Title: Director, IT Experience and Service Enablement
Department/Location: Information Technology, St. Louis
Position Type: Full-Time, 12-month
Summary
The Director, IT Experience and Service Enablement advances Principia by leading the institution-wide IT experience and the practices that make technology services reliable, responsive, and sustainable. The Director assumes responsibility for current Service Desk operations and leads their phased development into a single institutional Service Desk serving Principia School, Principia College, and Shared Services.
During Phase 1 of the IT reorganization, the role intentionally spans two connected areas: Service Delivery and Campus Experience; and IT Strategy, Governance, Portfolio, and Business Operations. This breadth supports stabilization and alignment by bringing service delivery, media and AV, business analysis, project management, governance, portfolio visibility, and IT business operations under coordinated leadership.
Success is reflected in a consistent front door for technology support; clear intake, triage, escalation, ownership, and handoffs; better visibility into work, risks, priorities, and capacity; stronger coordination across service, project, and business operations; and increased trust in IT.
This is an on-site role based in St. Louis, Missouri, with regular travel between the St. Louis and Elsah campuses, which are approximately one hour apart (Principia fleet vehicle available for use).
Primary Responsibilities
Institutional Service Desk and Campus Experience
- Assumes responsibility for current Service Desk operations, assesses the current model, and leads a phased transition to a single institutional Service Desk serving the School, College, and Shared Services
- Establishes common service channels, intake, triage, routing, ownership, prioritization, escalation, knowledge practices, service standards, performance measures, and campus coverage expectations
- Positions the Service Desk as the coordinated front door for incidents, requests, and technology support, with clear handoffs to specialized technical and campus teams
- Leads assigned media and AV services and coordinates with classroom, academic technology, executive, endpoint, field, and campus support partners where responsibilities intersect
- Uses service data, customer feedback, and recurring patterns to improve reliability, strengthen knowledge management, and reduce dependence on informal workarounds
Service Enablement and IT Governance
- Evaluates existing IT governance and partners with the Chief Technology Officer and institutional leaders to establish and mature clear decision rights, intake, prioritization, escalation, and reporting
- Leads or coordinates intake for service needs, enhancements, and projects, distinguishing operational support, standard changes, non-standard changes, and formal projects
- Maintains visibility into active and queued work, dependencies, risks, priorities, and capacity, and establishes practical review rhythms for service, portfolio, campus coordination, vendors, and lessons learned
- Prepares clear status updates, decision briefs, and recommendations for the Chief Technology Officer and institutional leaders
Portfolio, Business Analysis, and Project Leadership
- Provides leadership for the IT Business Analyst and IT Project Manager functions so demand, requirements, project delivery, change readiness, and transition to service remain connected to the customer experience
- Establishes consistent practices for project intake, scope, stakeholder engagement, requirements, risks, dependencies, communication, testing, handoff, and closure
- Coordinates with technical leads and functional owners to improve planning, delivery, and accountability, and addresses unclear ownership, weak processes, and competing priorities
- Maintains portfolio-level visibility and prioritization so work does not proceed through disconnected projects or departmental channels
IT Business Operations
- Manages vendor relationships by monitoring service performance, maintaining executive and operational contacts, coordinating escalations, reviewing roadmaps, and recommending renewal or corrective action
- Coordinates procurement and contract activity by defining business and technical requirements, coordinating quotes and due diligence, and partnering with Purchasing, Finance, Legal, and Information Security through institutional approval processes without replacing their authority
- Maintains visibility into software licensing, utilization, renewals, compliance, hardware and software assets, and lifecycle requirements
- Supports budget planning and monitoring by helping the Chief Technology Officer and Finance with forecasting, investment planning, commitments, expense visibility, and variance review
- Maintains operational reporting and controls, including renewal calendars, service commitments, portfolio information, process documentation, and operating records required for reliable execution
Team Leadership and Institutional Partnership
- Leads assigned staff with clarity, consistency, accountability, and respect through coaching, performance feedback, workload planning, and professional development
- Clarifies roles, responsibilities, workflows, and decision rights within and across assigned teams
- Builds trust, preserves institutional knowledge, and introduces change at a pace that supports sustainable adoption
- Partners effectively across IT, Finance, Human Resources, Legal, Academics, Admissions, Marketing, and other institutional functions
- Models principled, service-oriented leadership focused on Principia's mission, institutional needs, and stewardship of resources
Core Competencies
Principia values the unique strengths each employee brings to their role. The following competencies are especially important for success at Principia:
- Continuous Learning & Expertise: Demonstrates mastery in your area of responsibility and seeks opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Accountability & Results Orientation: Manages time and priorities effectively, meets commitments, and consistently delivers high-quality outcomes.
- Problem Solving & Judgment: Approaches challenges thoughtfully, considers multiple perspectives, and makes sound, timely decisions that support institutional goals.
- Proactivity & Ownership: Takes initiative, anticipates needs, and drives projects forward with minimal supervision while taking responsibility for outcomes.
- Excellence & Attention to Detail: Produces accurate, polished, and high-quality work; continuously looks for ways to improve systems, processes, and results.
- Service Orientation: Builds positive, supportive relationships and responds promptly and professionally to the needs of students, colleagues, and other stakeholders.
- Collaboration & Collegiality: Works cooperatively across departments and teams; values input from others and contributes to a positive, respectful environment.
- Communication: Shares information clearly and concisely; listens carefully to others and adjusts communication style for different audiences and situations.
- Inclusion & Belonging: Demonstrates respect for all people; values diverse perspectives and fosters a culture of inclusion, belonging, and mutual respect.
- Leadership: Inspires and guides others with clarity, compassion, and accountability; supports individual and team growth in alignment with Principia's mission and goals.
- Culture & Team Building: Fosters a culture of trust, collaboration, and open communication; demonstrates genuine care for team members' well-being and development.
- Resource Stewardship: Manages budgets, time, and resources responsibly and strategically to achieve departmental and institutional objectives.
Minimum Qualifications
- Student of Christian Science preferred
- Supportive of Principia's guiding statements as articulated here https://www.principia.edu/about/guiding-statements
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Education Administration, Management, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience
- 7-10 years progressive experience leading IT service delivery, IT operations, portfolio or project functions, business analysis, business operations, or related technology functions
- Demonstrated experience leading staff, improving service quality, and creating operational consistency across functions or locations
- Experience taking over, integrating, consolidating, or maturing a Service Desk or shared support function
- Experience with service management, Service Desk operating models, project or portfolio practices, vendor management, procurement or contract coordination, licensing, asset lifecycle, and budget coordination
- Ability to translate technical and operational issues into clear language for executive and non-technical audiences
- Ability to manage multiple priorities, align stakeholders with competing needs, and lead change without unnecessary disruption
- Strong judgment, discretion, and commitment to confidentiality
- Ability to work on site in St. Louis and travel regularly between the two campuses (Principia fleet vehicle for use when available)
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in education, higher education, independent schools, nonprofit organizations, mission-driven institutions, or multi-campus environments
- Experience establishing or maturing IT governance, IT service management, project portfolio management, business analysis, or organizational change management
- Experience developing an institution-wide or multi-campus Service Desk and leading assigned media, AV, classroom technology, endpoint, field support, or executive support functions
- Familiarity with ServiceNow, Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint, project management platforms, asset management systems, AV support platforms, or knowledge base platforms
- ITIL, PMP, Prosci, HDI, or related training or certification
The statements above describe the general nature and level of work but are not a complete list of responsibilities and are subject to change at the discretion of Principia.
Compensation and Benefits
We offer a competitive starting salary range of $129,629 to $148,749 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications.
In addition to salary, our comprehensive total rewards package includes:
- Generous Employee Tuition Discount: Enjoy a 90% discount on tuition, pro-rated for part-time staff, for your eligible children enrolled from Pre-K3 through College. Infant and Acorn programs are excluded.
- Relocation: Principia provides a relocation reimbursement of up to 12% of your annual salary when moving from outside a radius of more than 50 miles.
- Professional Development: Access to learning opportunities, training programs, and career growth support.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Learn more about our benefits, including comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans, paid time off, a 403(b) retirement plan with Principia matching, and more.
