Associate Director, Network Services

University System of Georgia; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The University System of Georgia is hiring an Associate Director of Network Services in Atlanta, Georgia. This full‑time position involves managing network operations, coordinating projects, and providing guidance to member institutions.

The ideal candidate will have a Baccalaureate degree, experience leading a team, and a minimum of five years in network operations. Strong knowledge of networking protocols and decision-making skills are essential for maintaining reliability and performance.

Qualifications

• Baccalaureate degree preferred or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Experience managing or leading a team of network administrators.
• Minimum of five years managing network operations in a production environment.

Responsibilities

• Manage team members and coordinate cross-team projects.
• Perform hands-on network administration and evaluate vendor proposals.
• Provide guidance to member institutions and support the PeachNet – GaDOE network.
• Communicate status updates on projects and conduct performance evaluations.

Skills

Project management principles

Networking protocols

Routing protocols

Decision making

Problem solving

Interpersonal relations

Oral and written communication

Multi-tasking

DWDM optical networks

Large-scale routed networks

Education

Baccalaureate degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Associate Director, Network Services

Location: Information Technology Services (ITS) office, Athens, Georgia (2500 Daniel Bridge Road). This full‑time, permanent position requires onsite attendance five days a week. Candidates must reside in Georgia or be willing to relocate. The job does not offer visa sponsorship.

Job Summary

PeachNet is the backbone network supporting enterprise resource planning, 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 to sustain PeachNet’s reliability and performance. The role leads core network refresh cycles, security modernization, data‑center interconnect expansion, and multi‑agency infrastructure projects. It coordinates the statewide network infrastructure, redundancy planning, lifecycle management, vendor coordination, and complex incident response. The Director manages a team of network administrators, performs hands‑on architect‑level administration, and drives project execution and multi‑year planning.

Responsibilities

• Manage team members, including regular guidance, feedback, and 1:1 meetings.
• Coordinate and manage cross‑team projects.
• Perform hands‑on network administration with DWDM optical networks and large‑scale routed networks.
• Lead and contribute to research and development of new technologies and tools.
• Evaluate vendor proposals for software, services, and hardware.
• Provide guidance and technical assistance to University System of Georgia member institutions.
• Support the PeachNet – GaDOE network.
• Communicate frequently with leadership, including regular status updates on projects.
• Engage in high‑level, multi‑year project and expense planning.
• Conduct yearly performance evaluations.
• Ensure all systems are reliable, robust, up‑to‑date, secure, and follow best practices.
• Respond to emergencies after hours.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

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

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of project management principles.
• Knowledge of networking protocols and routing protocols.
• Knowledge of network media and Board of Regents policies and procedures.
• Skill in collaborating with multiple constituents.
• Skill in decision making and problem solving.
• Skill in interpersonal relations and dealing with the public.
• Skill in oral and written communication.
• Ability to respond diplomatically to sensitive and critical issues.
• Ability to effectively multi‑task.
• Knowledge and hands‑on expertise with DWDM optical networks.
• Knowledge and hands‑on expertise with large‑scale routed/switched networks.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University System Office is an equal employment, equal access, and equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the University System Office to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status as required by applicable state and federal laws. For questions or detailed information regarding this policy, contact the University System Office Human Resources at 404.962.3242. Individuals requiring disability‑related accommodations for participation in any event or to obtain print materials in an alternative format may contact Human Resources.