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Senior Academic Tech Svc Director, Dedman Law & Perkins (INF00000200)

Salary commensurate with experience and qualifications.

About SMU

SMU’s more than 12,000 diverse, high‑achieving students come from all 50 states and over 80 countries to take advantage of the University’s small classes, meaningful research opportunities, leadership development, community service, international study and innovative programs.

SMU is data driven, and its powerful supercomputing ecosystem – paired with entrepreneurial drive – creates an unrivaled environment for the University to deliver research excellence.

Now in its second century of achievement, SMU is recognized for the ways it supports students, faculty and alumni as they become ethical, enterprising leaders in their professions and communities. SMU’s relationship with Dallas – the dynamic center of one of the nation’s fastest‑growing regions – offers unique learning, research, social and career opportunities that provide a launch pad for global impact.

SMU is nonsectarian in its teaching and committed to academic freedom and open inquiry.

About the Position

The Senior Academic Technology Services Director (Senior ATSD) serves as the principal academic‑technology advisor and strategic partner to the Dean (or designated academic leadership representative), faculty, and administration of the Perkins School of Theology and the Dedman School of Law. The position combines strategic academic‑technology leadership with faculty consultation, instructional technology expertise, learning‑management‑system administration, technology adoption support, service coordination, and occasional direct engagement in complex academic technology initiatives, while operating at a high level of strategic accountability for academic‑technology planning, technology‑enabled program innovation, responsible artificial intelligence adoption, online and hybrid learning initiatives, scholarly and research technologies, and faculty development across two schools with distinct missions and priorities.

Partnering closely with academic leadership, OIT, and university stakeholders, the Senior ATSD translates institutional and school priorities into actionable technology strategies and services that advance enrollment, student success, research, quality technology‑enabled teaching, and institutional reputation. Operational technology support is delivered through OIT customer‑services teams; the primary focus of this position is strategic partnership, academic innovation, program development, organizational change leadership, and institutional coordination while maintaining deep hands‑on technical fluency and the ability to provide direct faculty, student, and staff support when school needs require senior academic‑technology judgment and support.

Essential Functions Strategic Academic‑Technology Partnership & Planning

Serves as the principal OIT academic‑technology advisor and strategic partner to the Dean (or designated academic leadership representative) regarding technology‑enabled teaching, learning, research, academic operations, and program innovation. Leads multi‑year academic‑technology strategy for Perkins and Dedman Law, aligning university and OIT capabilities to advance each school’s mission, priorities, and academic objectives, and aligning each school’s priorities with university and OIT capabilities. Advocates for each school’s academic and faculty needs while helping university‑wide initiatives land effectively within the schools. Develops roadmaps, recommends priorities, coordinates technology planning and process improvement activities, and provides regular progress reporting and strategic recommendations to school and university leadership.

Artificial Intelligence Integration Leadership

Supports and leads the responsible integration of AI into teaching, learning, research, and faculty development across both schools. Establishes AI‑use guidance and governance in partnership with faculty and OIT; designs AI‑literacy and AI‑enhanced pedagogy and assessment programming; advises faculty and leadership on emerging capabilities, risks, and academic‑integrity implications; and pilots and evaluates AI tools for school‑specific needs (e.g., legal research and analysis; theological and multilingual content).

Online & Hybrid Program Architecture, Strategy & Support

Contributes senior academic‑technology leadership to the architecture, technology integration, and continuous improvement of the schools’ technology‑enabled academic programs: Perkins’ hybrid and online divinity programs, distributed and multilingual delivery, and teach‑out continuity; and Dedman Law’s online Master of Legal Studies and hybrid offerings. Partners closely with OIT Online Production Services, which leads online course development and instructional design, and with the SMU Center for Teaching Excellence, SMU Libraries, and other university stakeholders to support the design, launch, growth, and quality of these programs. The position leads the technology architecture and ongoing academic‑technology support that surround online and hybrid programs; it does not supervise the instructional‑design function, which the Online Production Services team delivers.

Instructional Technology & LMS (Canvas) Strategic Oversight

Acts as the senior academic‑technology authority for faculty and staff in leveraging the learning management system (Canvas) and instructional technologies toward pedagogical advantage; helps maintain and coach standards for course design, accessibility, and quality; leads adoption of advanced teaching tools; and coordinates instructional‑support resources for both schools.

Research‑Computing, Data & Scholarly‑Technology Consultation

Provides senior consultation on research and scholarly technologies relevant to each school: empirical and quantitative methods, data‑analysis and survey tools, research‑data management, journals, and secure exam administration for Law; and special‑collections, global, and multilingual scholarly resources for Perkins. Connects faculty to university research‑computing capabilities.

Change Leadership & Faculty Development at Scale

Designs and leads structured faculty‑development programming (workshops, training series, communities of practice) and change‑management strategies for major technology transitions, building faculty capacity at scale rather than providing one‑off assistance.

Executive Communication & Stakeholder Translation

Prepares and delivers executive‑level briefings, written strategic recommendations, and presentations to deans, academic leaders, faculty, the CIO, and the Provost’s Office; translates between academic priorities and technical strategy; and represents the schools’ academic‑technology interests in university governance.

Technology Coordination, Data Stewardship & Platform Strategy

Coordinates school participation in university technology‑governance processes and serves as a liaison between school leadership, Faculty Technology Council representatives, Dean‑designated stakeholders, and institutional technology planning efforts. Advises academic leadership on technology‑enabled program innovation, new instructional models, competitive differentiation, and emerging opportunities that help advance enrollment, student success, research, and institutional reputation. Provides stewardship and consultation regarding technology platforms, software licensing strategies, data access, security considerations, and institutional technology.

Team & Talent Leadership

Serves to coordinate cross‑functional project teams composed of OIT specialists, student employees, temporary staff, and other assigned resources when appropriate. Provides mentoring, project leadership, prioritization, and coordination for technology initiatives that span organizational boundaries. The position has no regular (FTE) direct reports and does not supervise SMU staff; it leads student and temporary teams as needed.

Service‑Level Design, Continuity & Direct Support

Designs sustainable, team‑based service and escalation models for both schools and ensures academic‑technology continuity through peak periods and program launches. Coordinates closely with other relevant OIT customer service teams for routine day‑to‑day support while maintaining deep hands‑on technical fluency. Provides direct faculty, student, and staff support when needed, particularly during high‑impact initiatives, program launches, complex instructional‑technology issues or situations requiring senior academic‑technology judgment.

Qualifications Education and Experience

Master's degree and six (6) years of progressive higher‑education experience, including at least two (2) years in strategic advisory, leadership, project leadership, academic leadership responsibility, or comparable roles; OR a bachelor's degree and eight (8) years of such experience, including at least three (3) years in those roles.

Doctoral degree preferred. Degree in instructional technology, instructional design, educational technology, higher‑education administration, information science, or a closely related field desired.

Type of Work Experience Required

• Progressive experience in academic technology support, online instructional design, or IT leadership in higher education.
• Demonstrated strategic planning and change‑management experience.
• Experience with learning management systems (Canvas), instructional technologies, and online programming support.
• Experience advising faculty and academic leaders on technology‑enabled teaching, learning, research, academic innovation, and program development.

Preferred

• Experience partnering directly with deans, dean's proxies, associate deans, or senior academic leaders on technology strategy.
• Demonstrated AI‑integration leadership in an academic or institutional setting.
• Experience designing and delivering faculty‑development programs.
• Experience in professional‑school or graduate‑professional environments (law, theology, or comparable).
• Experience with research‑data, scholarly‑publishing/journals, or secure‑assessment technologies.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Executive‑level communication and influence with senior leaders, including the ability to advise academic or IT leadership and shape technology strategy or services.
• Consensus‑building experience across diverse stakeholders, including in complex or competing‑priority situations.
• Sophisticated understanding of the interplay among technology, pedagogy, and the research process, including responsible AI use and academic integrity.
• Ability to design and lead change‑management, faculty‑development, and academic program innovation efforts at scale.

Preferred

• Thought leadership and contribution to the academic‑technology field through professional engagement, presentation, or publication.

Software Skills Required

• Expert‑level fluency with learning management systems (Canvas) and instructional‑design platforms.
• Strong proficiency with enterprise collaboration tools.
• Strategic understanding of generative‑AI tools in academic settings.

Preferred

• Working knowledge of research and data‑analysis/survey tools (e.g., statistical, qualitative, and survey platforms).
• Familiarity with secure‑assessment, scholarly‑publishing, and digital content/production and web‑publishing platforms at the level of strategic assessment, integration, and hands‑on use as needed; leading and overseeing production rather than performing all of it routinely.

Physical and Environmental Demands

• Sit for long periods of time
• Bend, stand, crawl, climb, kneel
• Walk for long distances
• Reach above shoulders
• Handle objects (dexterity)
• Carry/lift 25 lbs.

Deadline to Apply

The position is open until filled.

EEO Statement

SMU is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.

SMU offers staff a broad, competitive array of healthand related benefit s. In addition to traditional benefits such as health, dental, and vision plans, SMU offers a wide range of wellness programs to help attract, support, and retain our employees whose work continues to make SMU an outstanding education and research institution.

SMU is committed to providing an array of retirement programs that benefit and protect you and your family throughout your working years at SMUand, if you meet SMU's retirement eligibility criteria, during your retirement years after you leave SMU.