Senior Director, Mission Service Delivery

POSITION SPECIFICS

As part of the Penn State IT's Optimized Service Team project, IT is implementing a new operating model designed to enhance service delivery, operational efficiency and collaboration across the university. Penn State is seeking an experienced, strategic, and collaborative leader to serve as the Senior Director, Mission Service Delivery.

The Senior Director, Mission Service Delivery provides executive leadership for the operational delivery of enterprise IT services across the Mission portfolio. This role is accountable for leading Service Managers, driving operational excellence, enhancing customer experience, and ensuring the consistent delivery of reliable, secure, and high-quality IT services.

The position collaborates closely with the Senior Director overseeing Service Owners, the Service Management Office (SMO), and Capability Team leadership to ensure the effective adoption of enterprise service management practices, alignment between services and capabilities, and successful execution of service roadmaps and operational priorities. This leader is responsible for fostering a service-oriented culture, aligning talent and resources with service needs, and ensuring services deliver measurable value to the University.

• Lead service delivery operations across the Mission portfolio by providing executive oversight of Service Managers, ensuring consistent operational practices, service performance, accountability, and effective execution of day-to-day IT services.
• Coordinate cross-functional service delivery and workforce planning by partnering across organizational boundaries to align resources, define service team needs, and support staffing strategies that enable reliable and efficient service delivery.
• Lead the implementation and adoption of enterprise service management practices by partnering with the Service Management Office to advance ITSM standards, processes, governance, and continuous improvement initiatives across the Mission portfolio.
• Ensure consistent execution of service management processes throughout the service lifecycle by driving operational discipline and adoption of Incident, Problem, Change, Release, Major Incident, Request, Knowledge, and Service Transition Management practices across service delivery teams.
• Lead customer experience and service adoption initiatives by leveraging stakeholder insights to improve service engagement, increase customer satisfaction, drive adoption, and ensure services deliver measurable business value.
• Oversee service communications and serve as the executive escalation point for critical service issues, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement, coordinated messaging, timely issue resolution, and operational accountability across the Mission portfolio.

• Significant progressive leadership experience in information technology, service delivery, IT operations, service management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex teams (20+ employees), including managers and cross-functional teams, with accountability for organizational performance, talent development, and operational outcomes in a complex, preferably higher education or similarly decentralized environment.
• Experience with product management, product-oriented operating models, or leading product and service delivery teams preferred.
• Experience overseeing enterprise-scale service delivery, operational performance, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Experience implementing and advancing IT service management practices, operational governance, and service performance management.
• Proven ability to build relationships, influence decision-making, and collaborate effectively with senior leaders, stakeholders, and technical teams.
• Excellent communication, strategic planning, problem-solving, and organizational leadership skills.

Bachelor's Degree
10+ years of relevant experience, includes 5+ years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience

accepted

Required

Certifications:

None

This position follows a hybrid work model with some remote work flexibility. A weekly on-site presence at the University Park campus will be required. Occasional travel to Commonwealth Campuses and other Penn State locations may be required.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $ - $.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision…