Director of Systems

Milton Hershey School (MHS) is one of the world’s premier pre‑K through 12th grade private schools, dedicated to providing a career‑focused cost‑free education and home to students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Founded in 1909 through the generosity of Milton and Catherine Hershey, MHS is fully endowed, ensuring students have the resources they need to thrive. The school has empowered nearly
12,000 graduates to lead fulfilling and productive lives and currently serves approximately 2,100 students with ongoing expansion efforts to provide amazing opportunities to even more young learners.

MHS is seeking a full‑time, on‑site,
Director of Application Systems to join its dynamic Information Technology (IT) Department. The Director of Application Systems will lead a team of professionals to provide operational and end user support for all existing business application systems. Support includes ensuring all application systems are operational and performing as they should, resolving technical issues, handling end user requests, establishing and maintaining data interchange between systems, performing application upgrades, and establishing and maintaining security configurations.

This position will ensure all enterprise applications, including student information systems, health care systems, financial systems, HR systems, instructional systems, and all other organizational systems are reliable, secure, and aligned with organizational goals.

This position will also collaborate with IT and other leadership around the school to oversee the selection and implementation of all new business application systems, to prioritize and assist with all existing system enhancements, and to support custom development of application solutions.

As the Director of Application Systems, you’ll contribute to the success of MHS’s applications landscape. The role is designed for IT professionals who thrive in a dynamic and collaborative environment and are excited about supporting a mission‑driven organization. This position offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the daily lives of students, staff, and the broader school community while enjoying a rewarding career at one of the nation's premier educational institutions.

Responsibilities include:

Manage and support the school’s large suite of business applications, including the People Soft ERP System including HCM, FSCM, ELM.

Managing a team of application developers and support employees to prioritize projects and support tickets and ensure they are closed out in a timely manner.

Ensuring the application portfolio is performing optimally, available 24x7, secured and documented.

Evaluate existing solutions and make recommendations for improvements in systems, technology, data integration and processes working with our Business Systems Transformation team.

Establishing and adhering to software development life cycle and change management processes.

Creating and managing operational and capital budgets and contracts for key application systems.

Ensure all members of the Application Team are being utilized effectively and are delivering quality services and support.

Communicate complex technical ideas, concepts and system details to a wide range of employees and vendors, especially upper management.

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, application development, business systems or related field (or commensurate years of experience)

8 or more years’ experience in an application management/leadership role

Proven ability to work effectively and contribute to a collaborative team environment

Extensive knowledge and experience in application support and development

Excellent organizational and prioritization skills for managing tasks and projects

Ability to effectively oversee and balance daily operational team responsibilities with project work

Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to create clear and thorough communication and documentation

Strong troubleshooting skills for diagnosing and resolving application and integration issues

Strong interpersonal skills and ability to form successful business relationships

Abili…