"Director - Information Technology Applications and Systems"

Job Details

Salary: $139,151.04 - $169,518.96 Annually

Job Type: Classified Manager

Job Number: 184

Closing: 1/14/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

Location: Santa Barbara, CA

Department: Information Technology Division

Basic Functions

The Director of IT Applications and Systems reports directly to the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and manages the entire lifecycle of the institution's software applications, including strategic planning, development, implementation, and ongoing support; provides leadership to align application strategy with institutional goals; coordinates and directs resources, related procurement functions, personnel and communications to meet District administrative and academic systems needs and assure smooth and efficient activities; leads and manages a team of designers, developers, and applications support personnel.

Representative Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Plan, organize, control and direct operations in support of district-wide initiatives involving information technology systems;
• provide leadership for research, acquisition, development, design, operation, and implementation of enterprise software applications.
• Participate in the development of the District's Technology Plan that aligns with and directly supports the institution's academic and administrative objectives, providing a multi-year software roadmap that ensures that application initiatives support the strategic direction and vision.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and key stakeholders to ensure applications meet academic and administrative needs.
• Establish effective application governance structures for prioritization, funding, and software lifecycle management to ensure that IT initiatives support institutional goals and that projects are prioritized based on their alignment with strategic objectives.
• Communicate IT application initiatives clearly to stakeholders at all levels, translating technical concepts for non-technical audiences; address and overcome resistance to change by effectively communicating the value of software technology, providing support, and creating a culture of collaboration.
• Oversee the assessment, evaluation, selection, design, development, implementation, integration, modernization, and management of enterprise information systems including Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), ERP and financial systems, CRM systems, and other platforms; ensure seamless integration of enterprise systems through modern API strategies and middleware, reducing silos and improving data flow across academic and administrative functions.
• Build, motivate, lead, and evaluate the application and systems team, including design, development, and support personnel, promoting communication, establishing shared goals, and fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Direct and oversee IT workforce planning and performance management; provide mentorship and technical guidance; establish standards and review staff performance; develop IT staff by coordinating staff training and development opportunities to maintain and upgrade technical skills.
• Manage relationships with software vendors and partners, including evaluating proposals and technologies, reviewing and managing contracts, and ensuring smooth integration of third-party solutions.
• Ensure the delivery of quality technology and support through effective needs assessment; interact with internal and external customers to define needs, evaluate operations, and implement improvements and enhancements.
• Direct project planning and execution, including scope, timelines, resource allocation, and deliverables; use formal project management methodologies to ensure delivery on time and within budget.
• Establish cybersecurity standards for applications to help ensure confidentiality, security, and integrity of systems and electronic information; ensure applications meet regulatory, accreditation, and institutional compliance.
• Participate in the development and maintenance of business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
• Promote modern software delivery practices, including automation, CI/CD, and security-as-code, to improve reliability, scalability, and time-to-delivery.
• Drive continuous improvement through implementation of strategies and best practices to enhance the efficiency of support processes and increase user satisfaction.
• Lead establishment of data governance frameworks to ensure data integrity, accessibility, and privacy.
• Promote use of analytics and business intelligence tools to support student success, institutional effectiveness, and strategic decision-making; work with key stakeholders to ensure that mandated IT-related records and reports to external oversight agencies are prepared and/or transmitted accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Explore emerging software technologies, assess their potential impact, and identify how to leverage them to drive innovation and growth in learning, research, and administrative functions.
• Participate in the District Technology Committee; attend and conduct a variety of meetings; attend and participate in various technology committees, conferences, seminars and in-services.

OTHER DUTIES: Perform other related duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

Any combination equivalent to: bachelor's degree in computer science or related field and six years increasingly responsible experience in the development, design, operation, analysis, and maintenance of enterprise software including work with technology vendors and acquisition functions. Demonstrated success leading enterprise software initiatives at scale, including staff leadership and vendor negotiations. Sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socio-economic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation and ethnic backgrounds of Community College Students.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Experience in an institution of higher education, preferably a community college.
• Strong communication and technical skills. Have the capacity to mentor the team on a technical level while communicating across-departments. Strong product & project management.
• Capacity to balance ERP constraints with innovation.
• Experienced with programming languages.
• Exposure or knowledge of an ERP, preferably Banner.
• Experience in a higher education development environment.
• Incorporates DEI into their approach to managing.
• Student customer service focus.
• Familiarity with Cloud Architectures.
• Managing large budgets.

Working Hours

Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:00 pm. Hours may vary, 40 hours per week, 12 months per year, plus fringe benefits; 6 month probation period.

Knowledge and Abilities

Detailed knowledge and abilities listed in the original posting.

Application Process

REQUIRED APPLICATION DOCUMENTS:

1. Online District Application form at https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/sbcc
2. Within the online application is a required supplemental question on diversity.
3. Letters of reference are not required.
4. List five references within the online application.

To be considered for this position, a complete online application including all required application documents must be submitted via https://www.schooljobs.com/careers/sbcc by the application deadline.