Job Details

Job Title: Associate Director, Network Services

Location: USO-Information Tech Services

Regular/Temporary: Regular

Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Job ID: 299826

About Us

The University System of Georgia (USG) is comprised of 25 higher education institutions as well as the University System Office (USO). Within the USO, our administrative operations are primarily housed in the Trinity Washington Building located in downtown Atlanta. Our Information Technology Services (ITS) division is located in Athens.

Location

This role is based at the Information Technology Services (ITS) office in Athens, Georgia, located at 2500 Daniells Bridge Road. Onsite attendance is required five days a week, and remote work is not offered for this position.

This position is for permanent, full-time employment. Candidates must reside in the state of Georgia or be willing to relocate to Georgia as a condition of employment.

Please note that we do not provide visa sponsorship or support visa transfers for this position at any point in time. Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Job Summary

PeachNet is the backbone network supporting enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, instructional technologies, research initiatives, cloud connectivity, and critical services shared across Georgia's education ecosystem. The Associate Director provides architectural guidance, advanced troubleshooting expertise, and strategic planning necessary to sustain PeachNet’s reliability and performance. This leadership ensures PeachNet continues to evolve to meet growing bandwidth demands, cybersecurity requirements, and the digital transformation priorities of the University System.

The Associate Director is essential to the successful execution of ongoing and upcoming statewide network initiatives. These include core network refresh cycles, security modernization efforts, expansion of data center interconnects, and multi-agency infrastructure projects.

The Associate Director is responsible for coordinating the efficient operation of NSS’s statewide network infrastructure, including redundancy planning, lifecycle management, vendor coordination, and complex incident response.

The Associate Director manages a team of highly skilled network administrators that provide production enterprise services across the USG ecosystem. This position performs hands-on, architect-level network administration as needed, including advanced optical transport and IP routing design, implementation, and troubleshooting, and collaborates effectively with leadership, internal teams, and external vendors. The Associate Director fosters a culture of continuous improvement for both personnel and technology, promotes ongoing learning and collaboration, and evaluates and implements new processes, products, and technologies. Additionally, this role oversees project execution and leads multi-year planning efforts, including the development of project roadmaps, cost models, and budget projections.

Responsibilities

1. Manage team members, including regular guidance, feedback, and 1:1 meetings.
2. Coordinate and manage projects, including cross-team projects.
3. Hands-on network administration with DWDM optical networks and large-scale routed networks.
4. Lead and contribute to research and development of new technologies and tools.
5. Evaluate vendor proposals for software, services, and hardware.
6. Provide guidance and technical assistance to University System of Georgia member institutions.
7. Support the PeachNet - GaDOE network.
8. Frequent communication with leadership, including regular status updates on projects.
9. High-level, multi-year project and expense planning.
10. Yearly performance evaluations.
11. Ensure all systems are reliable, robust, up-to-date, secure, and follow best practices.
12. Respond to emergencies after hours.
13. Related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

1. Baccalaureate degree preferred, or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
2. Experience managing or leading a team of network administrators.
3. A minimum of five years of experience managing network operations in a production environment.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

1. Knowledge of project management principles.
2. Knowledge of networking protocols.
3. Knowledge of routing protocols and network media.
4. Knowledge of Board of Regents policies and procedures.
5. Skill in collaborating with multiple constituents.
6. Skill in decision making and problem solving.
7. Skill in interpersonal relations and in dealing with the public.
8. Skill in oral and written communication.
9. Ability to respond diplomatically to sensitive and critical issues.
10. Ability to effectively multi-task.
11. Knowledge and hands-on expertise with DWDM optical networks.
12. Knowledge and hands-on expertise with large-scale routed/switched networks.