Managing Director, Educational Technology Ventures

Job Description
35% Technology Strategy Platform Leadership & Operations

• Develop and execute a multi-year product and technology strategy for the Kite platform.
• Lead cross-functional teams responsible for software development cloud infrastructure platform operations security and technology delivery.
• Ensure platform reliability scalability performance availability and security within a cloud-native AWS environment.
• Establish operational priorities and oversee day-to-day technology operations.
• Drive continuous improvement of technology services delivery practices and operational processes.

25% Stakeholder Engagement Product Alignment & Strategic Planning

• Partner with state agencies researchers institutional stakeholders and executive leadership to align technology solutions with educational and assessment needs.
• Communicate product roadmaps implementation priorities timelines and strategic initiatives to internal and external stakeholders.
• Support long-term strategic planning and platform sustainability efforts.
• Collaborate with organizational leadership to align technology initiatives with institutional goals and operational objectives.

20% System Modernization & Innovation

• Oversee system modernization initiatives including re-platforming and cloud optimization efforts.
• Lead and support AI/ML integration opportunities and process automation initiatives.
• Guide architecture improvements that enhance scalability resiliency efficiency and user experience.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovative solutions to support organizational growth and operational effectiveness.

15% Organizational Leadership & Resource Management

• Foster a strong organizational culture focused on collaboration innovation accountability inclusion and continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership support mentorship staffing oversight and employee development opportunities.
• Manage vendor relationships consulting partnerships and contract administration activities.
• Oversee budget planning financial stewardship and resource allocation to support strategic and operational goals.

5% Other Duties as Assigned

• Perform other related duties and strategic initiatives as assigned in support of the mission and operational needs of the Achievement and Assessment Institute.

Disclaimer
The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race color ethnicity religion sex national origin age ancestry disability status as a veteran sexual orientation marital status parental status gender identity gender expression and genetic information in the universitys programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and is the Title IX coordinator for all KU and KUMC campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Room 1082 Dole Human Development Center 1000 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence KSTTY.

Work Schedule
M-F 8-5

Contact Information to Applicants
AAI HR

1. Bachelors degree in Computer Science Information Technology or a related field
2. Seven (7) years of progressive experience in software development technology or product management roles
3. Five (5) years of leadership experience managing large cross-functional teams (engineering product QA and operations) at a senior director VP or equivalent level
4. Demonstrated success owning and operating enterprise SaaS platforms end-to-end from concept through deployment and ongoing operations as evidenced by application materials
5. Five (5) years of experience working with cloud-native architectures with a strong preference for AWS environments
6. Proven expertise in agile delivery and DevOps practices at scale including CI/CD and high-availability system management as evidenced by application materials
7. Three (3)years of experience integrating AI/ML capabilities into products platforms or operational workflows with an emphasis on responsible and secure implementation
8. Strong track record of building stakeholder trust and aligning technology strategy with organizational and client needsas evidenced by application materials

This position requires a formal degree in the cited discipline area(s) to ensure that candidates have advanced knowledge analytical skills and professional competencies necessary to perform the duties of the position. The level of degree is commonly recognized as the standard qualification for similar roles in the public and private sector ensuring that the university remains competitive with industry aligned practices enhances collaboration with external partners and supports the delivery of services and programs that meet professional and market-driven expectations.

1. Masters degree in Computer Science Information Technology or a related field.
2. Ten (10)years of experience leading product or technology organizations in complex regulated or high-availability environments
3. Experience supporting high-volume mission-critical platforms ideally in education assessment or similarly regulated domains as evidenced by application materials
4. Familiarity with K-12 education systems large-scale assessment programs or EdTech ecosystems as evidenced by application materials
5. Relevant certifications (e.g. PMP PgMP Agile/Scrum)

Position Overview
While titled as a Managing Director Educational Technology Ventures within the University of Kansas structure this role carries the scope and responsibility of a senior technology executive comparable to a Vice Presidentlevel leader in industry. The Managing Director will provide strategic and operational leadership for a comprehensive cloud-based assessment platform overseeing product development engineering platform operations and security.

The Assessment & Technology Solutions team supports the Kite platform and Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) assessments which annually serve hundreds of thousands of students across multiple states. These include high-stakes assessments designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities as well as general education populations. The platform plays a critical role in enabling equitable and accessible assessment experiences at a national scale.

This position is responsible for guiding the continued evolution of a mature mission-driven technology platform ensuring reliability scalability and innovation in support of state partners and educational outcomes.

The successful candidate will bring a balance of strategic vision and operational execution with a collaborative leadership style suited to an established and high-performing team. This individual will be motivated by both the technical challenges of operating a national-scale platform and the meaningful impact of supporting educational access and equity.

Role Distinction
This leadership role combines the scope of a large-scale SaaS technology organization with the mission and stability of a public research university. The Managing Director will lead a highly experienced cross-functional team spanning engineering architecture quality assurance DevOps data and operations.

The position offers the opportunity to shape a long-term technology and product vision including platform modernization cloud-native optimization and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies such as AI/ML into the assessment lifecycle.

About the Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI)
The Achievement & Assessment Institute is a nationally recognized leader in large-scale assessment and educational and well-being research. Its work supports state education agencies across the country and contributes to improving outcomes for student populations.

The University of Kansas offers a collaborative environment a strong institutional mission and a comprehensive benefits structure including retirement health and professional development opportunities. Lawrence Kansas is consistently ranked among the top college communities in the United States.

Additional Candidate Instruction
A complete application consists of:

1. The University of Kansas online application
2. A cover letter that describes how you meet the required and preferred qualifications
3. A Resume or CV
4. Contact information for three (3) professional references

Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application review begins Friday September 11th and will continue until a qualified pool of applicants is identified.

Position Requirements
This position is expected to reside in Kansas and will work fully on-site during the initial onboarding period to support a comprehensive understanding of the role team systems and operations. Once successfully onboarded the position may transition to a hybrid schedule with a minimum of three days per week on-site splitting time between KUs Lawrence and Edwards campuses based on organizational and business needs.