Director, Digital Campus Modernization (Director of Application Services)(supporting Kern Commu

About Ellucian

Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with approximately 3,000 customers across 50 countries, serving more than 21 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best‑class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future.

These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data‑rich tools for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes.

• LOCATION – ON SITE in California.
• TYPE – F/T Salaried + yearly bonus (will be employee of Ellucian).
• OPEN to Relocation as well (Relocation $$$ offered).

The Director, Application Services of Digital Campus Modernization serves as a senior strategic and operational leader responsible for transforming Kern Community College District’s technology ecosystem into a modern, connected, and student‑centric digital campus. This role brings together enterprise applications leadership, ERP optimization, and digital transformation to deliver measurable outcomes in student success, enrollment growth, and institutional effectiveness. Working as part of Ellucian Managed Services and in close partnership with KCCD leadership, this role blends consulting, execution, and innovation—evolving the institution from traditional system support to a technology‑enabled, data‑driven, and AI‑informed organization.

The position requires professionalism, confidentiality, organization, prioritization, excellent interpersonal skills, strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to garner respect and confidence of colleagues through listening, learning, and forging working relationships and synergies across the district.

• Lead end‑to‑end campus modernization for KCCD as the accountable service delivery leader for enterprise applications, including Banner ERP, aligning Ellucian Managed Services with institutional strategy and measurable outcomes.
• Define and execute a multi‑year modernization roadmap that advances SaaS adoption, cloud transformation, and a digitally connected campus aligned to student success and operational excellence.
• Serve as the primary strategic advisor to KCCD executive leadership, driving alignment between business priorities and technology solutions through governance, prioritization, and transparent decision‑making.
• Own service delivery performance, ensuring enterprise systems are secure, reliable, optimized, and continuously improved, with strong adoption across the institution.
• Lead large‑scale transformation programs, including ERP modernization and SaaS migration, with accountability for scope, outcomes, timelines, and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Advance integration, data, and analytics capabilities to enable a unified digital ecosystem and support AI‑informed decision‑making and intelligent operations.
• Establish and enforce application and SaaS governance, optimizing the technology portfolio, managing vendors, and ensuring cost‑effective, value‑driven investments.
• Drive process improvement and automation initiatives that enhance efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve the student and employee experience.
• Lead and develop a high‑performing blended team of Ellucian Managed Services and KCCD staff, ensuring effective delivery, strong engagement, and continuous capability growth.

• Director‑level leadership experience in enterprise applications, ERP (Ellucian Banner strongly preferred), and higher education or similarly complex client environments.
• Demonstrated success owning client outcomes…