Executive Director for Enterprise Technology

Savannah College of Art and Design; Savannah (GA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

SCAD seeks an executive director for enterprise technology to lead the university‑wide AI strategy, aligning technology initiatives with strategic goals while safeguarding data privacy and integrity across campus.

You will own the multi‑year IT roadmap, manage the enterprise technology budget, negotiate major contracts, standardize PM practices, and guide organizational change as AI and automation transform administrative and academic workflows.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business, or related discipline.
• At least 10 years of progressive leadership in information technology (IT), with a focus on strategy and project delivery.
• MBA or other relevant master’s degree; PMP or ITIL certifications preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the university-wide AI strategy and multi-year IT roadmap.
• Oversee enterprise technology budget and vendor relations to maximize ROI.
• Standardize project management methodologies and lead organizational change for AI-driven workflows.
• Negotiate enterprise software, hardware, and services contracts.
• Partner with academic and administrative leadership to align IT initiatives with strategic goals.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT or related discipline

MBA or related master’s degree

Tools

PMP certification

ITIL certification

Job description

As an executive director for enterprise technology, you will spearhead the university-wide AI strategy, ensuring that SCAD remains the global leader in tomorrow’s creative careers by safely and effectively integrating emerging technologies into the institution’s fabric. Responsibilities include developing and maintaining the multi-year IT roadmap aligned with the university’s strategic goals. You will anticipate emerging technology trends and oversee the project portfolio to ensure initiatives are delivered on time, within budget, and to a high standard. You will also implement standardized project management methodologies across the department and lead organizational change efforts required when shifting to AI-driven or automated workflows.

In this position, you will lead high-stakes negotiations for enterprise-wide software, hardware, and service contracts. Among other duties, you will manage key vendor relationships to maximize ROI and ensure service level agreements (SLAs) are met, serving as the primary liaison between IT and academic administrative leadership. You will translate complex technical concepts into clear, actionable updates for non-technical stakeholders. Additionally, you will manage the enterprise technology budget to ensure fiscal responsibility and strategic resource allocation. You will also develop policies and standards for technology procurement and lifecycle management.

In this role, you will spearhead the development and implementation of a comprehensive AI strategy, with a focus on generative AI and machine learning to enhance administrative efficiency and academic innovation. Similarly, you will establish institutional frameworks for the ethical use of AI related to intellectual property protection, data privacy, and academic integrity. Responsibilities include partnering with the Enterprise Applications team to identify and embed AI capabilities into the university’s core platforms (e.g., LMS, CRM, and ERP). Among other duties, you will continuously monitor the tech landscape to ensure SCAD’s infrastructure can support the massive data and processing demands of modern creative software.

The ideal candidate demonstrates exceptional negotiation skills, executive presence, and the ability to navigate a creative, fast-paced environment.

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business, or related discipline
• At least 10 years of progressive leadership in information technology (IT), with a focus on strategy and project delivery

Preferred qualifications:

• M.B.A. or other relevant master’s degree
• Project management professional (PMP) or information technology infrastructure library (ITIL) certifications

Travel required: Less than 10%

Work hours: The university work week is Sunday through Saturday. Most offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. To accommodate business needs, employees may be assigned to other workdays and/or hours, including weekends and evenings.

ADA tag: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements and minimum qualifications listed represent the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and/or meet the minimum qualifications.