Penn State Job Catalog

The IT Strategic Partner (ITSP) serves as the IT business relationship manager for an assigned college, campus, or administrative unit; functions as a strategic adviser, serving as the primary liaison between the unit and Penn State IT (PSIT); provides strategic oversight and ensures alignment of IT services, solutions, and technologies with academic, research, and administrative priorities; builds strong relationships with unit leadership, faculty, and staff to assess technology requirements and enhance operational efficiencies; collaborates with PSIT to leverage resources, shared services, and best practices across the University; influences technology strategy and service delivery through collaboration, consultation, and partnership.

• Serve as a trusted adviser to unit leadership; provide strategic guidance and coordinate technology initiatives that align with overall University IT goals
• Build and maintain strong relationships with campus, college, or unit leadership, faculty, and staff to promote collaboration, shared accountability, and proactive technology planning
• Serve as the primary point of contact between the college, campus, or unit and PSIT; communicate unit-specific needs, advocate for shared solutions, and facilitate the delivery of IT services that support the unit's objectives
• Engage stakeholders to assess technology needs, identify opportunities, and prioritize demand; develop recommendations and solutions that address unique unit needs while ensuring scalability, efficiency, security, governance, and alignment with university-wide IT standards and architectures
• Partner with the college, campus, or administrative unit and PSIT service providers to deliver high-quality, reliable IT services; monitor service effectiveness, gather user feedback, analyze service trends, and drive continuous improvement
• Facilitate effective incident escalation, service issue resolution, and communication among stakeholders and IT service providers
• Coordinate and facilitate technology projects from inception through completion, collaborating with cross-functional teams; assist in defining project goals, scope, timelines, resources, and risks; monitor progress and help ensure project delivery meets objectives, timelines, and budget constraints
• Identify and champion opportunities to streamline and improve business processes through technology; collaborate with faculty, staff, and leadership to evaluate, recommend, and implement solutions that enhance productivity, innovation, academic delivery, and administrative efficiency
• Work with leadership to define budget needs for technology initiatives; develop recommendations and prioritize investments that deliver the highest value and support strategic goals
• Align unit-level technology investments with enterprise initiatives to reduce duplication, improve interoperability, and maximize return on investment
• Partner with university compliance, security, and architecture teams to ensure technology solutions adhere to security, privacy, accessibility, and regulatory requirements; identify, assess, and communicate technology risks; promote compliance with University policies, standards, and best practices

Level:

– Senior Professional

Base Description:

– Completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates advanced knowledge of principles, practices, and procedures of a particular field. Works independently on moderately complex work assignments under limited oversight, reviews progress, and evaluates results. Monitors work and projects ensuring timeliness, quality, and efficiency. Identifies and mobilizes resources to achieve outcomes. Trains others and reviews progress with management. Presents ideas, concepts, and instructions in a clear and persuasive manner. Develops new techniques, concepts, and approaches and applies them to moderately complex and strategic and/or operational issues.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Indirect supervisor for other full–time employees
– May serve as direct supervisor for part–time, student, and/or temporary workers, volunteers, or a full–time employee

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– Monitors and tracks budgets and funding

Problem Solving:

– Encounters moderately complex problems
– Applies specialized knowledge and skills to resolve problems
– Understands benefits, limitations, and impact of potential solutions

Independence of Action:

– Works independently on moderately complex work assignments, reviews progress, and evaluates results
– May set priorities and organize work within general guidelines established by supervisor
– May review the work of others to verify accuracy and conformance to required procedures and special instructions

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and the University
– Communicates with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
– May communicate with external audiences for business purposes
– Coaches others in using appropriate strategies for resolving conflict; negotiating reasonable compromises; and proposing and evaluating possible solutions
– Give candid and constructive feedback to others to influence and persuade managers and employees to accept and implement findings and recommendations

• Comp Grade – 15
• Minimum – $115,860.00
• MidPoint – $144,804.00
• Maximum – $173,844.00