Director of Information Technology - Harvard-Westlake School

Director of Information Technology

At the core of any good education is 1) foundational knowledge of relevant disciplines, 2) a passion for the subject, and 3) a willingness to measuredly experiment in pursuit of growth. Harvard-Westlake seeks a Director of IT who applies this framework to the technological infrastructure of the school, providing a comprehensive, highly reliable network upon which day-to-day operations can be conducted while also collaborating with stakeholders to continually explore the application of technology in a forward-looking teaching and learning environment.

To accomplish these goals, the Director of IT will thoroughly involve themself in all aspects of the school’s programs, observing how technology is applied in the classroom, staff office, theater, and field and where opportunities for improvement may exist. The position will be supported by, but also expected to be an inspirational leader of, an experienced and skilled IT team of thirteen individuals. A 12-month, full-time, and onsite position, the Director of IT will maintain a presence on each of the school’s campuses but will be primarily based at the Upper School located in the Studio City neighborhood of Los Angeles.

The network spans both campuses utilizing state-of-the-art, high-speed, redundant fiber connections between campuses and externally with 4 firewalls, 20 core switches and 136 edge switches. Extensive Wi-Fi coverage is provided on both campuses through 410 access points. The redundant SAN supports over 100 virtual machines, hosting 15 websites, the school’s proprietary Didax student information system, Exchange email, file servers, load balancers, DNS, and administrative tools.

Position responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the areas listed below. Expectations and specific areas of oversight will evolve along with the underlying technologies and uses thereof. At each step, Harvard-Westlake expects the department to be at the vanguard, particularly in applying technology to support and advance student academic outcomes.

Infrastructure

• Oversee the evaluation, deployment, and operation of all hardware, software, systems, back-end infrastructure, and services, giving due consideration to cost-effectiveness, user satisfaction, compliance, asset management, quality of service, scalability, performance, and security.
• Manage the network team in the architecture, maintenance, and growth of the school’s IT backbone, connectivity, and web systems.
  • Supported systems and hardware include 350 employee laptops, Zoom VOIP phones, classroom projectors, Crestron classroom AV controllers, streaming services, digital signage, bookstore and cafeteria POS systems, scanners, and printers.
  • There are over 20 integrated cloud-based services utilizing SSO and MFA such as Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Canvas, Zoom, Mimecast, AlertMedia, and ClearCompany.
  • The network infrastructure is fully redundant on both campuses and data is replicated in real time between campuses, and regularly to cloud storage, to provide a lossless disaster recovery solution.
• Maintain all IT/IS policies and operating procedures, including acceptable use standards for employees and students, data management, privacy, and access. Educate the school community about these policies and evaluate them regularly.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including the communications department, to manage an engaging and informative web and social media presence.
• End user support
  • Ensure that the department is a visible, prompt, and helpful resource to employees and students.
  • Lead the selection, large-scale distribution, and maintenance of personal computing equipment to end users (current standards are primarily PC-based)
  • Provide periodic training to all employees on topics such as commonly-used software, file backups, and threat detection and avoidance.
  • Coordinate with the facilities teams and event sponsors (e.g., performing arts, assemblies, meetings, in-services) for A/V support and related services.
• Security and disaster recovery
  • Encourage the regular review of policies, practices, and systems for a highly secure network and data infrastructure without compromising user functionality.
  • Regularly test security and risk management protocols to assess and address vulnerabilities, including through the use of third-party security specialists.
  • Examine and improve disaster recovery plans to safeguard critical data and systems.
• Actively participate in the development and articulation of the annual IT operating budget.
• Recommend and implement long-range IT capital projects, consistent with the school’s foreseeable needs and renewal/replacement funding mechanisms.
• Manage relevant vendor relationships, negotiating and managing bids, agreements, and contracts for technology and technology services as needed.
• Key platforms include: Ruckus core switches, edge switches and Wi-Fi routers, SonicWall firewalls, InfoBlox DNS, Dell EMC SANs, Dell blade servers, Dell laptops, Zoom VOIP, VMWare, Kemp Load Balancer and WAF, VEEM, Always On VPN, KIWI, PRTG, NCM, SCCM, ManageEngine, Mimecast, Carbon Black, Okta, and Canvas.

Educational Technology

• Evangelize the fact that IT and computer-based learning will play an increasingly important role in achieving successful student outcomes.
• Partner with Teaching and Learning specialists to research, pilot, and implement initiatives that amplify student learning through the robust application of technology.
• Maintain the suite of software products, web-based services, and applications used in classrooms and faculty/staff departments, directly supporting end-user questions and technical needs.

Didax

• As the school’s proprietary enterprise software, ensure Didax is maintained with the utmost in reliability and with a comprehensive feature set that serves the school’s needs.
• Provide guidance to the internal software development team regarding the prioritization of future enhancements.
• Ensure investments in Didax are supported by justifiable business cases, including build versus buy considerations, cloud migration, applicability of core technologies, and ease and flexibility of use.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 10 years leading a multi-disciplinary IT operations team, including specific experience managing a wide variety of IT-related projects with an emphasis on management skills, contingency planning, and reasoned prioritization.
• Committed to building leadership capacity and expansive thinking within a large department.
• Current and in-depth knowledge of network architecture, telecommunication, wireless, mobile, and cloud technologies.
• Degree in computer science, networking, software development or related field and equivalent experience.
• Continuous professional development in order to remain informed of the latest educational technology trends and new opportunities, strategic planning, and experience providing a reliable and secure technology infrastructure.

About Harvard-Westlake School

We are an independent school consisting of two campuses located in Los Angeles, California. We have approximately 1,600 curious, thoughtful, and inspiring students enrolled in grades seven through twelve.

We are committed to creating a community of belonging and actively strive to be a diverse and inclusive community. We do not discriminate on any basis. We seek candidates who demonstrate sensitivity, knowledge, and understanding of the diverse backgrounds of community members; have the ability to work flexibly, independently, and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment with individuals from a diverse set of backgrounds; and have the capacity to serve as a model of openness, generosity, and acceptance.

Compensation: Estimated base compensation for this role is $200,000 - $250,000, depending on experience.

Great benefits we offer:

• Top-tier medical, dental, and vision coverage with zero to low premium contributions
• 403(b) Retirement with a 10% match and immediate vesting
• Cafeteria allowance – lunch is on us!
• Professional development support including continuing education
• Personal Growth grants
• Relocation Assistance
• Employee affinity groups
• Mental wellness resources and workshops
• Partially subsidized employee housing (subject to availability)
• Tickets to local sporting and entertainment events
• Discount at school bookstore (get your HW swag!)
• Paid Holidays, including time off for Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring break plus vacation!