IT Director

While titled as a Director within the University of Kansas structure, this role carries the scope and responsibility of a senior technology executive, comparable to a Vice President-level leader in industry. The Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for a comprehensive, cloud-based assessment platform, overseeing product development, engineering, platform operations, and security.

The Assessment & Technology Services team supports the Kite platform and Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) assessments, which annually serve hundreds of thousands of students across multiple states. These include high-stakes assessments designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, as well as general education populations. The platform plays a critical role in enabling equitable and accessible assessment experiences at a national scale.

This position is responsible for guiding the continued evolution of a mature, mission-driven technology platform, ensuring reliability, scalability, and innovation in support of state partners and educational outcomes.

The successful candidate will bring a balance of strategic vision and operational execution, with a collaborative leadership style suited to an established and high-performing team. This individual will be motivated by both the technical challenges of operating a national-scale platform and the meaningful impact of supporting educational access and equity.

Role Distinction This leadership role combines the scope of a large-scale SaaS technology organization with the mission and stability of a public research university. The Director will lead a highly experienced, cross-functional team spanning engineering, architecture, quality assurance, DevOps, data, and operations.

The position offers the opportunity to shape a long-term technology and product vision, including platform modernization, cloud-native optimization, and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies such as AI/ML into the assessment lifecycle.

About the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) The Achievement & Assessment Institute is a nationally recognized leader in large-scale assessment and educational and well-being research. Its work supports state education agencies across the country and contributes to improving outcomes for student populations., 35% - Technology Strategy, Platform Leadership & Operations

• Develop and execute a multi-year product and technology strategy for the Kite platform.
• Lead cross-functional teams responsible for software development, cloud infrastructure, platform operations, security, and technology delivery.
• Ensure platform reliability, scalability, performance, availability, and security within a cloud-native AWS environment.
• Establish operational priorities and oversee day-to-day technology operations.
• Drive continuous improvement of technology services, delivery practices, and operational processes.

25% - Stakeholder Engagement, Product Alignment & Strategic Planning

• Partner with state agencies, researchers, institutional stakeholders, and executive leadership to align technology solutions with educational and assessment needs.
• Communicate product roadmaps, implementation priorities, timelines, and strategic initiatives to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support long-term strategic planning and platform sustainability efforts.
• Collaborate with organizational leadership to align technology initiatives with institutional goals and operational objectives.

20% - System Modernization & Innovation

• Oversee system modernization initiatives, including re-platforming and cloud optimization efforts.
• Lead and support AI/ML integration opportunities and process automation initiatives.
• Guide architecture improvements that enhance scalability, resiliency, efficiency, and user experience.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions to support organizational growth and operational effectiveness.

15% - Organizational Leadership & Resource Management

• Foster a strong organizational culture focused on collaboration, innovation, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership support, mentorship, staffing oversight, and employee development opportunities.
• Manage vendor relationships, consulting partnerships, and contract administration activities.
• Oversee budget planning, financial stewardship, and resource allocation to support strategic and operational goals.

5% - Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform other related duties and strategic initiatives as assigned in support of the mission and operational needs of the Achievement and Assessment Institute.

1. Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field
2. Seven (7) years of progressive experience in software development, technology, or product management roles
3. Five (5) years of leadership experience managing large, cross-functional teams (engineering, product, QA, and operations), at a senior director, VP, or equivalent level
4. Demonstrated success owning and operating enterprise SaaS platforms end-to-end, from concept through deployment and ongoing operations as evidenced by application materials
5. Five (5) years of experience working with cloud-native architectures, with a strong preference for AWS environments
6. Proven expertise in agile delivery and DevOps practices at scale, including CI/CD and high-availability system management as evidenced by application materials
7. Three (3) years of experience integrating AI/ML capabilities into products, platforms, or operational workflows, with an emphasis on responsible and secure implementation
8. Strong track record of building stakeholder trust and aligning technology strategy with organizational and client needs as evidenced by application materials

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge, analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector, ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices, enhances collaboration with external partners, and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations. Preferred Qualifications

1. Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
2. Ten (10) years of experience leading product or technology organizations in complex, regulated, or high-availability environments
3. Experience supporting high-volume, mission-critical platforms, ideally in education, assessment, or similarly regulated domains as evidenced by application materials
4. Familiarity with K-12 education systems, large-scale assessment programs, or EdTech ecosystems as evidenced by application materials
5. Relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, PgMP, Agile/Scrum)