"Director of Systems Administration & Operations"

Director of Systems Administration & Operations

Company: Villanova University

Job Location:

Category: Network/System Administrator

Type: Full-Time

Posting Number: 20254510S

Location: Villanova, PA

Work Schedule: full-time/12-months

Department: 712-UTS - Operations

Position Summary

Why work at Villanova?

• Join a mission-driven organization. Since Villanova University's founding in 1842, we have been inspired by the values of truth, unity, and love, and are a community dedicated to service to others.
• Villanova has been included among the nation's best colleges and universities. VU's inclusion again in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" rankings is another indication of the University's continued prominence and forward momentum.
• Villanova's most precious asset is our people. As an employee, you will receive a holistic benefits package, generous paid time off, a competitive retirement savings plan, flexible work options, wellness programs including gym membership, professional development, tuition assistance, and more.

Reporting to the Executive Director of Cloud & Research Computing Systems, the Director of Systems Administration & Operations collaborates closely to oversee the day-to-day operations of the IT infrastructure with a focus on reliability, optimizing cost, performance, security, and user satisfaction. The role provides strategic leadership in planning and managing data centers and hosting operations, production support, systems, and network operations services. It ensures that service levels and system performance meet organizational requirements while maintaining a strong security posture. The position is responsible for aligning IT resources to balance immediate operational needs with long-term strategic objectives, driving continuous improvement initiatives, and fostering strong relationships with both internal stakeholders and external partners.

Additionally, this role oversees enterprise monitoring platforms, backup and recovery services, and cloud service delivery, including the management of Windows and Linux system administrators, to ensure the reliability, scalability, and security of infrastructure across both on-premise and cloud environments.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University's mission and values.

Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Lead planning activities to define future directions for enterprise systems based on support metrics, customer experience, and alignment with Villanova's mission.
• Assist UTS leadership in the development and enforcement of forward-looking IT guidelines, standards, procedures, and policies.
• Research and evaluate emerging technologies to inform future infrastructure strategies that enhance scalability, automation, and security across on-premise and cloud environments.
• Collaborate with peer institutions and external partners to exchange best practices and identify innovative solutions that advance Villanova's IT strategic plan.
• Collaborate with leadership and the Project Management Office to develop project plans, resource estimates, and cost-of-service analyses aligned with institutional priorities.

Organizational Leadership

• Foster a high-performing, inclusive team culture committed to technical excellence and customer service.
• Mentor and coach staff, conduct performance evaluations, and support professional growth and career development.
• Participate in recruiting, hiring, and onboarding technical staff to ensure strong team alignment and integration.
• Promote cross-unit collaboration, transparency, and accountability aligned with UTS's RESTLESS values and Villanova's Augustinian mission.
• Lead and manage a team of systems administrators, including Linux and Windows platforms, responsible for enterprise service delivery across on-premise and cloud environments.
• Facilitate knowledge transfer and collaboration between teams within UTS and across campus departments.

Operational Excellence

• Provide oversight of 24×7 operations across physical data centers and cloud environments supporting production and development/test systems.
• Monitor and analyze system health, utilization, capacity, and performance through enterprise monitoring and planning tools.
• Oversee and approve change requests for all production systems to ensure stable, secure, and predictable operations.
• Develop and maintain documented system policies, procedures, and operational standards to ensure consistency, compliance, and efficiency across UTS.
• Manage a complex portfolio of operational projects related to enterprise architecture and service delivery lifecycle, including work prioritization, resource allocation, and maintenance scheduling for reliable, predictable performance.
• Prepare business cases, quotes, and procurement justifications for equipment and services to support ongoing infrastructure operations and projects.
• Contribute to the design, testing, and maintenance of Villanova's Continuity of Operations, Disaster Recovery, and Business Continuity plans to ensure system resilience and compliance.
• Lead the implementation and continuous improvement of enterprise monitoring, alerting, and backup/recovery platforms.
• Engage in Continual Service Improvement (CSI) activities to evaluate systems and processes, identify opportunities for efficiency, and enhance overall service quality and customer experience.
• Ensure infrastructure operations support compliance, business continuity, and disaster recovery requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

Formal Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or a related discipline.

Work Experience

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in information technology, systems administration, or infrastructure operations.
• Minimum of 3 years of leadership experience managing cross-functional technical teams.
• Proven experience overseeing enterprise-level systems and hybrid environments (on-premise and cloud).
• Demonstrated success improving reliability, performance, and security in complex IT environments.

Work Skills (e.g., written and verbal communication skills)

• Strong leadership, strategic planning, and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to foster collaboration, transparency, and accountability consistent with Villanova's RESTLESS values.
• Demonstrated success managing multiple priorities and initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a focus on continuous improvement and innovation.
• Commitment to customer-focused service delivery and operational excellence.

Specific Job Knowledge (e.g., knowledge of principles and procedures related to field and area)

• Broad understanding of enterprise infrastructure, including servers, storage, virtualization, and network technologies.
• Knowledge of cloud-based platforms (Azure preferred; AWS or similar acceptable).
• Familiarity with business continuity, disaster recovery, and security best practices.
• Working knowledge of IT service management frameworks (e.g., ITIL).

Preferred Qualifications

Formal Education

• Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.
• Advanced training or professional coursework in cloud computing, systems architecture, or information security.
• Relevant industry certifications such as ITIL Foundation, Microsoft Azure Administrator Associate, or AWS Solutions Architect.

Work Experience

• Experience leading modernization or transformation initiatives in hybrid on-premise and cloud environments.
• Prior experience in higher education or other complex, service-oriented organizations.
• Demonstrated success developing infrastructure roadmaps or strategic modernization plans.

Special Message to Applicants

Please Note: To be considered for this role, candidates must live within a commutable distance to Villanova University in Villanova, PA.

Salary Posting Information

This position falls within salaried grade 20 and the range for this position is $131,200-170,500. The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate's qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity.