Director of IT Infrastructure and Operations

National Collegiate Athletic Association - Indianapolis, IN

Full-time - Senior

Indianapolis, IN

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About the position

The Director of IT Infrastructure and Operations (I&O) is the most senior role within the NCAA IT department, responsible for overseeing all aspects of IT infrastructure and operations across the organization. This position plays a critical role in enabling business capabilities and services, ensuring that the I&O strategy aligns with the overall enterprise IT strategy. The Director will set the mission, vision, and strategy for the I&O organization, focusing on maximizing the success of both business and IT initiatives. This includes introducing innovative infrastructure and operations capabilities that enhance competitive advantages and improve employee productivity. In addition to strategic oversight, the Director will develop and maintain the annual I&O budget, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and fostering a culture of continuous cost optimization. A key responsibility will be to define and manage a comprehensive IT Service Management (ITSM) landscape, implementing best practices and toolsets to enhance service delivery. Collaboration with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) is essential to ensure that security strategies are integrated into I&O operations. The Director will also establish governance mechanisms to monitor effective controls within I&O processes, support audits, and ensure compliance with risk management protocols. A focus on improving awareness of the business value provided by I&O will be paramount, as will the development of a strong leadership team within the function. The role requires a commitment to improving IT resilience through strategies that enhance reliability and disaster recovery capabilities. Staying abreast of technology trends and incorporating emerging technologies into I&O services will be crucial for delivering on the overall IT strategy. The Director will also oversee vendor relationships and sourcing strategies, ensuring that the I&O team is equipped with the necessary skilled resources to meet demand. Continuous improvement initiatives will be driven through a programmatic approach, measuring impact and sharing results with stakeholders. The Director will serve on various IT planning and policymaking committees, contributing to the development of enterprise technology standards and performance metrics.

Responsibilities

• Set the mission, vision, and strategy of the I&O organization to maximize business and IT initiatives.
• Introduce innovative infrastructure and operations capabilities to enhance competitive capabilities and employee productivity.
• Develop and maintain the annual I&O budget consistent with strategic objectives.
• Create a culture of continuous cost optimization.
• Define, develop, and manage a comprehensive IT Service Management (ITSM) landscape based on best practices.
• Collaborate with the CISO to integrate security strategies into I&O operations.
• Establish governance mechanisms to monitor effective controls within I&O processes.
• Support audits and compliance reviews as required.
• Develop strategies to improve awareness of the business value provided by I&O.
• Design and develop a strong I&O leadership team and support their career progression.
• Improve IT resilience through strategies that enhance reliability and disaster recovery readiness.
• Track trends and provide direction on emerging technologies for I&O services.
• Champion I&O involvement in innovation efforts and encourage experimentation with new solutions.
• Direct the development of an I&O sourcing strategy and oversee vendor relationships.
• Work with HR to develop workforce plans to meet demand for skilled resources.
• Drive the adoption of service improvements through continuous improvement initiatives.
• Serve on IT planning and policymaking committees, driving the development of technology standards and performance metrics.
• Continuously evaluate the business value of I&O using metrics such as KPIs and OKRs.
• Collaborate with peers and other leaders in the organization.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• 8-10 years of equivalent work experience in an enterprise infrastructure environment.
• Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in complex IT environments.
• Minimum of five years of staff management, development, and mentoring experience.
• Experience managing vendor relationships for infrastructure services and solutions.
• Exposure to ITIL fundamentals; ITIL certification preferred.
• Experience in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Strong communication and relationship skills to interact with senior leadership.
• Knowledge of current technology trends, including cloud and operations automation.
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrated record of improving business processes.
• Willingness to learn and recommend innovative technologies.
• Excellent project management skills and attention to detail.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with Agile and DevOps methodologies.
• Familiarity with performance metrics and outcome-driven metrics.