The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) is seeking a Director of District Technology Support Services to establish and lead a new department within the Information Technology Office that provides a centralized framework of data and technology services, support, training, and communication for school districts. The ideal candidate will lead initiatives to empower districts through collaborative service delivery, standardization, and the efficient management of technology resources, with the overarching goal of enhancing educational outcomes through technology.

• Lead the development and growth of the District Technology Support Services Department, defining strategic objectives, allocating resources effectively, and cultivating a dedicated support team.
• Develop a comprehensive IT Shared Services program, based on district needs, that includes a catalog of services and resources available to districts, a multi-year budget and resource allocation plan, and a phased implementation strategy.
• Provide coordinated support to districts for statewide technology systems by implementing standardized processes for vendor management, programmatic assistance, and system maintenance, establishing a streamlined system for change requests, vendor support tickets, and issue escalation across districts.
• Establish centralized points of contact and protocols for consistent communication and support, including notifications about outages, dependencies, and system upgrades across all technology, security, privacy, networking, application, training, research, and data functions.
• Manage and mentor team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performing development and service environment.
• Collaborate with Agency executives, divisions, and offices to understand district programmatic needs, and work with team members to implement creative, innovative technological solutions while seeking continuous improvement.
• Foster and maintain relationships with all school districts and key external groups, such as the District Data Governance Council, the SC Association of Educational Technology, and the K-12 School Technology Committee, among others. Collaborate with districts and partners to stay informed on district technology needs, emerging best practices, and potential areas for partnership or advocacy.

Minimum And Additional Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in communications, business administration, information technology, mathematics, statistics, management information science or a related field and experience in telecommunications, data processing and/or information technology. Relevant experience may substitute for the bachelor’s degree on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field (such as Computer Science, Information Technology, Project Management, etc.) or commensurate training and/or experience in IT-related fields.
• Two plus (2+) years of experience in IT-related management, with a proven track record of success in delivering complex applications
• Strong organizational skills, including an ability to manage multiple priorities with competing demands for resources.
• Commitment to continually building on existing knowledge and skills to be up to date on the latest technology innovations that service school districts and support the Agency’s mission.
• Desire to innovate and create cutting edge solutions which make a significant impact in an empowering work environment.