IT Consultant, Lead (Applications, Academic, Teaching & Learning)

About the role

A client is looking for an experienced IT application leader to provide strategic and operational leadership for its portfolio of teaching and learning and academic applications. This is a senior position equivalent to an Assistant Director level. The role translates institutional and educational priorities into portfolio roadmaps, technology investments and service improvements that strengthen teaching effectiveness, learner experience and operational resilience, working closely with academic leaders, faculty, professional divisions and technology teams.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and maintain the strategy and multi-year roadmap for teaching and learning and academic applications, aligned with academic and institutional priorities.
• Lead the end-to-end lifecycle of the application portfolio, including evaluation, implementation, enhancement, modernisation, consolidation and retirement.
• Ensure availability, performance, resilience and supportability of critical applications, especially during key academic and examination periods.
• Lead implementations, upgrades, integrations and migrations, meeting agreed requirements for quality, security, usability and business outcomes.
• Partner with academic leaders, faculty, learning designers, students and professional divisions to understand needs and prioritise requirements.
• Collaborate with enterprise architecture, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data and other technology teams on compliance with technology, integration, security and data standards.
• Identify opportunities to use emerging technologies such as AI, automation and EdTech solutions.
• Incorporate cybersecurity, data privacy, accessibility, audit, academic integrity and other governance requirements throughout the application lifecycle.
• Build and develop a capable applications team, allocate internal and vendor resources, and manage vendors, software licensing, contracts and budgets.
• Communicate technology issues, options and recommendations to senior academic, administrative and technology stakeholders.

Required profile

• Degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Engineering, Educational Technology or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of experience leading enterprise applications, digital products or technology-enabled services, preferably in higher education or another complex service environment.
• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary teams and complex, cross-functional technology initiatives.
• Experience managing technology vendors, service providers, software licensing, contracts, budgets and technology investments.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, able to explain complex technical matters to non-technical audiences.

Required skills

• Strong experience managing business-critical applications across strategy, implementation, operations, service management and the application lifecycle.
• Application portfolio strategy, prioritisation of technology investments and modernisation and technical debt management.
• IT service management: incident, problem, change, release, availability, capacity, continuity and continual improvement.
• Modern application environments: APIs, cloud services, identity and access management, systems integration, data platforms, analytics, AI and automation.
• Knowledge of LMS, digital assessment platforms, learning tools, lecture capture and classroom technologies is advantageous.
• Good understanding of cybersecurity, data privacy, accessibility, audit, academic integrity and vendor-risk requirements; ITIL, Agile, Project Management, Enterprise Architecture or Cybersecurity certification is advantageous.

Candidates apply by submitting a Word-formatted CV with current and expected salary; only short-listed applicants will be contacted.