Field Services Associate Director

About the role

Help us transform Wisconsin and the world! The University of Wisconsin – Madison, branded a “public Ivy” by Forbes Magazine, provides a world-class education to our students and supports cutting-edge research with global collaborators who leverage our data networks to find and visualize black holes, uncover elusive subatomic particles and gravitational waves, improve weather and climate forecasting, identify invasive species in the U.S., enhance agriculture yields and livestock growth and SO much more!

The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) seeks an enthusiastic and talented Network Services Field Services Associate Director to work with world-class faculty, staff, students and leading-edge network technologies. In this role, you’ll be managing a team of 15 to install and maintain networks connecting over 60,000 faculty, staff and students, special-purpose research instruments, computation and storage systems to each other and to reach collaborators and data sources across the world.

The candidate selected for this position may perform a combination of on-site and remote work subject to an approved flexible work arrangement (FWA), which is reviewed and approved annually. It is anticipated the role will be onsite at least four days per week. Remote work requires successful candidates to possess their own high-speed internet and phone to perform the work on a university provided computer. Per University policy, transportation between home and assigned work location is not payable/reimbursable and will be at the expense of the employee.

Key Responsibilities

• Directs strategic information technology planning initiatives and establishes objectives for the institution to ensure appropriate use of financial, administrative, staffing resources in alignment with the strategic plan
• Develops operating policies and procedures to comply with regulations, institutional policies, and unit objectives
• Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
• May develop and audit institutional budgets and/or financials
• Manage and maintain service levels. Establish measures of service success such as benchmarks, key performance indicators (KPIs), and Objective and Key Results (OKRs). Oversee a program of continuous improvement for all services
• Serves as a liaison representing the interests of the institution to internal and external stakeholders
• Responsible for the successful implementation of and management of projects at the group, department, and enterprise level
• Advises institutional or divisional leadership on information technology operations and business models
• May perform manager functions

Travel Expectations

It is expected that employees will make individual arrangements for transportation adequate to meet position responsibilities and essential job functions. Applicants are required to have a valid driver’s license and a reliable source of independent transportation for periodic in-state work travel, and/or comply with requirements for UW-Madison vehicle use authorization.

Department Context

UW is a comprehensive teaching, public service and scholarly research institution comprised of 14 schools and colleges, over 28,000 faculty/staff, a student enrollment of over 50,000 with a $5.1B annual budget which includes over $1.9B in research expenditures.

The Division of Information Technology (DoIT) is UW’s central IT organization. DoIT provides computer technology services to UW and a more limited set of services to other Universities of Wisconsin, other units of State government and other institutions in the region. DoIT delivers desktop, server and cloud computing services and supports networks, telecommunications, Internet connectivity, administrative and academic systems, security, instructional technology and other information technology services.

Network Services is a department within DoIT that is responsible for the operations, administration, management and support of the campus wired and wireless networks, wide-area networks and certain network-based applications such as unified communications, remote access systems, streaming TV and DNS/DHCP services. The department performs long-range planning, design, procurement, installation and maintenance of a broad range of network services. The department also provides certain cyberinfrastructure support to facilitate faculty research.

Field Services is responsible for project work and the operational management of the campus voice, data, wireless and streaming TV networks. Our work is performed in and around the more than 180 buildings within the contiguous campus framework and approximately 24 off-campus locations where we provide telecommunications and 24×7 incident response along with daily operational and long-term project support.

Compensation

Starting salary will be based on experience and qualifications. Well qualified applicants can expect to earn between $135,000 – $150,000, with final salary based on experience and qualifications.

Required Qualifications

• Experience directing, leading, planning and managing projects (e.g. enterprise-wide, department or team) of varying sizes and scope
• Demonstrated experience providing leadership, exercising influence, and building consensus or partnerships in a large, complex, and collaborative enterprise
• Experience coordinating and tracking multiple projects or tasks simultaneously, ensuring deliverables are completed on schedule, and stakeholders are informed of progress and risks
• Knowledge of data communication network and infrastructure technologies such as routers, switches, fiber optics, or structured copper cabling

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous management experience supervising IT employees such as directing and scheduling personnel, managing performance, hiring/separating activities, or rewarding at least 2 direct reports
• Knowledge of or experience with data communication network technologies and infrastructure diagnostic testing hardware/software and troubleshooting techniques to find and fix network connection faults
• Proven ability to effectively communicate complex information through written, verbal, and presentation formats to technical and non-technical audiences, achieving stakeholder understanding, alignment, and action on key initiatives
• Proven ability to identify, assess, and resolve operational challenges while meeting established timelines and maintaining service levels
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, including planning, forecasting, tracking expenditures, and reporting on financial performance to ensure alignment with approved budget objectives

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred minimum