General Description: The person in this position provides management and oversight of the SULAIR enterprise systems, and provides process leadership in quality assurance and software/systems development and implementation in collaboration with Digital Library Systems and Services (DLSS) and Academic Computing Services (ACS). He/she will work within SULAIR and with other organizations within and outside of the University to ensure compliance with internal and external protocols, maximize efficiencies and synergies in software development, and integrate content, software and functionalities between systems within and outside of our domain.
The position directly manages a course management system (CourseWork, based on Sakai, an open source application), and an integrated library management system (Sirsi’s Symphony). As systems under development mature into enterprise services, it is anticipated that additional components may be added to the scope of this position. Such actions would be taken on a case-by-case basis after consultation with involved parties.
Duties include coordination with other units in SULAIR, with other organizations at Stanford, and with vendors will be necessary. Primary engagement will involve work with DLSS on quality assurance and software/systems development involving digital library and digital archive initiatives. The Associate Director will participate in these developments as a QA and software development process lead and, where appropriate, help manage the transition of programs from a development environment to a production environment.
The successful candidate for this position will bring a strong technical background, proven leadership in IT management and the management of enterprise software, and a dedication to working effectively across organizational boundaries.
Duties:
• Provide senior level leadership of departmental staff (14.1 FTE), including selection and scheduling of job assignments, performance appraisals, promotional recommendations, disciplinary action and termination as required and other personnel actions. Translate strategic vision into projects plans and objectives; drive the timely delivery of work objectives through management of SULAIR Systems & Programming and coordination with University and external partners. Solve problems and resolve resource allocation issues in collaboration with SULAIR and ITS colleagues and customers.
• Maintain effective communications with internal and external customers.
• Manage Stanford University’s implementation of Sakai (CourseWork) in a manner that ensures robust performance, including the deployment of production releases, the implementation of system load, performance and stress testing, and 24X7 monitoring of performance. Partner with Academic Computing Services in strategic planning and to ensure a user-driven design approach including active engagement with faculty and students. Provide oversight and project management for the design, development and quality assurance activities for CourseWork and Stanford’s Sakai community development efforts (Samigo/Test & Quizzes) -- in concert with DLSS. Oversee the service and operational activities involved in Stanford’s Sakai engagement in concert with Academic Computing Services, ITS and the Stanford community. Manage the 9.8 FTE affiliated with the system.
• Manage the Systems Group (4.3 FTE), responsible for the local implementation of the Symphony integrated library management system from the Sirsi Corporation. Work with representatives from the Library (SUL) to ensure that the prioritization of projects reflects the most critical needs of the University. Ensure robust performance on an ongoing basis through the careful management of upgrades, data loading, and the provision of timely fiscal data reporting.
• Provide process leadership in establishing a Quality Assurance (QA) and Development Methodology (DM) across CourseWork, Systems, Academic Computing Services and DLSS.
o QA leadership would include establishing standards and protocols for load testing, version testing, performance and uptime compliance.
o DM leadership would include the implementation and continued compliance with a rigorous and effective methodology for software lifecycle development, including requirements gathering, specification and design, implementation, verification and maintenance.
o Leadership would be provided directly in regard to CourseWork and Systems and through consultation and integration in regard to Academic Computing Services and DLSS. Specifically, in partnership and under the supervision of the heads of the respective units, this position will work directly with System Administrators and Project Teams to ensure consistency and compliance with QA and DM standards on programs and projects related to digital library and digital archive developments. He or she will work directly with the management team [Associate University Librarian (AUL) and heads of DLSS and Academic Computing Services] as well as the System Administrators to develop QA and DM standards and protocols that meet the needs of SULAIR and Stanford University.
o All involved parties, from the AUL through Systems Administrators and Programmers will develop stated performance objectives related to DM and QA that will be used for performance assessment.
• Provide senior technical leadership to the unit and to other units of SULAIR with regard to directions and methodologies for acquiring, implementing, creating, maintaining, exploiting, and monitoring enterprise systems for SULAIR.
• Serve as a primary source for documentation for enterprise systems.
• Contribute to IT directions for SULAIR as a whole through participation in planning activities.
• Work closely with other internal and external groups in development projects, upgrading software, and installation of new products.
• Participate with vendors in tests of software systems and hardware; report on these to SULAIR leadership.
• Manage enterprise systems/applications troubleshooting 7x24X365.
• Through coursework, training or professional activity continue to stay current with relevant technologies. Develop efficient and effective methods to ensure the technical training of his/her staff.
• In her/his management capacity accept other tasks and assignments as required.
Qualifications (Required):
• Advanced degree at M.S. level, or equivalent in a senior management experience in an IT environment.
• Demonstrated success for a period of at least 7-10 years as a manager of professional personnel responsible for enterprise systems development, implementation, and/or maintenance.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience with the software development process. (Requires specific knowledge of components such as requirements analysis, domain analysis, specification, testing, implementation, documentation, deployment and maintenance; as well, as background/experience with different models of software development.)
• Prior experience as a line engineer or lower level manager in one or more elements of the development or management of enterprise systems.
• Successful prior experience in coordinating work with units other than ones under his/her management purview.
• Demonstrated ability to solve problems and deal with a variety of options in varying situations. Requires analytical and quantitative skills.
• Demonstrated ability to develop strong ties to the user community and incorporate user focus in needs assessment and quality assurance efforts.
• Excellent communications skills in writing and oral presentation including the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly.
• Successful experience developing and managing budgets.
• Demonstrated strategic sense in IT developments and their implications.
• Experience in managing Opensource software and in making business decisions related to the adoption of Opensource software, the allocation of resources to collaborative software development, and the negotiations involved in consortial partnership.
• Ability to work with professionals from many different disciplines, among them people with varying degrees of technical expertise.
Qualifications (Desired):
• Fluency or significant Experience with:
o Opensource web framework technology (Apache Sling, Apache Axis, AJAX, JSON, Javascript, JSP, RSF)
o Fedora
o Oracle or MySQL
o XML, PERL, Python
• Experience or familiarity with Sakai or other enterprise systems that support teaching, learning, and research in higher education.
• Experience or familiarity with Sirsi’s Symphony or other Integrated Library Management Systems.
• Experience working with open source software projects.
• Experience with user centered design and development methodologies.
• Experience with data security issues and approaches.
• Experience with load testing and load balancing.
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