Director of ITS Business Operations (Administrator II) - San Francisco Bay Region Network, Information Technology Services

This position is only open to applicants from CSU East Bay, San Francisco State, and Sonoma State Universities and will be located at one of the three participating campuses.

About the Position

Reporting to the Deputy CIO and Senior Director of IT Business Operations, Project Management and Academic Technology Initiative, and the Network Chief Information Officer, the Director of IT Business Operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the financial, administrative, and organizational functions of SFBRN IT. This role oversees key operational processes including budgeting, contracts, procurement, resource allocation, human resources coordination, labor cost management, absence/leave management, event management, and capital project oversight, ensuring the Network IT unit effectively serves California State University, East Bay (CSUEB), San Francisco State University (SFSU), and Sonoma State University (SSU).

The Director ensures fiscal accountability, operational efficiency, and organizational alignment within the Network IT unit. This role leads the IT Business Operations team to maintain compliance, optimize resources, and strengthen internal processes that support the Network’s academic and administrative missions.

As a collaborative leader, the Director partners with campus and Network leadership, as well as finance, HR, and procurement teams, to deliver operational excellence and cost-effective outcomes. This position plays a critical role in aligning operational planning with strategic priorities, supporting sustainable growth, and enabling SFBRN IT teams to deliver reliable, responsive, and innovative services across all three campuses.

Unit Overview

The San Francisco Bay Region Network (SFBRN) provides centralized administrative and transactional functions for CSUEB, SFSU, and SSU, creating a unified, cost-effective operational structure.

The Information Technology unit within the Network delivers secure, reliable, and innovative technology solutions that support all three universities. The unit manages infrastructure, application services, user support, information security, data management, and strategic IT operations. Partnering closely with each university’s leadership, including Presidents and Provosts, Information Technology drives digital transformation, promotes operational excellence, and supports institutional goals.

Within IT, the Business Operations team ensures the effective management of financial, administrative, and operational processes. The team collaborates closely with campus leadership, human resources, procurement, and finance to ensure compliance, transparency, and fiscal responsibility. By enabling efficient processes, resource optimization, and organizational agility, the IT Business Operations team empowers technology units to remain strategic, responsive, and focused on delivering high-value services to faculty, staff, students, and researchers across the Network.

Responsibilities

Operational Management and Guidance

• Oversee and administer the daily operations of IT business functions, including budgeting, procurement, contract renewals, labor cost allocation, and capital/operational expense management.
• Partners with Procurement teams to support end-to-end lifecycle of IT-related vendor contracting, from needs assessment through competitive sourcing, negotiation, execution, renewal, and performance tracking.Manage resource planning, position control, and hiring processes across SFBRN IT, ensuring strategic deployment and optimal support of campus and Network initiatives.
• Continuously improve and document business processes, driving process automation, compliance, and efficiency.
• Serve as the primary operational contact for administrative units (Finance, HR, Procurement, Legal) and act as liaison for business planning with IT leadership and university counterparts.
• Ensure compliance with CSU Administrative Manual (ICSUAM), state, and federal laws governing business administration, public sector procurement, and labor practices.
• Track and optimize expenditures, provide forecasting, and prepare business cases and reports for IT leadership and university stakeholders.
• Support and monitor capital project funding and expenses in coordination with project managers and financial analysts.

Leadership, Management, and Supervision

• Lead, supervise, and mentor the IT Operations team, cultivating a high-performing and customer-oriented culture.
• Guide professional development, establish clear performance measures, and ensure staff effectively and equitably support the needs of all Network universities.
• Drive staff recruitment, onboarding, training, and retention, in cooperation with HR partners.
• Promote an environment that values diversity, equity, and inclusion and fosters a sense of belonging for all employees.
• Maintain high ethical standards, transparency, and accountability in all business practices.

Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement

• Builds and maintains strong relationships with customers, partners, and stakeholders to ensure that consistent, reliable IT operations services are delivered to all stakeholders.
• Monitors and enforces service level agreements (SLAs) for the IT operations unit.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline workflows, eliminate redundancies, leverage automation, and improve user experience within IT operations management.
• Works collaboratively with the IT leadership team to implement new technologies or process enhancements.
• Tracks and reports on key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, and dashboards for IT operations.
• Keeps up to date with changes in laws, regulations, and technologies that may affect IT services and informs senior management and staff.

Communications and Training

• Leads the development and maintenance of comprehensive documentation of university and Network IT operations policies, processes, and systems, promoting consistency across the Network universities.
• Ensures crucial technical knowledge is accessible and understood by relevant stakeholders.
• Cultivates a culture of mentorship and continuous skill development within the organization.
• Champions initiatives that encourage knowledge sharing, coaching, and on-the-job learning.
• Ensures end-user communications are timely, transparent, and helpful.
• Maintains consistent communication with direct reports and senior leaders to resolve escalations and provide updates.
• Communicates with Network universities and other Network leadership to safely support the Network’s IT operational needs.

Other

• Contributes to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion across the organization.
• Promotes the organization's core values and consistently integrates innovation, employee fulfillment, teamwork, respect, excellence, integrity, service, and accountability into all aspects of work.
• Complies with Network, university, and unit policies and procedures regarding privacy of information, authorized use of Network resources, and the security of Network systems and data.
• Demonstrates safe work practices for oneself, others, and the office environment.
• Performs other related responsibilities as requested and when necessary. The Network reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience

• 5 years - Progressively responsible experience managing IT business or administrative operations (budgeting, procurement, contract management, resource planning, or similar functions).
• 3 years - Experience supervising or mentoring technical or operational staff, preferably in a service-oriented environment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

• Demonstrated success supervising or mentoring technical or operational staff.
• Strong ability to apply practical problem-solving to operational and compliance issues.
• Demonstrated knowledge of IT operations, asset management, and service delivery best practices.
• Working understanding of relevant administrative policies, regulations, and compliance requirements.
• Effective oral and written communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, service requests, and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with documentation, process improvement, and knowledge sharing.

Education, Licenses and Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in information systems, computer science, business administration, or a related field. In lieu of a degree, a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in IT operations or asset management roles, including staff supervision.

Preferred Qualifications

• 1 year - Experience working in higher education, multi-campus systems, or similarly complex public sector organizations.
• Master’s degree in information systems, computer science, or a related field.
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., ITIL, CompTIA Project+, or similar)

Environmental/Physical/Special

• Position may be required to travel among Network universities, as needed, to support operational and collaborative needs.
• Position is a 24-hour on-call position in case of emergencies and critical Network needs.