Associate Vice President, Infrastructure & Operations

About the role

The Associate Vice President (AVP), Infrastructure and Operations is the senior-most digital technology operations leader within MD Anderson's Technology, Data & Innovation (TDI) division. This role carries full accountability for the architecture, delivery, reliability, and continuous evolution of the physical and digital infrastructure that underpins every mission of MD Anderson - patient care, cancer research, clinical trials, education, and administration.

Responsibilities

• Define, own, and continuously evolve the enterprise infrastructure and operations strategy aligned to MD Anderson's multi-year digital transformation roadmap and TDI's target operating model.
• Drive infrastructure modernization including on-premises, cloud-native architecture, hybrid cloud management, software-defined infrastructure, and network transformation.
• Evaluate and adopt emerging technologies - including AI/ML-enabled operations (AIOps), observability platforms, and automation tooling - to continuously improve service quality, speed, and cost.
• Define and enforce enterprise-grade availability, performance, and resilience standards across all infrastructure domains, championing ITSM frameworks anchored in ITIL best practices.
• Establish and maintain robust disaster recovery and business continuity capabilities, working in close partnership with Operations leadership, Risk Management, and TDI leaders to ensure institutional digital resilience.
• Provide executive oversight for MD Anderson's hybrid cloud strategy, including public cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP), private cloud, and co-location environments including TACC.
• Direct the Data Center Management & Operations function, ensuring facilities meet clinical, research, and administrative reliability requirements with best-in-class power, cooling, and physical security practices.
• Oversee the super computing function, ensuring high-performance compute (HPC) and research computing capabilities support cancer research, genomics, and AI-driven discovery at the forefront of the institution's scientific mission.
• Lead the Service Delivery function responsible for end-user computing, service desk operations, device lifecycle management, and the overall digital experience of MD Anderson faculty, clinicians, researchers, and staff.
• Drive continuous improvement in end-user satisfaction and service delivery efficiency, leveraging automation, AI, and self-service mechanisms to empower end users.
• Work in close collaboration with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to ensure all infrastructure domains incorporate, enforce, and continuously improve security architecture, controls, and vulnerability management practices.
• Embed security-by-design into infrastructure provisioning, change management, and architecture review processes, maintaining governance frameworks that support HIPAA, HITECH, and applicable Texas state information security mandates.
• Develop, own, and actively manage the I&O budget, applying a total cost of ownership lens to all infrastructure investment decisions and driving cost optimization through consolidation, automation, and cloud right-sizing.
• Lead strategic vendor and partner relationship management for I&O, including major technology vendors and managed service providers, negotiating to maximize institutional value and service quality.
• Build, develop, and retain a high-performing I&O organization, establishing a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, psychological safety, and data-driven decision-making.
• Mentor and develop directors and executive directors, providing challenging growth opportunities and clear career pathways within TDI.
• Serve as a trusted advisor and executive partner to the CDOI and broader TDI leadership team on all matters related to infrastructure strategy, operational performance, and technology risk.
• Represent MD Anderson on relevant University of Texas System committees, Texas Department of Information Resources working groups, and professional and industry organizations.
• Participate in incident management involving infrastructure systems and digital technologies that impact care delivery and patient safety; facilitate clear communication with stakeholders during major incidents.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years of progressive leadership experience in IT infrastructure and operations, with at least 5 years in a senior executive role with enterprise-wide accountability.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex I&O organizations across multiple technical domains including cloud, data center, service delivery, and end-user computing.
• Proven track record of driving infrastructure modernization and cloud transformation at scale in large, complex organizations.
• Experience managing significant capital and operating budgets, including cloud cost optimization and vendor negotiations.
• Demonstrated ability to build and develop high-performing, diverse technical teams and leadership organizations.
• Experience partnering with cybersecurity leadership to embed security and compliance practices into I&O operations.
• Strong executive presence with demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders, present compelling business cases, and build trust across a matrixed organization.