ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/NETWORK

Position Information

Position Information

Posting Number
S-3764

Position Number
35290

Type of Recruitment
External

Position Title
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR/NETWORK

Position Summary

Oversees the design, implementation, and lifecycle management of secure, high-availability campus networks supporting learning, research, housing, and operations. Develops forward-looking network strategies that anticipate growth and emerging technology needs, addressing complex performance issues while ensuring adequate capacity across campus cabling, switching, and carrier circuits. Provides leadership and technical direction for network design and implementation, working alongside network managers and installation staff to plan and validate cabling, fiber, and wireless installations that support the university's long-term connectivity goals.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree, preferably in Computer Science or Information Systems.
Five years of relevant job and management experience.
Expert understanding of enterprise routing, switching, and WAN technologies, including dynamic routing protocols and high-availability connectivity across campus and cloud environments.
Strong understanding of connectivity, authentication, and security considerations across diverse client platforms in a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) environment.
Demonstrated ability to maintain meaningful preventive maintenance schedules.
Strong understanding of network performance management and QoS practices for supporting real-time and high-bandwidth applications on converged networks.
Understanding of emerging automation and programmability practices for enterprise networking, including the use of APIs, templates, or scripts to integrate on-premises and cloud-managed systems.
Demonstrated ability to apply exceptional troubleshooting and communication skills, as well as the ability to interact successfully with community members.
Proven ability to lead teams within an ITIL-aligned service management framework, ensuring effective ticket handling, SLA adherence, major incident coordination, and a strong commitment to customer service excellence.
Demonstrated positive interpersonal skills.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and project a positive attitude.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

Graduate-level coursework in Computer Science or a related field.
Specialized training in project management, cybersecurity, or IT service delivery.
Demonstrated ability to create and maintain accurate technical documentation, including network diagrams, procedures, and best-practice guidance for internal and cross-team communication.
Experience designing and maintaining secure network architectures leveraging NGFW, VPN connectivity, and access segmentation aligned with zero-trust principles.
Experience in architecting and managing data center network fabrics using VXLAN and spine-leaf topologies.
Experience designing, implementing, and managing dual-stack (IPv4/IPv6) environments, including addressing strategy, routing, and migration planning.
Proven ability to deliver results under tight deadlines and changing priorities.
Knowledge of cybersecurity and compliance frameworks, including CMMC, NIST, CJIS, FERPA, HIPAA, GLBA, SOX, and PCI.

Duties & Responsibilities

Directs daily operations of the network engineering team by analyzing workflow, establishing priorities, developing standards, and setting deadlines to ensure efficient service delivery.
Collaborates with campus stakeholders to align network services with academic, administrative, and research priorities.
Leads the planning, design, implementation, and monitoring of campus network architectures, coordinating with internal and external partners to define requirements, select platforms, and ensure alignment with institutional standards, strategic goals, and performance targets.
Oversees network service operations end-to-end, engaging stakeholders, directing escalations, implementing durable fixes, and using monitoring data to detect issues early and plan capacity.
Fosters a culture of continuous improvement, recruiting, hiring, training, and supervising staff.
Reviews and evaluates requests from engineers, managers, and technicians for system modifications, ensuring adherence to the department's change management policies.
Oversees vendor partnerships, coordinates contract renewals, and budget forecasting for network initiatives, balancing performance, cost, and long-term sustainability.
Participates in enterprise disaster recovery and business continuity planning efforts, providing network expertise and ensuring alignment with security and systems teams.
Leads design, configuration, and governance of network integrations with external organizations, cloud platforms, and SaaS providers, overseeing secure inter-organization connectivity including VPN/IPSec tunnels, private peering, and domain ownership validation.
Ensures network documentation and standard operational procedures are maintained and accessible to support continuity, onboarding, and compliance with institutional policies.
Pursues ongoing professional development to evaluate emerging technologies and recommend innovations that enhance network availability, reliability, and security in support of the university's academic and operational mission.
Ensure 24Ч7 network availability through staff coverage and escalation process

Supervision Exercised

Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others in our teams. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve leadership abilities and demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU's culture of excellence.

Message to Applicants

Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU's mission, vision, and leadership standards.

You must submit an on-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.

Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.

This position will remain open until filled. The university reserves the right to close the recruitment process once a sufficient applicant pool has been identified. For best consideration, please submit application materials on or before Monday, January 5th, 2026.

Employee Group
Professional & Administrative -Salary

Staff Pay Level

Pay Range
$105,000 - $125,000

Division
President

Department
Network Services-OIT

Position Status
Regular

Position End Date

Employment Status
Full-Time

FTE
1.0

Position Type
12 month

Weekly Work Schedule
M-F, 8:00am - 5:00pm, occasional evenings and weekend as required

Location
Mount Pleasant, MI

About the Department

About CMU

Central Michigan University has a more than 125-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.

We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master's, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.

CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.

Central is home to 17 men's and women's Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3.17.

CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small-town living with big-city amenities. It's part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state's largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.

Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions - Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more - are within easy reach of the city's central location in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.

CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.

CMU Leadership Standards

Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.

We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.

Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.

EEO Statement

CMU is an Equal Opportunity Employer and institution. CMU does not discriminate against persons based on age, color, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, height, marital status, national origin, political persuasion, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, race, religion, sex, sex-based stereotypes, sexual orientation, transgender status, veteran status, or weight.

If you wish to see "Know Your Rights " posters, please click here.

CMU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education program or activity that it operates, including admission and employment, and is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 not to discriminate in such a matter.

Inquiries about the application of Title IX can be made to CMU's Title IX Coordinator, the US Department of Education's Assistant Secretary, or both.

CMU's Title IX Coordinator can be reached at:

Phone: 989-774-3253
Office: 103 E. Preston St.
Bovee University Center, suite 306
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858
Email: titleix@cmich.edu

Posting Ends

Open Until Filled
Yes

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