Assistant CTO for Audiovisual & Digital Experience Services

University of Massachusetts Amherst; Amherst (MA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Amherst seeks an Assistant CTO for Audiovisual & Digital Experience Services to lead the AV, digital learning environments, and collaboration platforms across campus.

The role partners with academic leadership and Facilities to deliver scalable, accessible technology that supports teaching, research, and public engagement, while driving modernization and governance of AV systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 7 years related experience.
• OR Associate’s degree with 9 years of related experience.
• A valid driver’s license for operation of University Motor Vehicle
• Experience acting as an owner’s representative on large‑scale AV projects, including selecting, directing, and holding commercial AV integrators accountable to scope, schedule, and budget
• Experience leading inter‑disciplinary AV teams across multiple functions
• Strong project management, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to train users and communicate technical concepts clearly.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and uphold university policies.

Responsibilities

• Develops and leads AV and digital experience strategy across campus learning spaces and events.
• Oversees classroom technology deployment, standards, and lifecycle management.
• Leads enterprise AV, broadcast, and digital experience services with governance and quality control.
• Directs media systems, collaboration platforms, and enterprise video infrastructure.
• Manages budgets, staffing, and vendor relationships; drives service excellence.
• Partners with campus leadership to align AV initiatives with institutional priorities.

Education

Bachelor’s degree with 7 years related experience

Associate’s degree with 9 years of related experience

Job description

Title: Assistant CTO for Audiovisual & Digital Experience Services

College/School/MBU: Information Technology

Department: IT Operations

Work Location: Amherst

Schedule: Full Time

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Job Summary

Reporting to the Associate Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Infrastructure, the Assistant CTO for Audiovisual & Digital Experience Services is a senior technology leader responsible for the strategy, design, delivery, and lifecycle management of the University’s enterprise audiovisual (AV) and digital experience ecosystem.

This role provides leadership across classroom technology, AV-enabled learning environments, event and venue services, media systems, and collaboration platforms, ensuring reliable, scalable, and future-ready capabilities that support teaching, research, and campus engagement.

The Assistant CTO partners closely with academic leadership, IT teams, Facilities, and campus stakeholders to align AV and digital experience services with institutional priorities. This position balances strategic initiatives with operational accountability and plays a key role in major campus projects, particularly those involving learning spaces and public-facing technology experiences.

Essential Functions

Strategic AV & Digital Experience Leadership:

Establishes and executes a comprehensive strategy for audiovisual services, digital learning environments, and collaboration technologies.

Collaborate with UMass system colleagues to share institutional knowledge and best practices.

Partners with the Associate CTO of infrastructure to align AV strategy with broader infrastructure, network, and enterprise technology roadmaps.

Advises on emerging technologies supporting hybrid learning, immersive environments, and digital engagement.

Develops multi-year roadmaps for technology-enabled learning spaces and campus AV capabilities.

Serves as the organizational leader for enterprise AV, broadcast, and digital experience services, acts as the ambassador for campus AV standards and governance.

Classroom Technology & Learning Environments

Provides leadership for the design, deployment, support, and lifecycle management of classroom AV and instructional technologies.

Owns and continuously evolves campus standards for smart classrooms, hybrid learning environments, lecture capture, and faculty-facing technology.

Partners with academic units and Facilities to ensure consistency, usability, and accessibility across learning spaces.

Accountable for classroom readiness across the full academic calendar, directing the teams responsible for first-line support during the academic day and for service and repair.

Drives modernization, standardization, and scalability of classroom technologies.

Event, Venue & Enterprise AV Services

Oversees AV services supporting campus events, venues, and institutional programs.

Direct the support of academic and athletic broadcast facilities and promote cross team collaboration

Ensures high-quality delivery of in-person, hybrid, virtual events, and game day operations. Develops service models, operational processes, and staffing strategies for AV support.

Manages third-party vendors, integrators, and service providers to meet institutional needs.

Media Systems & Collaboration Platforms

Leads enterprise video platforms, streaming systems, lecture capture, and media infrastructure.

Supports enterprise collaboration tools (e.g., Zoom, Teams) and their integration into teaching, operations and building systems.

Guides adoption of digital media tools for faculty, staff, and students.

Evaluates and pilots emerging AV and digital experience technologies.

Provides strategic leadership and operational oversight for the University’s Digital Accessibility Center, including assistive technology instruction, training, consultation, and support services, ensuring the effective delivery of resources that promote equitable and inclusive access to technology for students, faculty, and staff.

Operational Excellence & Service Delivery

Establishes service delivery frameworks, including SLAs, KPIs, and performance metrics.

Implements proactive monitoring, lifecycle refresh planning, and operational standards.

Leads incident, problem, and change management processes for AV-related services.

Drives automation and remote management capabilities where feasible.

People Leadership & Organizational Development

Leads teams responsible for AV engineering, classroom technology, media services, broadcast, and event support.

Recruits, mentors, and develops staff; builds leadership capacity within the organization.

Promotes a collaborative, service-oriented, and innovative culture.

Participates in workforce planning and organizational development initiatives.

Budgeting, Planning & Governance

Develops and manages AV-related operating and capital budgets.

Contributes to broader infrastructure and technology planning in coordination with the Associate CTO.

Establishes standards, policies, and governance for AV systems design and deployment.

Ensures alignment with, security, and institutional compliance requirements.

Partners closely with campus accessibility teams to ensure all spaces provide an inclusive experience.

Campus Initiatives & Major Projects

Leads AV components of new construction, renovations, and campus-wide initiatives supporting the integration needs of campus building management systems.

Collaborates with Facilities, IT, and external partners to integrate AV systems into building design and delivery.

Ensures long‑term supportability, reliability, and scalability of deployed solutions.

Supports cross‑functional initiatives involving digital learning and campus engagement technologies.

Other Functions

Performs other duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 7 years related experience
• OR
• Associate’s degree with 9 years of related experience
• A valid driver’s license for operation of University Motor Vehicle
• Experience acting as an owner’s representative on large‑scale AV projects, including selecting, directing, and holding commercial AV integrators accountable to scope, schedule, and budget
• Experience leading inter‑disciplinary AV teams across multiple functionsDemonstrated strong customer service skills, including experience working effectively with senior leadership and executive stakeholders, and the ability to de‑escalate complex or sensitive situations.
• Strong project management, analytical, and communication skills.
• Ability to train users and communicate technical concepts clearly.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and uphold university policies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with and history of working effectively with vendor technical support organizations.
• AVIXA Certifications CTS, CTS‑D, CTS‑I

Additional Details

Some night and weekend work is required as business needs dictate. Ability to maintain a schedule of local travel not restricted by access to public or private transportation.

This position is subject to final budgetary and administrative approval.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in indoor and/or outdoor environments, and requires frequent lifting, bending, tool use or equipment use. May involve work in confined spaces or at heights.

Work Schedule and Work Arrangement

Monday‑Friday 8:30am-5:00pm

Salary Information

Pay Grade: PSSAP Grade 31

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Special Instructions for Applicants

Along with application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

This position will remain open for the time period required by any applicable collective bargaining agreement and will continue until a suitable candidate pool is identified. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply early.