleshooting, analyze system trends to prevent recurring issues, deliver efficient and effective technical support, and champion the adoption of technologies that empower staff, faculty, and students to excel. The incumbent will proactively collaborate with relevant stakeholders to deliver seamless and innovative technology solutions that foster engaging and effective learning environments.

Duties

• Technology Deployment, Management, and Leadership - Lead the deployment and management of client technologies, ensuring compatibility with academic and administrative systems. Develop and implement efficient hardware deployment processes, maintaining detailed inventory records and asset tracking. Manage and provide support for setup, administration and maintenance of GSEP's virtual, application and backup servers providing multiple IT services to the GSEP Faculty & Staff. Oversee software distribution and updates, ensuring security and compliance. Collaborate with other technology teams to improve cross-functional processes impacting client technologies. Develop and manage the LDT department budget in alignment with GSEP's vision and demonstrate intentional stewardship of resources. Review and evaluate current and future technology-related contracts Provide leadership to all members of GSEP Technology. Support team and develop a competent, productive and effective staff by coordinating and encouraging ongoing professional development and ensuring availability of resources and skills needed to support their work; meet regularly with the team to gather work status, discuss work progress and obstacles; and provide advice, guidance, encouragement and constructive feedback. Oversee selection and purchase of all GSEP technology resources including hardware, software, and services and for making buy versus build decisions. Develop charters, requirements, budgets, work breakdown structures and schedules for technology projects and oversee all phases of projects from conception to completion. Provide deployment and implementation support for all existing and future services provided by GSEP Technology. Manage technology projects through the project life cycles of initiation, planning, execution, and closure ensuring equilibrium between project scope, time and budget. Conduct ongoing technology-related needs assessments and evaluations. Act as GSEP advocate and liaison across internal and external technology departments. Maintain an active leadership presence on-site to continuously assess community needs. Identify ways to improve overall day-to-day technology support to faculty and staff and provide senior level assistance for complex service desk requests. Manage all aspects of the GSEP Technology Support team's day-to-day operations. Lead negotiations for license renewals, pricing of upgrades, and support contracts. Conduct continuous research on new AI tools and evaluate potential implementation. Oversee technology-related aspects of employee onboarding and offboarding.
• Advanced Technical Support and Troubleshooting - Provide advanced technical support for end-users, including faculty, staff, and students Troubleshoot and resolve: complex hardware and software issues on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices; network connectivity issues, including remote access problems, VPN setups, and wireless configurations. Test and provide timely feedback on software patches and updates before broader deployment. Document solutions to recurring or complex issues, contributing to the team's knowledge base and reducing future support load. Review and develop step-by-step guides and documentation for GSEP Technology Support. Responsible for primary systems administration of multi-purpose Windows, Linux and Mac OS X servers and virtual appliances providing multiple technology services to GSEP community. Responsible for primary systems administration of GSEP's virtual server infrastructure and virtualized desktop environment using VMware solutions. Perform website/applications design, database development & query functions assigned to GSEP Technology.
• Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement for Academic Excellence and Business Efficiency - Build relationships with technology users and groups across the university, sharing best practices, ensuring compatibility among systems, and coordinating resources. Actively participate in university-wide committees related to technology planning, LMS initiatives, or other IT/AV-related strategies impacting GSEP learning environments. Clearly articulate GSEP's unique technology needs and priorities within the broader university context, championing resources and solutions that support teaching and learning goals. Coordinate support for equipment set up and strike needs for GSEP events Actively gather feedback from GSEP faculty, staff, and students on technology needs and pain points; communicate updates, planned outages, and new services clearly and proactively. Collaborate with academic departments to integrate cutting-edge technologies into the learning environment, and guide research and implementation of instructional technologies, including classroom audio-visual systems and virtual learning platforms Pilot and evaluate business solutions, providing recommendations for adoption and ongoing support. Collaborate with GSEP departments to develop specific training and support resources.
• Security and Compliance - Stay current on applicable data privacy regulations (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, GDPR if relevant) and ensure compliance within GSEP's technology systems. Maintain security of all GSEP systems by following guidelines set by Pepperdine's Information Security and develop GSEP-specific security standards, procedures, and guidelines; responsible for devising backup and replication strategy for all GSEP systems and data and for creating and implementing a disaster recovery plan. Implement and enforce security policies, procedures, and best practices to safeguard technology assets and sensitive data within GSEP. Communicate security-related updates, threats, and best practices in an accessible way to minimize risk through human error. Conduct regular reviews and audits of hardware and software assets, identifying and mitigating any licensing or compliance concerns. Collaborate with the broader IT team to create security resources and guides tailored to GSEP's context.
• Perform other duties as assigned. Engage in professional development-related activities.
• Uphold University mission through work performed. 

The above information has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.

Skills and Qualifications

Required: Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology or related field. Minimum of 3 years of professional-level experience in a "hands on" technical support and systems/network administration role. Familiarity with Windows, Linux and Mac OS X servers, LAMP stack, VMWare ESX 5 or higher. Familiarity with Web Content Management Systems, LDAP Fundamentals, HTML, CSS, PHP & SQL. Experience with Virtual Server Backup and Replication. Expected to work GSEP Commencement.

Preferred: Master's degree in computer science, information technology or a related field is preferred. Certification in CompTIA A+, Microsoft Certified: Modern Desktop Administrator Associate, or equivalent. Experience with Citrix Xen Desktop or VMWare View, Networking Concepts, and Storage Area Networks. End User training experience. Experience in IT Helpdesk Administration. Proficiency with Video/Web Conferencing Tools, and Learning Management System.

Qualified individuals should be able to articulate a strong commitment to diversity, and have the ability to work effectively with individuals from different backgrounds.

Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a criminal, education, and employment screening. Qualified individuals with criminal histories will be considered for employment in compliance with applicable laws.

This is a Regular, Exempt, 40 hour per week position.

Expected Pay Rate: $66,560 per year 

The above pay range reflects what Pepperdine University reasonably expects to pay for this position at time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on relevant factors such as work experience, market conditions, education/training, and skill level. In addition to base pay, Pepperdine offers a robust and highly competitive benefits package.

Pepperdine is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of any status or condition protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.