Assistant Director, Systems Administration and Security

University Information Technology Services (UITS) is the University of Arizona's central technology organization. UITS delivers enterprise and specialized technology services that support students, faculty, researchers, staff, and campus partners. Through innovation, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to accessibility and continuous improvement, UITS supports the evolving needs of a leading research university and the communities it serves.

UITS invites applicants for the Assistant Director, Systems Administration and Security (Systems Administration Manager III) position.

The Assistant Director, Systems Administration and Security leads a team of managers and systems administrators who provide maintenance and support for physical, virtual, and cloud-based servers, prioritizing systems and network security while partnering with other groups within UITS and across campus to ensure business operations are maintained without interruption. Because security is a key component of this role, success will be accelerated by prioritizing the use of UITS-managed cloud services as much as possible. This role is responsible for systems administration work in support of work within colleges and divisions with an emphasis on research activities and technology.

This is a hybrid position based at the University of Arizona Tucson Main Campus and requires on-site work three days per week.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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• Manage a team responsible for enterprise level architecture, design, maintenance, and functionality of servers, virtual server environments, storage systems, backup systems, patch management, and logging and monitoring processes.
• Conduct weekly team meetings to drive strategy and one-on-one interactions focused on coaching, development, and performance.
• Actively grow and diversify technical skill sets of each staff member.
• Define and implement server, storage, backup and monitoring infrastructure architecture in alignment and support of the university and campus strategic plans.
• Manage and oversee enterprise projects, planning, timelines, and deliverables.
• Provide weekly updates of progress through reporting and analytics.
• Serve as escalation point and liaison between Infrastructure Services teams and SVP/College/Division IT teams within UITS.
• Participate in building relationships and sharing/advocating UITS/campus needs to develop effective enterprise solutions.
• Develop and execute plans for comprehensive adoption of UITS Managed Cloud Services (where appropriate), and communicate regularly with IT leadership, faculty, researchers, project and program managers, and other key stakeholders to understand business requirements and provide relevant progress updates and performance metrics.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Ability to set expectations, develop staff, and create a proactive team environment for effectively developing solutions that satisfy the business objectives of the university.
• Strong team-building skills particularly involving culture shifts.
• Proficient management, organizational, and strategic planning skills.
• Strong customer support and service orientation.
• Ability to quickly absorb technical and business requirements, develop short- and long-term strategies, and implement a plan to produce tested and usable solutions.
• In-depth understanding of systems administration practices and technologies, including Windows and Linux server operating systems, AWS cloud computing services, systems security and monitoring, and incident, problem, and change management.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in complex, fast-paced situations.
• Ability to work effectively with peers in joint decision-making and in accepting and implementing decisions made by others.
• Proven ability to grasp complex technologies, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of technology innovations and options to make recommendations and justify decisions.
• Ability to manage time, schedule, and attend activities independently with little direct supervision.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively articulate highly technical concepts and details to the layperson.
• Ability to develop partnerships with other units or outside entities to enhance and expand services.
• Ability to function as a change agent.
• Ability to demonstrate initiative, good judgment and effective decision-making; exhibit strong process improvement orientation; and achieve results through other programs and individuals.
• Ability to lead and manage conflict effectively at all levels of the organization.

This job posting reflects the general nature and level of work expected of the selected candidate(s). It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The institution reserves the right to amend or update this description as organizational priorities and institutional needs evolve.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of related work experience, including three (3) years of managerial experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.