Director of SUNY IT Optimization and Engagement

The State University of New York, or SUNY, is the largest comprehensive system of public higher education in the United States, with 64 colleges and universities spanning the state from Long Island to the Adirondacks to Buffalo. SUNY System Administration employees, based in Albany and New York City, provide critical support for SUNY campuses, employees, and students to advance SUNY's mission of providing high-quality, affordable higher education for all.

Across a wide range of roles, from finance and legal counsel to student support, academic affairs, IT, admissions, and more, our employees work toward advancing the four priority pillars established by SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. and the SUNY Board of Trustees: student success; research and scholarship; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and economic development and upward mobility. SUNY System Administration is a mission-driven workplace with robust New York State benefits including health insurance, retirement, time off, and paid family leave.

The Director of SUNY Information Technology Optimization and Engagement provides leadership for projects and portfolio management across the SUNY Office of Information Technology under the direction of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). The Director leads and supports a project management office responsible for establishing consistent project management policies and practices, coordinating work across the OIT portfolio, and providing leadership with clear information about project status, costs, schedules, risks, dependencies, resource needs, and expected outcomes.

The Director is responsible for ensuring IT projects are aligned with SUNY's strategic goals and portfolio management priorities driving alignment and engagement across 64 campuses and SUNY hospitals for campus and central administration technology operations. The Director also maintains a particular focus on SUNY's Digital Transformation Projects (DTP), helping to coordinate these complex, systemwide initiatives and supporting the governance, stakeholder engagement, procurement, financial oversight, change management, and performance reporting necessary for their success.

Duties & Responsibilities:

- Lead and coordinate project and portfolio management activities across the Office of Information Technology, including the development and operation of an OIT project management office.
- Establish policies and maintain practical, consistent standards, templates, tools, and reporting practices for project intake, planning, execution, monitoring, change control, and closeout.
- Maintain a consolidated view of the OIT project portfolio, including project status, schedules, budgets, procurement activities, resource requirements, dependencies, risks, and anticipated outcomes.
- Provide regular portfolio reporting and analysis to the CIO and SUNY leadership to support project prioritization, resource allocation, investment decisions, and resolution of significant risks or barriers.
- Provide project management leadership and support for major OIT initiatives, with particular responsibility for coordinating and monitoring SUNY's Digital Transformation Projects.
- Conduct analysis and quality assurance activities related to the ongoing support of SUNY's Digital Transformation Project (DTP).
- Partner with DTP teams to help identify, analyze and prioritize work in support of the projects.
- Participate in the development of Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitation for Bids (IFBs), Requests for Quotes (RFQ's), Requests for Information (RFI's), Sole/Single Source Procurements, in support of DTP.
- Engage campuses and hospitals to ensure DTP project plans and strategies meet institutional and end-user needs.
- Serve as a liaison with 64 campuses, SUNY CIO, and other business units, as needed or requested.
- Perform other duties and special projects as required.Required Skills:

- 5+ years of leading large government teams or units.
- 3+ years in senior leadership managing cross-functional teams.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Analytical problem-solving abilities and data-driven decision-making expertise.
- Proven record of effective leadership and team collaboration.
- Ability to manage concurrent initiatives with clear deliverables and timelines.
- Excellent presentation and reporting skills for executive stakeholders.
- Must be flexible and adapt to the changing priorities and requests.

Required Qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree
- Eight (8) - ten (10) years experience in managing large-scale, complex digital transformation or modernization initiatives.