Senior Director, Enterprise Applications and Data Systems

The mission of the Office of Data and Technology is to support schools and the district as a whole to use technology and data effectively to accelerate student achievement. The Office includes the following teams:

• The Information Technology team provides DCPS students and staff in every school with the infrastructure, systems, and support to use technology effectively to accelerate student achievement.

• The Data team ensures stakeholders at all levels of the organization have access to accurate, timely, and relevant data, conducting analysis and research, and building school-based capacity to use data tools to inform planning and decision-making.

• The Enterprise Application team leads the district’s efforts to ensure all DCPS students and staff, in every school, have application technology and systems needed to be successful.

The Senior Director, Enterprise Applications and Data Systems oversees a team responsible for developing, deploying, and managing application solutions for DC Public Schools, including the Student Information System. The Senior Director will oversee the implementation and management of the Student Information System, application development, delivery and testing principles, and other critical Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and business system applications for DCPS. The Senior Director is responsible for driving a fast-paced environment, accelerating the team’s professional growth, and adapting the team’s solution delivery to support schools. This position has been designated as Protection Sensitive. Pursuant to section 410 of Chapter 4 of the D.C. Personnel Regulations; in addition to the general suitability screening, individuals applying for or occupying protection sensitive positions are subject to the following checks and tests: Criminal background check; Sex Offender Registry check; Pre-employment drug and alcohol test; Traffic record check (as applicable); Reasonable suspicion drug and alcohol test; and Post-accident or incident drug and alcohol test.

If you are hired into this position at an annual salary of one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) or more, DC government regulations require that you must establish residency in the District of Columbia within one hundred eighty (180) days of the effective date of the appointment and continue to maintain residency within the District of Columbia throughout the duration of the appointment.

The Senior Director, Enterprise Applications and Data Systems will report to the Senior Deputy Chief, Information Technology., The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and scope of work being performed by this position. This is not a complete listing of all responsibilities, duties, and/or skills required. Other duties may be assigned.

• Oversees the implementation and management of the Student Information System, application development, delivery and testing principles, and other critical Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and business system applications for DCPS; and works across Offices to understand DCPS’ needs and integrate them into overall strategy.
• Manages technical development resources, both contractor and FTE, who are responsible for development, operations, and maintenance for enterprise applications; and suggests techniques and approaches to improve performance.
• Builds senior-level relationships across internal departments and offices to drive collaboration and project success; and interacts with and responds effectively to urgent requests from multiple internal and external DCPS stakeholders.
• Keeps informed about innovations, developments in policy, and research; and advises DCPS senior management team on proposed legislation, policies, and procedures affecting the specific department and projects assigned.
• Attends relevant external meetings and conferences to stay informed about latest research and trends; represents the perspective and vision of DCPS; and presents specific findings and project results.
• Develops and maintains a current and future state architecture that aligns to organization goals and ensures strong customer-focused service.
• Works collaboratively with a variety of individuals to design, develop, and configure custom and/or commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) database and software applications.
• Identifies and systematizes successful operational and project management methods; and develops and implements annual budget and allocation of staff and resources.
• Defines, manages, and improves service level reporting for application development; and provides early warning to the appropriate business partnership and planning leaders regarding degraded or missed service levels.
• Proactively helps to adjust department approach based on changes in direction, priorities, and resources; and coordinates and directs the work of staff based on volume, priorities, and strategic context.
• Works to facilitate consistency of service technical experience in the development and management of Student Information System, data science, Big Data, ERP, mobile/web platforms, software delivery, and testing delivery across client groups.
• Drives the gathering and analysis of data for internal and external reporting; and evaluates, on quantitative and qualitative bases, effectiveness of programs and special projects towards meeting established goals and objectives.
• Assesses programmatic talent needs and implements hiring, training/professional development strategies, and organizational design appropriately; guides and coaches direct reports and other team members; and keeps staff informed of internal and external developments affecting their areas of responsibility., * STUDENTS FIRST: We recognize students as whole children and put their needs first in everything we do.
• COURAGE: We have the audacity to learn from our successes and failures, to try new things, and to lead the nation as a proof point of PK-12 success.
• EQUITY: We work proactively to eliminate opportunity gaps by interrupting institutional bias and investing in effective strategies to ensure every student succeeds.
• EXCELLENCE: We work with integrity and hold ourselves accountable for exemplary outcomes, service, and interactions.
• TEAMWORK: We recognize that our greatest asset is our collective vision and ability to work collaboratively and authentically.
• JOY: We enjoy our collective work and will enthusiastically celebrate our success and each other.

• Bachelor’s degree and six to eight years of related work experience.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Previous exposure to or experience in the education sector a plus.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in application development, including leadership of large, enterprise engineering teams (education environment preferred).
• Demonstrated success managing full SDLC, including design, development, testing, deployment, and production support.
• Experience overseeing large-scale, complex IT projects and ensuring alignment with organizational standards, governance, and compliance requirements.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to translate business needs into technical solutions.
• Experience with enterprise platforms such as ERP, SIS (e.g. Aspen), data systems, and integration tools is highly desirable.
• Experience with low-code/no-code platforms such as Microsoft Power Platform (Power Apps, Power Automate) and QuickBase to accelerate application delivery and business process automation.
• Knowledge of advanced principles and techniques of systems analysis and design and computer programming and documentation; business applications; management of inter/intranet/web administration applications; system and application security requirements with an emphasis on K-12 systems.
• Proven experience defining and executing enterprise application strategy, architecture, and multi-year technology roadmaps.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.