Reporting to the Central Michigan Universitys ('CMU') Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer ('CIO'), the Executive Director, Infrastructure ('Executive Director') will be responsible for the design, development, and maintenance of CMUs technical infrastructure, (including networks, servers, storage, mediated classrooms, and telecommunications) and oversight of the universitys Help Desk function. In collaboration with the universitys Chief Information Security Officer ('CISO'), the Executive Director is also responsible for design and implementation of the technical controls enabling CMUs Information Security Program. The Executive Director will demonstrate operational excellence and will provide the leadership, project management excellence, and change management expertise necessary to ensure that CMUs Office of Information Technology ('OIT') has the proper processes, systems and technologies to optimize its information technology environment and to realize the full potential of ongoing investments in IT systems and services. Central to this role is building positive and lasting relationships between units within OIT and between OIT and its other campus stakeholders. Supervising multiple managers and overseeing a staff of 35-40, the Executive Director position requires a visionary leader with some knowledge of business management and deep understanding of technical architecture and current IT trends. He/she will proactively work with the OIT leadership to develop, implement, and monitor a strategic, comprehensive technical architecture that meets CMUs ongoing and evolving academic, business and IT requirements.

Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ten years of work experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility and supervision.
Experience with managing large-scale enterprise networks and systems, systems design, and architecture.
Experience with system, server, hardware, and cloud service evaluation, selection, and implementation.
Experience leading technical transitions.
Demonstrated knowledge of and experience in technical architecture in a data center environment, including experience with data center facility management issues.
Experience with information technology risk management and disaster recovery.
Demonstrated ability to articulate ideas, needs, requirements, knowledge, and technical strategy in a leadership role. Strong persuasion and negotiation skills.
Excellent team leadership, problem solving, organizational, analytical, and communication skills. Experience with management of team members involving progress of work, problem resolution, and ensuring that standards for service levels, quality, and quantity of work are met.
Experience with technology upgrade cost forecasting and budget management.
Experience with vendor management and IT procurement.
Ability and willingness to travel to off-campus locations, and for education, professional development, and conferences.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Masters degree preferred.
Demonstrated knowledge of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Experience working in higher education environment.
Experience negotiating contracts for and operating in SAAS, IAAS, PAAS and other 'cloud' environments.
Deep experience with and knowledge of enterprise network architectures.
Deep knowledge of Cisco networking technologies
Deep knowledge of systems and storage architectures
Extensive experience with disaster recovery planning and response implementation
Knowledge of common information security management frameworks, such as ISO/IEC 27001, ITIL, COBIT and NIST.
Professional certifications, such as PMP, ITIL, CISSP, CISM, or vendor certifications.

Collaborates with OIT leadership in the development of actionable technology goals that support the universitys mission and goals.
Provide leadership for effective design, development, and maintenance of CMUs technical infrastructure including:
networks
servers
storage
mediated classrooms
telecommunications
Develop, implement, and monitor a strategic, comprehensive infrastructure strategy and portfolio that ensures that CMUs technical infrastructure meets ongoing and evolving business and IT requirements. This responsibility includes:
Managing the lifecycle of the technical infrastructure
Selecting solution and service providers - including hardware and software vendors, consultancies or system integrators - hosted or outsourced
Acquiring or building appropriate additions to the technical infrastructure
Maintaining infrastructure performance to required functional, operational and technical standards
Removing obsolete hardware and services from the environment as appropriate
Recognize and advance opportunities for the utilization of CMUs IT investments
In collaboration with the universitys Chief Information Security Officer ('CISO'), develop and implement the technical controls enabling CMUs Information Security Program.
Work with the OIT leadership team to ensure that CMU applications can comply with expectations of CMUs disaster recovery and business continuity plans
Manage and exercise oversight of the infrastructure groups project portfolio and foster effective communication among interdisciplinary project staff and assigned OIT staff.
Serve as CMUs primary technical contact for hardware in CMUs technical infrastructure.
Manage CMUs team of 35-40 infrastructure staff. This includes hiring, training, staff development, performance management and annual performance reviews.
Participate in setting project priorities with appropriate campus committees
Work with OIT leadership to develop and manage and monitor infrastructure budgets
Provide regular reporting on the current status of infrastructure to CMU committees and other constituents
Work with the OIT leadership team to optimize internal processes (ex. Change management, asset management, incident management, and configuration management)
Monitor technology trends in the industry generally and in higher education specifically
Facilitate a metrics and reporting framework to measure the efficiency and effectiveness of the infrastructure portfolio, facilitate appropriate resource allocation, and increase the effectiveness of the infrastructure portfolio.
Stay abreast of advantages in the technology industry through regular conference attendance and other research and information channels.
Perform related duties and fulfill responsibilities as required.

Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others in our teams. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve leadership abilities and demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMUs culture of excellence.

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, masters, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 mens and womens Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. Its part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the states largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions - Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more - are within easy reach of the citys central location in Michigans Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

Central Michigan University is seeking an accomplished, strategic technology leader to serve as Executive Director of Infrastructure within the Office of Information Technology (OIT). This role offers a rare opportunity to shape and lead enterprise-class infrastructure services at a comprehensive public university with a strong commitment to student success, academic excellence, and operational effectiveness.

As Executive Director of Infrastructure, you will provide vision, leadership, and oversight for the universitys core technology foundations-including networks, data centers, cloud services, enterprise platforms, identity and access management, and related operational services. You will be responsible for ensuring these environments are secure, resilient, scalable, and aligned with CMUs academic and administrative priorities.

This position is well-suited for an experienced IT leader who thrives at the intersection of strategy and execution. You will collaborate closely with senior IT leadership, campus partners, and institutional stakeholders to modernize infrastructure, guide major investments, manage risk, and advance CMUs long-term technology roadmap. Your work will directly enable teaching, research, student engagement, and university operations across a diverse and distributed campus community.

At CMU OIT, leadership is grounded in service, collaboration, and accountability. We value leaders who:

In return, CMU offers the opportunity to lead meaningful, high-impact work within a collegial academic environment, supported by talented professionals and a leadership team committed to continuous improvement. This role provides both scope and influence-ideal for an experienced infrastructure executive ready to make a lasting institutional impact.

If you are a results-driven technology leader seeking a role where your expertise will shape the foundation of a modern university, we invite you to explore this opportunity with Central Michigan University.

You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.