About Gordon-Conwell: Gordon-Conwell is a multi-denominational evangelical Protestant graduate school, unique with its broad array of over 2100 students and 200 faculty and staff from 98 denominations and 64 countries. The Seminary offers multiple sites
and delivery systems to meet varied student needs. Our four campuses include a residential model of education at South Hamilton, MA (our main campus); an urban context offering classes in five languages in downtown Boston, MA; and adult educational models
in both our Charlotte, NC campus and our offerings in Jacksonville, FL. Our Doctor of Ministry and Hispanic Ministry programs are delivered in various locations, including occasion international sites; we have online offerings to address student needs, despite
location and vocational commitments.
Our mission is to prepare men and women for ministry at home and abroad. Rooted in the gospel and God’s Word, the seminary seeks to develop Christian leaders who are thoughtful, globally aware, spiritually mature and ready for a broad array of ministries.
While being historically orthodox and evangelical, we seek to address the issues of our times with both relevance to the culture and faithfulness to Christ and God’s truthful Word.
Position Summary: To provide leadership in the institutional delivery of IT services and solutions across all programs and each of our four campuses (South Hamilton and Boston, MA, Charlotte NC and Jacksonville FL). Through the use of a shared services model,
the director will be responsible for providing client-focused services across all campuses in support of both local and institution-wide operations. This individual will oversee infrastructure, support services, enterprise applications. This includes management
of network and voice communications, computing hardware, software and computing services for all internal constituents: students, staff and faculty. This leader will direct a team of ~16 staff members responsible for infrastructure, enterprise applications,
IT support services, media services and educational support services. Qualified candidates will be able to affirm and support the mission and vision of the seminary.
Key Responsibilities:
- User Experience: Ensure all faculty, staff, administration and students are equipped with reliable tools including fast, reliable internet service, an increasing wireless environment, media services, e-mail, phone systems and printing/copying
capabilities. Reduce frequency of outages; minimize scheduled maintenance during non-business hours and emergency downtime.
- Student Commitment: Focus on continuously improving information technology for (1) web-based, self-service functionality of student application, registration, financial aid, billing, housing and other services related to student records
management and (2) access in the classroom, access to library resources, and access from residential and auxiliary facilities.
- Network and Telecommunication Systems – Make certain that computer servers, telephone systems, wide area network and related functions are properly maintained to provide cost effective, secure, reliable, quality services for all campuses
and other teaching sites, as determined by administration.
- Enterprise systems: in consultation with support services (e.g. marketing, development, finance, HR) and educational programs, support the design and functionality of information systems and web portals to meet high priority missional and
annual business objectives of the Seminary.
- Education Support Services (ESS): In partnership with the Academic Dean of Hamilton, provide oversight and consultation with other campus deans to ensure Learning Management System (LMS) and other instructional technologies support institutional
and ATS (Association of Theological Schools) requirements for online learning, and other seminary education priorities. Work with the academic and library service departments to integrate educational technology with administrative technology.
- Leadership: Consider both short-term and long range planning goals in alignment with institutional strategy, and lead the Seminary in the best, most cost effective uses of appropriate technology. Present sound business case when making
recommendations for technology improvements, including cost/benefit analysis, associated risks, etc. Work to develop and train IT professionals to support GCTS technology, to stay current on industry trends and technology advancements that the Seminary may
want to consider in the future, and to be customer focused when serving internal clients. Serve as a member on the Leadership Team. Develop and manage annual IT budget
- Other Duties as assigned.
Required Competencies
- Functional Depth and Breadth – Possess advanced functional knowledge of IT services and business knowledge, including products, practices, trends, etc. Must possess ability to apply knowledge to complex problems or non-standard situations.
- Industry Knowledge – Acquires, interprets and evaluates information and trends in relevant technology (both within higher education and for enterprise systems) and demonstrate ability to make sound recommendations for Gordon-Conwell to
meet needs of current state, and longer term planning.
- Customer Focus – Must be able to provide excellent customer experience with technology and during interpersonal interactions. Be able to anticipate varying needs of key constituents (students, faculty and staff), demonstrate high performance
standards, and hold team to same level of high standards.
- Build Organizational Relationships: Proven track record of building relationships across departments and outside the organization to ensure positive outcomes. Work in such a way as to remove organizational obstacles that impact cross-functional
work required to achieve results. Understanding of how to get things done in a matrixed environment, and ability to relate well to peers, direct reports and senior leadership.
- Communication and Interpersonal Effectiveness: Must have strong written and verbal communication skills and be able to communicate in a manner that allows information to flow freely and smoothly in order to perform job responsibilities
in a timely fashion.
- Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze, interpret and evaluate data in order to make data-driven decisions and reports for senior leadership.
Education and Experience
- Education - Bachelor degree in a computer or information related profession, or equivalent required; Masters degree preferred.
- Special Training and Skills – Has demonstrated at least ten years of proven, advanced technical proficiencies in one or more areas related to network infrastructure design and administration, web development, or Microsoft applications and
programming, including SQL Server.
- Management Experience –Proven track record of successful management experience at director level, with minimum of five to seven years that includes information technology supervision, budgeting, financial controls, leadership, staff development
and project management. Strong preference for an individual with experience in higher education or with non-profit organizations.
