Josh Thomas Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Il, Us

Charlottesville, Va, Us

Charlottesville, Va, Us

About the Role:As the Director of IT and Analytics at SEAS, I lead the strategic development of IT services and the establishment of a comprehensive data governance program. My focus includes spearheading cloud faculty enablement initiatives and modernizing our data platform to complement the implementation of school-wide governance, ensuring alignment with our mission and strategic objectives.Key Responsibilities:-Implementing recommendations from the recent IT Review to enhance service delivery and operational efficiency.-Providing strategic direction for IT resources to support the Dean, Department Chairs, faculty, and students.-Aligning with Central ITS and Research Computing to ensure cohesive technology strategies.-Acting as the liaison between technology and school leadership, advocating for strategic investments in technology.-Leading a proactive IT and Analytics team to deliver innovative solutions and drive continuous improvement.-Managing IT budgets and the allocation of centrally provisioned tech resources with a focus on cost-effectiveness and value.-Employing Business Intelligence strategies for comprehensive assessments and informed decision-making.-Overseeing the entire lifecycle of data and analytics projects, from inception to support, with a commitment to excellence.-Championing new technologies to enhance our capacity for mission-focused data analytics.Building collaborative relationships with peers and facilitating strategic partnerships across the university.-Contributing to the development and implementation of university-wide IT policies, procedures, and processes.

Princeton, Nj, Us

Data Analytics and Governance:Established and led a Tableau divisional center of excellence for self-service data analytics, integrating data from over 20 business applications. Created, socialized, and implemented of robust data governance policies and procedures, ensuring data accuracy, privacy, and security across the division.Project Management and Process ImprovementDirected campus-wide enterprise projects, including EMS space scheduling, Campus Card/Point of Sale systems, and event ticketing, leveraging PMI project methodologies for optimal project execution and management. Significantly improved divisional operational efficiency through the introduction of robotic process automation, achieving $50,000 in saved FTE hours during the pilot year alone.Technical Support and Budget ManagementOversaw technical support services, providing crucial end-user assistance to over 500 staff and managing more than 1000 devices using ITSM best practices. Managed an annual operating budget exceeding $1M, and developed a strategic funding mechanism to maintain and upgrade division technology assets efficiently.Digital Communications and Application DevelopmentDirected digital communication services, including Drupal website development, employee mobile apps, and intranet portals, enhancing internal communication and information dissemination. Managed custom application and API development using PHP/Laravel/MySQL, bolstering the division's technological capabilities and service offerings.Special Non Technical Project LeadershipActed as the project manager for the establishment of a new non-IT, patron-facing centralized service center for University Services, outlining organizational structure, service management goals, and tech infrastructure, ensuring seamless service delivery and customer satisfaction.

Princeton, Nj, Us

Princeton, Nj, Us

Birmingham, Al, Us

-Oversaw all enterprise strategic campus digital communication channels and branding, ensuring the university’s recruitment and fundraising strategies are equipped to engage current and future constituents- Managed the online digital advertising component for undergraduate recruitment initiative using Hubspot, Salesforce, and Google Adwords- Orchestrated the technical and process development for a new unified campus master marketing calendar- Championed and launched Samford's first mobile app (Modo Labs) and campus-wide digital signage network (Four Winds)

Birmingham, Al, Us

-Selected, implemented and supported enterprise space scheduling and maintenance applications-Maintained the web presence for the Division of Operations and Planning;-Recommended, supported, and provided knowledge transfer where appropriate on business intelligence tools (reporting, modeling, master data management);-Analyzed and recommended mechanisms to increase efficiency and effectiveness within the unit;-Conducted Business Process Analysis of all operational units and processes;-Engaged in Organizational Development techniques to assist the division in achieving the goals and objectives set out in the Operations and Planning strategic plan;-Maintained the university’s institutional portfolio;-Assisted in the development and administration of operational surveys;-Collected and assessed the administrative assessment reports submitted by each department within the division;-Developed online processes to enable customers to access the divisional resources and submit requests for service;-Developed and maintained the assessment module for the university, including reporting, key performance indicators, and dashboarding using Microsoft SharePoint;-Recommended strategic investments needed to enhance program outcomes;-Identified best practices for implementation across the division and within each department;-Administered special projects and taskforces assigned by the Vice President for Operations and Planning;

Birmingham, Al, Us

•Implemented content management strategies and systems such as Ektron CMS400.Net and Microsoft SharePoint to align the school’s technical infrastructure with strategic issues•Assembled and managed the online institutional portfolio for the University’s SACS accreditation process.•Created a strategic plan web application to allow University administrators the ability to assess organizational and unit progress towards key performance indicators• Managed technical resources and vendor relationships for the Pharmacy school

Columbus, Ga, Us

-Consulted the credit-policy makers of issuing banks transitioning to the TSYS TS2 credit-processing system on the optimal configuration for their needs-Identified new client requirements and proposed creative solutions with either current functionality or through in-house development using the TSYS development methodology-Created and led periodic checkpoint presentations to key project stakeholders, reviewing recent project decisions-Provided superior client service and demonstrated fast learning abilities, which resulted in a promotion in under a year

Auburn, Al, Us

-Responsible for administering the back-end Cooperative Education SQL database using Microsoft Access-Created ad-hoc SQL queries and reports for Director and office staff-Developed tools using VBA that streamlined office processes and assisted with quality evaluations-Managed office through a major database conversion after a vendor acquisition-Served as the point-of-contact for technical questions related to the co-op job registration portal-Presented the value of cooperative education to potential co-op students to assist with recruitment

Bachelor'S Degree, Management Information Systems, General

Mba, Management Information Systems, General