Associate Director of IT Operations & Infrastructure

About the role

The Associate Director of IT Operations & Infrastructure provides leadership and oversight of the College’s core technology operations, including infrastructure, systems, identity services, and operational reliability. This role is responsible for ensuring that the College’s technology environment is stable, secure, and well-managed, supporting the day-to-day needs of faculty, staff, and students while enabling long-term sustainability and growth.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership oversight of day-to-day IT operations across infrastructure, systems administration, and identity services.
• Ensure the stability, availability, and performance of core technology platforms, including servers, storage, networking, cloud, and directory services.
• Establish and monitor operational standards for system monitoring, patching, maintenance, and lifecycle management.
• Define and track key performance indicators related to system health, service availability, and overall operational effectiveness.
• Supervise and support infrastructure and systems staff.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and service ownership across the team.
• Promote collaboration, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional support both within the team and with The Claremont Colleges Consortium.
• Oversee administration of enterprise infrastructure platforms, including on-premises and cloud-based systems.
• Ensure effective execution of system updates, patching, backup, and disaster recovery activities.
• Provide direction on infrastructure architecture and modernization in coordination with technical staff.
• Ensure systems are maintained in alignment with institutional standards, regulatory compliance, and best practices.
• Provide oversight and coordination for identity lifecycle operation and automation initiatives.
• Ensure reliability, security, and consistency of account provisioning, directory services, and system integrations.
• Support the adoption of automation to improve operational efficiency and consistency.
• Ensure infrastructure and systems operation align with institutional security standards.
• Partner with security and risk functions to support monitoring, incident response, and risk mitigation.
• Ensure operational readiness for system disruptions and recovery scenarios.
• Lead response efforts for major incidents impacting infrastructure and core services.
• Ensure timely escalation, communication, and resolution of operational issues.
• Oversee root cause analysis and implementation of preventative improvement.
• Establish and maintain operational processes, including change management, system lifecycle management, and service documentation.
• Ensure documentation is current, accessible, and aligned with operational practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, reliability, and service delivery.
• Serve as a key advisor to the Executive Director of IT on infrastructure strategy and operational priorities.
• Translate technical issues and risks into clear, actionable insights for leadership.
• Serve as a key advisor to the Executive Director of IT on infrastructure strategy and operational priorities.
• Contribute to planning, budgeting, and long-term technology strategy.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience managing complex IT environments, including infrastructure, identity and access management, enterprise platforms, and cloud services.
• Experience leading operational teams in a service-oriented environment, including responsibility for system reliability, incident response, and service continuity, preferably within higher education or similarly complex organizations.
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to direct technical teams, set priorities, and ensure consistent delivery of infrastructure and operational services.
• Demonstrated ability to establish clear ownership, accountability, and operational discipline across a team supporting enterprise systems and services.
• Strong understanding of enterprise IT infrastructure, including hybrid infrastructure, cloud platforms, identity and access management, networking, and systems administration.
• Experience developing and implementing operational processes, including change management, system lifecycle management, service documentation, and platform governance.
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills, with the ability to assess risk, prioritize effectively, and make informed decisions across infrastructure, security, and service delivery.
• Commitment to maintaining an inclusive, accessible, and equitable technology environment that supports the College’s mission and core values.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in IT infrastructure, systems administration, or enterprise technology operations, including oversight of hybrid environments spanning cloud and on-premises systems.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience in a supervisory or leadership role overseeing technical staff and ensuring consistent and reliable delivery of IT services.

Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with technical staff, leadership, and campus stakeholders.
• Professional references: List at least three (3) individuals who can speak to your professional qualifications.

Benefits

Pitzer College offers comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents, including competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

Pay

Budgeted Salary Range: $112,000-$118,000 per year

Schedule

This is a regular, exempt, full-time, staff position. The regular hours for this position are 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday, with a one-hour meal break. These hours may vary due to needs of the College or department. May be required to occasional evenings, weekends or overtime.

Work Model

This position is generally sedentary and requires the ability to sit for prolonged periods of time and operate a computer for extended durations. The role may occasionally require standing, walking, and light physical activity within office and data center environments.

Physical Requirements

This position requires the ability to sit for prolonged periods of time and operate a computer for extended durations. The role may occasionally require standing, walking, and light physical activity within office and data center environments. The individual must be able to access and inspect equipment, including reaching, bending, or working in confined spaces as needed to support infrastructure oversight, troubleshooting, and coordination of technical work.