Fast Facts

The Director of Infrastructure will lead strategic initiatives and operational management of technology infrastructure at a university, ensuring secure and resilient systems that support educational and research missions.

Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include developing infrastructure strategies, overseeing core systems operations, managing a team of IT professionals, and ensuring compliance with security frameworks.

Skills: Required skills include expertise in networking, cloud services, and systems administration, along with strong leadership and communication abilities.

Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include a Master’s degree in a related field and relevant certifications like PMP or CISSP, with significant experience in IT infrastructure management.

Location: This position is located in Huntsville, Alabama, USA, with no noted travel requirements.

Compensation: $110000 - $110000 / Annually

The Director of Infrastructure provides strategic and operational leadership for the university’s technology infrastructure, ensuring that network, data center, cloud, telecommunications, and enterprise systems are secure, resilient, and support the university’s mission of teaching, research, and service. Reporting to the Deputy Chief Information Officer (Deputy CIO), this position guides the development and delivery of core infrastructure services, aligning with institutional priorities and technological advancements in higher education.

Duties/Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Collaborate with the Deputy CIO and other senior IT leaders to develop and

implement a comprehensive infrastructure strategy aligned with university

goals.

• Engage stakeholders across academic, research, and administrative units

to assess current infrastructure capabilities and plan future enhancements.

• Develop and maintain a multi-year roadmap for infrastructure

investments, including network upgrades, cloud transitions, and data

center modernization.

• Provide expertise and input to university IT governance bodies and

planning committees.

Infrastructure Operations & Service Delivery

• Oversee the administration and performance of all core infrastructure

systems, including campus-wide networking (wired and wireless),

telecommunications, server and storage environments, and cloud

platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud).

• Ensure the stability, availability, and recoverability of mission-critical

services such as enterprise applications (ERP, LMS), research computing

environments, and student support platforms.

• Define and monitor service-level objectives (SLOs) and performance

metrics across all infrastructure services.

• Coordinate cross-team operational efforts and maintenance activities to

minimize downtime and ensure effective communication with campus

users.

Team Management

• Supervise and develop a team of infrastructure professionals, including

system administrators, systems engineers, network engineers, and

telecommunication specialists.

• Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and service-oriented culture within the

infrastructure team and across OIT.

Architecture, Security, and Compliance

• Lead the design and evolution of a hybrid infrastructure architecture that

integrates on-prem and cloud services securely and efficiently.

• Collaborate with the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) to implement

robust security controls, risk mitigation strategies, and compliance with

standards including NIST 800-171, FERPA, HIPAA, CMMC, and GLBA.

• Support the university’s business continuity and disaster recovery planning

through resilient infrastructure design and testing protocols.

• Ensure that infrastructure services contribute to institutional goals related

to accessibility, sustainability, and digital equity

Vendor Management

• Manage infrastructure-related procurement and vendor relationships,

including telecommunications, hardware, and cloud providers.

• Oversee infrastructure-related budgets, resource planning, and capital

project coordination.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a

related discipline, 10+ years, or, 15+ years with Associates degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional work experience, or 20 years experience in lieu of degree.

• 8 years of progressive IT infrastructure experience, (of which should include 3

years in a supervisory or leadership role).

• Experience managing enterprise infrastructure in a complex environment, preferably

within higher education.

• Demonstrated expertise in networking, systems administration, virtualization, storage,

and cloud services.

• Understanding of regulatory and compliance frameworks relevant to university IT

operations.

• Strong communication skills and ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical

stakeholders.

• US Citizenship is required

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Higher Education

Administration, or a related field - or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience (15+ years with Master’s Degree, 20+ years with Bachelors Degree, and 25+ years with no degree).

• Professional certifications such as PMP, CISSP, Security+, Network+ , CCNP, or ITIL.

• Experience with research computing infrastructure, academic technologies, or statewide

IT shared services.

• Familiarity with IT governance structures and change management practices in university

environments.