Job Description

SAS is dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Therefore, we commit to a journey of community growth that is grounded in best and sustainable practices rooted in our mission and core values. We seek individuals who are ready to contribute to such an environment. If you have the right disposition for this role, meet many of the requirements, and feel you would be a good match for SAS in this position, please do not hesitate to apply.

Position Summary

The Head of IT Operations manages and provides direction for technology staff, support, services, policy and programs. This role is responsible for helping the school achieve its mission of creating inspired learners and responsible global citizens, and its strategy of enhancing the quality of education through the well-managed and purposeful integration of technology into instruction and learning. This role will have to collaborate and work closely with the Director of Technology and Innovation to co-create SAS\xe2\x80\x99s digital strategy and vision (SAS Digital Strategy) to inform innovation and technology in support of SAS\xe2\x80\x99s strategic plan and mission.

Vision and Leadership

• Manage the creation, implementation, and enforcement of policies and initiatives relating to the social, legal, and ethical issues of technology use throughout SAS model responsible decision-making.
• Contribute to the development of innovative learning spaces as part of the SAS redesign/campus upgrade.
• Lead a team of IT professionals to execute, implement and provide continued support of IT needs to deliver on SAS\xe2\x80\x99 Digital Strategy.
• Provide leadership through research, testing and development of new digital platforms and systems.
• Promote the role that technology plays in learning through positive and active engagement with the school community.
• Stays abreast of new developments in technology by attending technology learning conferences, participating in online educational communities, reading current technology literature, and testing new hardware and software.
• Work closely with the Director of Technology and Innovation and Technology and Innovation Coordinators (and teams) to purposefully integrate technology into the curriculum, assessment, and provide vertically aligned specialized courses/electives.
• Serve as Data Protection Officer with responsibility for developing and implementing data protection policies (including providing training and awareness programs for all staff), conducting privacy impact assessments, monitoring and auditing compliance with policies, and serving as the primary point of contact for data protection queries.
• Facilitate timely and strategically significant professional learning opportunities for faculty and staff on topics including but not limited to IT systems, platforms and overall Data Protection awareness.
• Develop processes for evaluation of all existing and new digital platforms, applications and subscriptions.
• Play an integral role in SAS\xe2\x80\x99 strategic planning process related to the current campus upgrade.

Managing and Implementing Change Management

• Develop and implement effective change management strategies to minimize resistance and ensure smooth transitions during the introduction of new technologies or procedural changes.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to communicate the benefits of changes, address concerns, and provide training programs to facilitate user adoption.
• Foster a culture of adaptability and continuous improvement within the IT department and among end-users.
• Develop and maintain a disaster recovery plan and ensure the availability of backup systems.
• Implement protocols for responding to IT emergencies and minimizing downtime.
• Monitor the impact of changes on IT systems, user experience, and overall efficiency, making adjustments as needed to optimize performance.
• Document and share best practices for change management processes to build a repository of institutional knowledge and enhance future change initiatives.

Including change management practices ensures that the introduction of new technologies is met with a positive response from the school community, leading to successful integration and improved overall efficiency.

Network and Systems Infrastructure

• Plan, organize, and set the direction for the IT Department utilizing best practices and appropriate new technologies.
• Forecast and propose IT Network infrastructure and security developments and initiatives in line with SAS strategic and operational goals
• Develop backup procedures, security plans, infrastructure strategy, disaster recovery plans and processes for central data and information systems.
• Oversee support, maintenance, management, implementation and development of SAS\xe2\x80\x99 core educational platforms, communication systems, printing services, anti-virus, backup and recovery, file servers, and databases.
• Assist with the production of yearly IT technical operations plans, in collaboration with the IT Department members.
• Prepare reports, proof of concept models, and budget analysis as requested.
• Update documentation of implemented network and system changes.
• Plan and implement technology projects, including delegation of tasks and organizing timelines for task completion.
• Develop and manage IT staff to meet the changing needs of users, groups, and offices; new projects and technologies; and varying staff strengths.
• Develop standard operating procedures and best practices, including providing written protocols and guidance to IT staff and to end-users.
• Keep current with the latest technologies and determine what new technology solutions and implementations will meet organizational and system needs and requirements.

IT Purchasing and Vendor Relations

• Manage relationships with external vendors for IT hardware, software, infrastructure, and support contracts
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts and service level agreements and communicates status to IT and Leadership Team
• Manage purchasing/Leasing contracts and communicating end of cycles to the Finance department and IT team
• Create and amalgamate yearly budget proposal with collaboration from Divisional IT Teams and Divisional Administration.
• Communicate quarterly regarding IT spending to entire IT team and proactively inform members of spending trends.

IT Support and Asset Management

• Ultimate responsibility for managing SAS IT assets and inventory, for all divisions and departments, and maintenance of accurate digital documentation accessible in a central location.
• Ultimate responsibility for management of hardware warranties, service contracts and replacement cycles
• Manage and maintain software licenses for SAS software and maintain copies of current and past versions with software keys in centralized locations
• Manage the distribution of software, antivirus and updates to SAS client workstations and coordinate testing and deployment on all devices
• Coordinate image creation, distribution, and vendor support and services for all SAS client workstations and platforms.

Supervision

• Actively promote and embody the organization\'s values, fostering a positive team culture. Influence and build the team\'s cohesion and collaborative spirit.
• Supervise technology support staff, including network engineers, systems specialists, software specialists, technicians, help desk staff, audiovisual technicians, and audiovisual specialists.
• Coordinate and communicate the scheduling and work assignments for Information Technology staff.
• Evaluate the performance for IT staff by following the existing SAS evaluation processes Interview and make hiring decisions regarding new IT staffing needs as they occur.
• Anticipate staff needs required to efficiently and successfully carry out projects initiated by other business and education units.
• Develop and manage IT staff to meet the changing needs of users, groups, and offices; new projects and technologies; and varying staff strengths.

Managing Technology and Support Resources

• Assist in the development and implementation of an educational technology plan including 1 to 1 computing, cloud migration strategy, mobile technology integration, and faculty and staff training and professional development.
• Plan, manage and be accountable to a fiscally responsible budget, guiding purchasing decisions and investments, fostering good relationships with vendors (and potential vendors), and delivery of services in partnership with vendors.
• Manage and maintain school wide IT infrastructure, hardware, and mission critical systems.
• Assure compliance with external and internal requirements, including stipulation of managing intellectual property, data protection, and privacy requirements as it relates to IT systems and practices (e.g. Singapore Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), Creative Commons, Copyright, etc.).

Skills & Requirements

Required Qualifications:

• 5 + years of leadership, management and technical experience
• Strong working knowledge of current IT technologies and technical competence in databases, networking, with strong project management skills.
• Knowledge and experience in overseeing Apple environments including MacOS and iPad deployment in a 1:1 environment.
• Ability to build, manage, mentor, inspire, and provide direction to IT team
• Resourceful and quick to learn IT environments and build relationships across organizations

Preferred Qualifications:

• High energy individual with the ability to engage effectively with their team and other stakeholders in the school.
• Excellent customer service skills, including highly developed communication skills in all forms.
• Deep knowledge and broad expertise in educational and information technology.
• Ability to use new technologies and understand how they enhance learning; skilled with the implementation and facilitation of educational system programs; and a demonstrated understanding of learning environments and their use of technology.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment to drive results.
• Excellent Project Management, ITIL aligned frameworks/processes and negotiation skills.
• High level of integrity, professionalism and demonstrated attention to detail.
• Lateral thinker and an excellent problem solver, both technically and functionally.
• The ability to use initiative and work proactively.

Singapore American School