Job No. 159238
- Job Title:
- Director of Athletics Information & Technology Services
- Employer:
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Northwestern University
- Location:
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Evanston , IL
- Posting Date:
- 07-Aug-2026
- Description:
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Job Summary:
The Director of Athletics Information & Technology Services provides strategic leadership and day-to-day operational oversight of all technology services supporting Northwestern Athletics, including end-user support, endpoint and asset management, network and security operations, athletics applications and data integrations, as well as broadcast, game-day, and event technology support across 300+ staff, 21 varsity sports, and multiple facilities and venues. This position develops and executes the department’s technology strategy and roadmap, manages Athletics IT staff and vendor relationships, and serves as the primary liaison between Athletics units and NUIT, Northwestern Medicine, Recreation, and other university and external partners, ensuring secure, reliable, and innovative technology solutions that support the department’s athletic, academic, and operational goals.
*Note: Not all aspects of the job are covered by this job description.
*Willingness and ability to work a non-traditional schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays as required. *
Specific Responsibilities:
Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for all Athletics Information Technology services, including end-user support, endpoint/asset management, and service delivery for staff, coaches, and student-athletes across all varsity sports and facilities.
Direct identity, access, and security operations, including endpoint security, MFA/SSO, vulnerability management, and compliance with FERPA, Title IX, and NCAA data standards; serve as the department’s primary point of contact with NUIT Security on risk assessment and incident response.
Oversee network infrastructure, wireless connectivity, and audio/visual and collaboration systems in coordination with NUIT and Facilities, ensuring reliable technology across offices, training rooms, and event spaces.
Lead data protection, backup, and file services strategy, including redundancy planning, retention compliance, and coordination with the Office of General Counsel on legal holds.
Work in conjunction with Athletics broadcast operations, creative services, and facilities and events to ensure proper workflows and infrastructure are in place to support direct broadcasts, video boards, digital signage, game day and event needs and operational technology functions: including access control, scoreboards, timing systems, and sport-specific simulation technology which is required to execute athletic competitions and the student-athlete and fan experience.
Oversee athletics applications and sports science data integrations (e.g., Smartabase, Teamworks, ARMS, wearables, video analysis systems), ensuring accurate, secure, and reliable data flows in partnership with sports performance and coaching staff.
Manage vendor, contract, and procurement relationships, including software licensing, renewals, and security assessments, in partnership with the Business Office and Office of General Counsel.
Serve as the primary liaison between Athletics and NUIT, Northwestern Medicine, Recreation, and other university partners on shared systems, identity, and data governance.
Supervise, develop, and mentor Athletics IT staff; establish standards, SOPs, and documentation; and lead the department’s technology roadmap, budget, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Responsible for adhering to all Department and University policies and procedures, as well as the rules, regulations, bylaws and interpretations of the Big Ten Conference, CSC and the NCAA.
Responsible for adhering to all Department and University continuing education initiatives and required certifications and trainings.
Miscellaneous
Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible information technology experience, including systems/network administration, security operations, and end-user support.
Demonstrated experience managing IT budgets, vendor contracts, and procurement.
Ability to work cooperatively with others and effectively interact and establish engaging relationships with a wide variety of constituents.
Preferred Qualifications:
Knowledge of rules and regulations of the NCAA, CSC, Big Ten Conference and Northwestern University preferred
Experience supporting information technology in a collegiate athletics or higher education environment.
Experience with endpoint management and security platforms such as Jamf, Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM), and CrowdStrike.
Relevant professional certifications (e.g., PMP, ITIL, or CISSP).
Previous leadership to team supervision experience
- Contact information:
- Northwestern University
- Evanston, IL 60208
- United States
- Employer's Website:
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