System Director, Enterprise Infrastructure

Summary:

The System Director, Enterprise Infrastructure is a key leadership role responsible for translating the Information Management vision and strategy (defined by the Office of the CIO) into effective, high-performing enterprise technology solutions. This includes direct operational oversight for Enterprise Data Centers & Infrastructure, regional and enterprise Network and Telephony operations. This Director manages significant financial and contractual responsibilities across multiple core departments: Data Center & Storage, Server & Database Management, Telephony, and Internetworking. The primary goal is to deliver high-quality, cost-effective solutions that directly support the strategic business goals of the CHRISTUS organization

The System Director is responsible for leading management and staff in the operational excellence of all core infrastructure environments (data center operations, telephony, storage, servers, database administration, and network/telephony) across all regions. This includes Tier 3 technical Incident Management, Capacity Management, Availability Management, and IT Service Continuity. The role actively participates in Problem Management to ensure long-term stability and root cause resolution across the enterprise technology landscape.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related technical field.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Proven education/experience in IT Service Management (ITSM), specifically utilizing the ITIL framework

Experience:

• Ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in large-scale, complex information systems environments, preferably within the Healthcare sector.
• Five (5) years of experience in a combination of IT Service Management, Enterprise Infrastructure design/support (e.g., Data Centers, Networking, Server/Database Management, Telephony, Storage Area Networks, and Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity).
• Three (3) years of experience in a technical leadership role managing vendors, partners, and financial budgets. Demonstrated ability to influence strategic and architectural decisions with business leaders and successfully deliver complex initiatives on time and within budget.

Major Responsibilities:

• Enterprise Architecture & Engineering Leadership - direct engineering, technical architecture, and ITIL process for the areas of server systems, data centers, relational databases, storage area networks, network infrastructure, enterprise voice architecture, medical imaging systems (PACS), healthcare information system, and disaster recovery technical processes and infrastructure procurement for all domestic CHRISTUS regions.
• Technical Standards & Strategy - Direct technical architecture standards, guidelines, and operational practice for said areas of responsibility to meet current business/technology requirements and forecasting of future requirements.
• Capacity Planning & Optimization- support the capacity management process by defining and monitoring capacity, planning, forecasting, and reviewing problems resulting from capacity.
• Problem Management - support the problem and availability management process by providing expert level, Tier 3 support for Incidents, working with problem management to accurately diagnosing root cause, and implementing changes to prevent the reoccurrence of future incidents. Update the problem management knowledge base for Incident Management process.
• System Availability & Resilience- Develop detailed standards and operational practices, ensuring they are in place for availability.
• IT Service Continuity & Disaster Recovery - Direct architecture and operational process design to ensure Business Continuity Strategy is achieved.
• Strategic Planning & Communication - Articulate, communicate and implement the corporate information systems strategy. Develop and initiate plans, projects, budgets, priorities, and operational activities to meet the organization's business, clinical and community goals.
• Project Prioritization & Portfolio Management - Assist in the planning, prioritization, management and scheduling of all information systems and telecommunications projects, activities and assignments.
• Financial Stewardship & Budget Management - Assist in developing systems operating expenses and capital budgets for multiple teams including Data Center & Storage; Server and Database Administration; Internetworking (Enterprise and Regional Network and Telecommunications). Approve and administer these budgets and report regularly on budget status.
• Team Leadership and Talent Development- Recruit, train, motivate, evaluate, and retain a staff of highly skilled information systems professionals. Provide ongoing leadership and motivation to ensure that the staff is focused, committed, and capable of producing the expected results. Create and maintain a teamwork environment conducive to productive output, successful staff advancement, and rewarding work experience. Establish and enforce department policies, procedures and standards.
• Business Alignment & Solutions Delivery - Interface with and support management in all areas and at all levels in the definition of requirements, selection, design, development, implementation, and support of information systems. Develop or oversee development of programs to train personnel in the use of new systems to ensure that they gain acceptance and are used effectively. Ensure that systems developed address CHRISTUS Health business and clinical strategies and needs.
• Technology Procurement & Contract Oversight - Manage or oversee information system project teams responsible for the systematic requirements definition, identification, product evaluation, selection, and contract negotiation for purchased application, operating system, utility, and productivity hardware, software, telecommunications and networks. Ensure that systems developed address CHRISTUS Health System and Division/MBO clinical and care for continuum strategies and needs.
• Executive Reporting & Stakeholder Communication - Develop effective written and oral mechanisms to document and report on information systems strategies, plans, priorities, budgets, schedules, and the status of major projects and assignments.
• Vendor & Contract Management - Assist with approving contracts for the acquisition of information systems, including software, hardware and support services, following established processes.
• Performance Measurement & Quality Reporting - Direct the establishing and monitoring of department quality objectives, milestones and benchmarks. Direct the development and implementation of effective tools to measure performance against these standards, and to document and regularly report on all plans, priorities, schedules, budgets, staff assignments, programs and the status of projects and routine assignments.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration - Promote and demonstrate good teamwork on assigned projects through actions and job performance.
• Service Management & Customer Experience - Lead in the development and administration of an effective Customer Service Plan that prioritizes and tracks issues to ensure an exceptional customer experience. Assist with establishing departmental programs, which promote and emphasize the commitment to exceptional customer service standards.