Senior Director of Digital Innovation

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Overview:

The Senior Director of Digital Innovation is a key leadership role within Denison

University's Information Technology Services (ITS) Team, reporting to the Vice President and Chief Information Officer. This role drives campus-wide digital transformation by developing strategic technology solutions to advance Denison's mission. Collaborating with academic and administrative leaders, the Senior Director will shape a forward-thinking vision that meets current needs while anticipating future demands, fostering a culture of innovation and digital readiness.

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with a passion for the liberal arts, skilled in both technology transformation and team leadership. They will work closely with divisions across the college including the Provost's Office, Student Life, Career Readiness, and Alumni/Family Engagement to enhance the university's digital ecosystem. This position offers a unique opportunity to empower a talented team to deliver impactful, inclusive, and future-focused technology solutions across Denison's campus, preparing students, faculty, and staff for success in an increasingly digital world.

Essential Job Functions:

• Strategic Collaboration: Partner with academic leaders, including the Provost, Chairs and the faculty, and administrative teams across campus, to understand opportunities for technology innovation in support of Denison's mission. Build relationships with vendors, peer institutions, and educational consortia to stay informed about higher education technology trends. Represent Denison in statewide and national associations to share our successes and promote Denison's ongoing growth.

• Digital Transformation and Pedagogy: Collaborate with faculty and academic leaders to implement digital strategies that enrich the curriculum and improve student engagement, outcomes, and career readiness. Develop initiatives aligned with the university's mission, focusing on areas such as affordable content adoption, digital humanities, data and AI literacy, research and high-performance computing, and student/alumni certification programs. Oversee pilot projects to test and scale new technologies across divisions.

• Learning Space Innovation: Develop a strategic vision for Denison's learning, data visualization, and maker spaces by understanding pedagogical and technical needs across campus. Gather feedback to ensure spaces support active learning and student-centered design and implement regular refresh cycles for technology and furniture improvements.

• Digital Fluency and Technology Wellness: Develop and promote digital fluency programs for students, faculty, and staff, providing training and resources for essential digital skills, healthy relationships to technology, and the use of technology to support academic and career success in an evolving digital landscape.

• Team Leadership: Build relationships and collaborate closely with leaders within ITS and across the University. Lead Denison's Educational Technology, Media Technology Services and Fine Arts Technology teams. Manage, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of professionals in each of these areas. Advocate for digital innovation across the college, promoting a culture of collaboration, focused on continuous improvement, innovation, and excellence.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Demonstrated leadership abilities and the capacity to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders.

• Analytical mindset with the ability to collect and analyze data, draw insights, and create meaningful reports.

• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable plans and initiatives and reduce complexity to simplicity.

• Excellent organizational abilities, with the capacity to manage multiple tasks, projects, and priorities effectively.

• Ability to think creatively, imagine new solutions, solve problems, and make informed decisions in a dynamic and evolving environment.

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.

• Proactive and self-motivated individual with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Exceptional organizational and time management skills and strong attention to detail.

• Proficiency in project management methodologies and tools to drive successful project execution.

• Proven experience in leading technology initiatives within higher education or similar environment, with a strong understanding of the liberal arts educational context.

• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement strategic technology plans that drive institutional innovation.

• Strong leadership and team management skills, with a track record of building and leading high-performing teams.

• Expertise in emerging educational technologies, active learning environments, and research computing.

• A passion for fostering digital literacy, inclusivity, and innovation in a diverse academic community.
  
  Physical Demands:

• Office environment/no specific or unusual physical or environmental demands.

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!