Assistant Vice President for IT Strategic Operations & Administration

Socket.dev; Omaha (NE); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev seeks an Assistant Vice President for IT Strategic Operations & Administration to lead the operational, administrative, financial, and governance functions of the IT division. This role partners with the CIO to translate strategy into action across planning, budgeting, vendor management, and performance measurement.

As a member of the IT leadership team, you will oversee planning, governance, and executive reporting, ensuring IT investments align with university priorities and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in IT, business, or related field.
• 7+ years in strategic operations, administration, or finance leadership.
• 5+ years of supervisory leadership experience.
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives and transformation efforts.
• Certifications such as PMP, PgMP, ITIL, Lean Six Sigma, CGFM.

Responsibilities

• Lead IT strategic planning and coordinate annual and multi-year planning activities.
• Design, implement, and manage IT governance frameworks and processes.
• Manage IT budget planning, forecasting, and reporting.
• Oversee vendor, contract, and procurement management.
• Oversee portfolio reporting, investments, and performance metrics.
• Prepare executive briefings and board materials; support leadership decisions.

Skills

Strategic planning

Governance

Budget management

Vendor management

Change management

Cross-functional leadership

Financial reporting

Executive communication

Portfolio management

Organizational development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Finance, or related field

Master's degree in Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or related field

Job description

The Assistant Vice President for IT Strategic Operations & Administration serves as a key advisor to the Vice President for Information Technology and provides leadership for the operational, administrative, financial, and governance functions of the Information Technology division.

This position is responsible for establishing and overseeing the management systems that enable strategic execution, organizational effectiveness, financial stewardship, operational transparency, and continuous improvement across the IT organization. The AVP for IT Strategic Operations & Administration leads strategic planning coordination, governance operations, portfolio oversight, budget administration, vendor and contract management, executive reporting, and organizational performance measurement.

As a member of the IT Leadership Team, this role works collaboratively with technology leaders, university stakeholders, and administrative partners to ensure technology investments, resources, and organizational priorities align with the University's mission, strategic goals, and operational needs.

The AVP for IT Strategic Operations & Administration acts as the operational architect of the IT division, ensuring that strategy is translated into actionable plans, investments are effectively managed, and organizational processes support accountability, transparency, and institutional partnership.

Essential Functions

Strategic Planning & Organizational Effectiveness

• Lead the coordination and administration of the IT strategic planning process.
• Facilitate annual and multi-year planning activities.
• Maintain alignment of strategic roadmaps and organizational priorities.
• Develop mechanisms to measure progress toward strategic objectives.
• Coordinate strategic initiative reporting and outcome measurement.
• Facilitate leadership planning retreats and strategic review sessions.
• Drive continuous improvement and organizational maturity initiatives.
• Support change management related to major organizational and technology initiatives.

IT Governance & Organizational Decision-Making

• Design, implement, and manage IT governance frameworks and processes.
• Facilitate governance committees, advisory councils, and prioritization forums.
• Develop decision-making frameworks that promote transparency and accountability.
• Coordinate project intake, evaluation, and prioritization activities.
• Track governance decisions and ensure follow-through.

Financial Management & Budget Administration

• Lead IT budget planning, administration, forecasting, and reporting activities.
• Coordinate annual operating and capital budget development processes.
• Monitor expenditures, commitments, and financial performance.
• Develop multi-year technology investment plans.
• Support business case development and financial analysis for major initiatives.
• Prepare financial reporting and executive budget presentations.
• Partner with university finance leaders to ensure sound fiscal stewardship.
• Identify opportunities for cost optimization and resource efficiency.

Vendor, Contract, and Procurement Management

• Oversee IT contract administration and lifecycle management.
• Develop processes for contract tracking, renewals, and compliance monitoring.
• Coordinate procurement planning and purchasing activities.
• Support vendor selection and evaluation processes.
• Lead strategic vendor relationship management activities.
• Monitor vendor performance, service commitments, and contract obligations.
• Maintain visibility into software licensing, subscriptions, and renewal schedules.
• Support contract negotiations and risk assessment activities.

Portfolio & Organizational Performance Management

• Oversee enterprise portfolio reporting and management processes.
• Coordinate investment planning and portfolio review activities.
• Maintain visibility into strategic, operational, compliance, and lifecycle initiatives.
• Develop executive dashboards, metrics, and performance indicators.
• Monitor organizational performance and support service improvement efforts.
• Facilitate reviews of strategic initiatives and organizational outcomes.

Executive Operations & Leadership Support

• Serve as an operational advisor to the Vice President for Information Technology.
• Coordinate leadership team operations, planning, and accountability processes.
• Prepare executive briefings, leadership communications, and board materials.
• Support executive-level decision making through analysis and reporting.
• Coordinate responses to organizational issues, risks, and priority initiatives.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration among IT leadership teams.

Organizational Leadership & Staff Development

• Provide leadership and supervision for assigned administrative and strategic operations staff.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Support leadership development and succession planning initiatives.
• Promote effective communication and organizational alignment.
• Develop and maintain operational standards, procedures, and documentation.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Higher Education Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in strategic operations, administration, organizational planning, finance, project management, or related disciplines.
• Five (5) years of supervisory leadership experience.
• Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Demonstrated success supporting executive leaders and organizational transformation efforts.

Preferred:

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Higher Education Administration, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or related field.
• Higher education leadership experience.
• Experience managing budgets & portfolios exceeding $5M.
• Experience implementing governance and portfolio management frameworks.
• Experience leading organizational change initiatives.
• Certifications such as:
  • PMP
  • PgMP
  • ITIL
  • Lean Six Sigma
  • Change Management Certification
  • Certified Government Financial Manager (CGFM) or similar financial credentials

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Required Knowledge

Strategic Planning & Governance

• Principles of strategic planning and organizational effectiveness.
• Governance frameworks and decision-making models.
• Organizational development and change management practices.
• Performance measurement and outcome-based management.
• Ability to serve as a connector between IT and university leadership, translating institutional priorities into actionable IT strategies.
• Ability to develop and manage strategic roadmaps, project portfolios, and resource plans.

Financial & Administrative Management

• Budget development, administration, and forecasting.
• Capital planning and investment analysis.
• Financial reporting and resource management.
• Contract administration and procurement practices.
• Vendor relationship management.