IT Director

About the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI)

The Achievement & Assessment Institute is a nationally recognized leader in large-scale assessment and educational and well-being research. Its work supports state education agencies across the country and contributes to improving outcomes for student populations.

About the role

This leadership role combines the scope of a large-scale SaaS technology organization with the mission and stability of a public research university. The Director will lead a highly experienced, cross-functional team spanning engineering, architecture, quality assurance, DevOps, data, and operations. The position offers the opportunity to shape a long-term technology and product vision, including platform modernization, cloud-native optimization, and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies such as AI/ML into the assessment lifecycle.

Responsibilities

• Technology Strategy, Platform Leadership & Operations (35%)
  • Develop and execute a multi-year product and technology strategy for the Kite platform.
  • Lead cross-functional teams responsible for software development, cloud infrastructure, platform operations, security, and technology delivery.
  • Ensure platform reliability, scalability, performance, availability, and security within a cloud-native AWS environment.
  • Establish operational priorities and oversee day-to-day technology operations.
  • Drive continuous improvement of technology services, delivery practices, and operational processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement, Product Alignment & Strategic Planning (25%)
  • Partner with state agencies, researchers, institutional stakeholders, and executive leadership to align technology solutions with educational and assessment needs.
  • Communicate product roadmaps, implementation priorities, timelines, and strategic initiatives to internal and external stakeholders.
  • Support long-term strategic planning and platform sustainability efforts.
  • Collaborate with organizational leadership to align technology initiatives with institutional goals and operational objectives.
• System Modernization & Innovation (20%)
  • Oversee system modernization initiatives, including re-platforming and cloud optimization efforts.
  • Lead and support AI/ML integration opportunities and process automation initiatives.
  • Guide architecture improvements that enhance scalability, resiliency, efficiency, and user experience.
  • Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions to support organizational growth and operational effectiveness.
• Organizational Leadership & Resource Management (15%)
  • Foster a strong organizational culture focused on collaboration, innovation, accountability, inclusion, and continuous improvement.
  • Provide leadership support, mentorship, staffing oversight, and employee development opportunities.
  • Manage vendor relationships, consulting partnerships, and contract administration activities.
  • Oversee budget planning, financial stewardship, and resource allocation to support strategic and operational goals.
• Other Duties as Assigned (5%)
  • Perform other related duties and strategic initiatives as assigned in support of the mission and operational needs of the Achievement and Assessment Institute.

Requirements

• Hybrid position requiring 2–3 days on-site in Lawrence, Kansas.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of progressive experience in software development, technology, or product management roles.
• Five (5) years of leadership experience managing large, cross-functional teams (engineering, product, QA, and operations), at a senior director, VP, or equivalent level.
• Demonstrated success owning and operating enterprise SaaS platforms end-to-end, from concept through deployment and ongoing operations.
• Five (5) years of experience working with cloud-native architectures, with a strong preference for AWS environments.
• Proven expertise in agile delivery and DevOps practices at scale, including CI/CD and high-availability system management.
• Three (3) years of experience integrating AI/ML capabilities into products, platforms, or operational workflows, with an emphasis on responsible and secure implementation.
• Strong track record of building stakeholder trust and aligning technology strategy with organizational and client needs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Ten (10) years of experience leading product or technology organizations in complex, regulated, or high-availability environments.
• Experience supporting high-volume, mission-critical platforms, ideally in education, assessment, or similarly regulated domains.
• Familiarity with K–12 education systems, large-scale assessment programs, or EdTech ecosystems.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, PgMP, Agile/Scrum).