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Assistant Director, User Services

Employer
Skidmore College
Location
New York, United States
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Jul 14, 2021

Job Details



As an IT management member, the Assistant Director of User Services participates in strategic planning for the IT department, and plans, budgets and manages all Skidmore-owned desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and printers used by the College's constituents. This position provides leadership, and direction to ensure the College's constituents have the desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and printers and related support they need to achieve their pedagogical, academic, administrative, and/or event goals. The Assistant Director also is responsible for overall project management of many of the initiatives related to improving the College's IT, and is an IT department and college liaison to various internal and external groups regarding current and future uses of IT technologies for various College constituents. The Assistant Director of User Services directs and supervises the desktop support technicians, end user computing specialists as well as help desk student workers to: install/set up, configure, maintain, repair, and upgrade Skidmore-owned desktop and laptop computers, tablets, and printers campus-wide; provides the College's constituents the support they need to use this technology effectively; and track and address user needs. In directing and supervising these staff, the Director ensures they recommend technologies that best help the College achieve its strategic goals while balancing available technical and financial resources.

Frequently, the Assistant Director of User Services provides direct IT user and support services (including performing any of the team members' functions). It also has a responsibility to respond to communications and requests related to general IT issues and needs that arise outside of normal work hours. On occasion, this position requires work outside of normal work hours, especially when system upgrades, changes or outages are
underway.

Primary Job Duties

1. Operations Management
a. Manages contracts with vendors/contractors providing IT products and/or services
b. Measures, tracks, and reports on Desktop Support, Helpdesk performance and results driving efficiency and continual process improvement
c. Identifies, trouble-shoots and eliminates operational roadblocks hindering the Desktop Support and Helpdesk team's workflow and performance.
d. Suggests process changes and improvements to maintain and/or enhance the quality of results.
e. Suggests policies and procedures, and ensures compliance with them.
f. Improves/streamlines procedures to maximize the use of available resources.

2. Supervision
a. Communicates strategic direction, objectives, goals, and performance expectations to team members. Provides team members regular updates on the IT department's progress with respect to plan (eg., via daily interaction and regular one-on-one and departmental meetings with team members). Sets "stretch" goals and performance standards. Determines and communicates/clarifies User Services' workload priorities.
b. Ensure staff coverage in areas of support during the hours of service
c. Establishes a supportive work environment that meets the reasonable needs of the Desktop Support, Helpdesk and team members.
d. Ensures Desktop Support and Helpdesk are adequately staffed to achieve their goals. Recruits and hires Desktop Support and Helpdesk staff members. Participates on IT selection committees to select and hire staff in other IT functional units.
e. Sets/approves team members' work schedules and assigns/delegates work to team members.
f. Works with IT staff to develop effective, responsive and proactive skills and practices to be used when consulting with the campus community. Encourages and assists staff in exploring innovative ways in which technology can be used to enhance the strategic mission of the College. Maintains a high level of understanding of the diverse technologies supported by the team, and the ways in which these technologies can be applied to achieve strategic goals. Ensures the ongoing professional development and mentoring of team members, including their technical and managerial skills, and general knowledge about the field and current practices in their various areas of expertise.
g. Monitors Desktop Support and Helpdesk team members' performance and tracks results. Manages team member performance issues; determines and takes corrective action to address staff performance issues. Ensures User Services staff compliance with policies and procedures.

3. Strategic Planning
a. Continuously identifies and remains aware of the College's Desktop Support and Media Services needs by trouble shooting and addressing issues as they arise; attending and participating in meetings; managing IT projects; serving on committees, surveying, etc. Meets with a variety of College constituencies to improve institutional efficiency and/or quality, and enhance the use of IT; allocates resources strategically to pursue those opportunities.
b. Continuously researches and explores new technologies and their application (e.g., by benchmarking best-practices; reviewing blogs, journals, and industry publications; participating in professional organizations; attending industry-related conferences).
c. Advocates for upgrades/changes when needed, to build, maintain and improve operations and meet constituents' needs.
d. Understands Skidmore's strategic goals and how the IT department supports and promotes them.
e. Works with the IT senior management team to develop IT strategic plans, policies and procedures.
f. Participates with project teams (IT and interdepartmental) in developing strategic plans to implement IT department and College initiatives. This can include Campus-wide technology initiatives such as the migration to new systems; and new building construction for academic and administrative spaces. Promotes and participates in shared decision making with constituents on key technology decisions.

4. Budget Development and Management
a. Helps analyze budgetary historical data, researches and analyzes resource costs, and helps develop budgetary projections.
b. Implements and manages the User Services operating and capital budgets.
c. Develops and maintains effective relationships with vendors. Works with vendor representatives to develop cost estimates and pricing models.
d. Operates within the College's guidelines to develop, enhance, and manage budget issues for Desktop Support and Helpdesk including operating budgets, capital projects, and grants.
e. Works with the other IT management team members to develop, implement, and manage the IT department operating and capital budgets.

5. IT Department and Skidmore Liaison
a. Serves as a liaison of the IT department and/or College to various appropriate internal and external constituencies (e.g., IT systems development and implementation project teams; policy committees; Academic Staff Committee; EDUCAUSE; NERCOMP; SIGUCCS, UCTG, NY6, etc.).
b. Communicates and collaborates with various College constituents to identify and meet their academic, pedagogical, and other IT user needs, and to explore ways to enhance services.
c. Provides constituents instruction and consultation in the effective use of IT technology (e.g., by conducting one-on-one training or IT-sponsored workshops; orienting new faculty to the use of IT; developing and delivering customized training to meet specific IT user needs).
d. Assesses constituents' needs and investigates technologies that will help them achieve their goals.

Qualifications and Competencies
Education: Bachelor’s Degree in IT or a related field from a regionally accredited institution is Preferred. Certification in ITIL or similar IT service related certification desired.

Experience:

  • Knowledge of desktop hardware and software required
  • Five (5) years of experience in IT required
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills are required
  • Experience in providing excellent customer service
  • Knowledge of incident response desired
  • Demonstrated initiative, and flexibility
  • Demonstrated ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • Knowledge of user services and desktop support industry standards and practices.
  • Experience with ticketing systems
  • Experience with Asset Management systems


Salary: Commensurate with experience

EEO STATEMENT

Skidmore College is committed to being an inclusive campus community and, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, national or ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, domestic violence victim status, familial status, dating violence, or stalking, or any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.

Employment at Skidmore College is contingent upon an acceptable background check result.


CREATIVE THOUGHT MATTERS.

Company

Skidmore College

Skidmore College is a highly ranked, liberal arts college in Saratoga Springs, New York, where Creative Thought Matters. 

We're a four-year private, nonsectarian, coeducational school that invites 2,700 undergraduate students to engage in 44 majors, 19 varsity athletics teams, and more than 100 student clubs. They also benefit from award-winning dining and residential halls and lifelong connections with some of the smartest and most dedicated and passionate faculty in the industry.

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