Hiring: Managing Director, Educational Technology Ventures Company: Center for Public Partnerships & Research Location: Topeka Metropolitan Area Job Posted Time: 2026-09-03 10:45:14 Employment Type: Contract / Hybrid Target Skills & Keywords : AWS, Agile, CI/CD, CV, Product Management, Quality Assurance, SaaS, Scrum, User Experience About the job Required Skills: •This position is responsible for guiding the continued evolution of a mature, mission-driven technology platform, ensuring reliability, scalability, and innovation in support of state partners and educational outcomes. •This leadership role combines the scope of a large-scale SaaS technology organization with the mission and stability of a public research university. The Managing Director will lead a highly experienced, cross-functional team spanning engineering, architecture, quality assurance, DevOps, data, and operations. •The position offers the opportunity to shape a long-term technology and product vision, including platform modernization, cloud-native optimization, and the thoughtful integration of emerging technologies such as AI/ML into the assessment lifecycle. •About The Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) •The Achievement & Assessment Institute is a nationally recognized leader in large-scale assessment and educational and well-being research. Its work supports state education agencies across the country and contributes to improving outcomes for student populations. •The University of Kansas offers a collaborative environment, a strong institutional mission, and a comprehensive benefits structure, including retirement, health, and professional development opportunities. Lawrence, Kansas, is consistently ranked among the top college communities in the United States. •35% — Technology Strategy, Platform Leadership & Operations •Develop and execute a multi-year product and technology strategy for the Kite platform. Qualifications: •Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field •Seven (7) years of progressive experience in software development, technology, or product management roles •Five (5) years of leadership experience managing large, cross-functional teams (engineering, product, QA, and operations), at a senior director, VP, or equivalent level •Demonstrated success owning and operating enterprise SaaS platforms end-to-end, from concept through deployment and ongoing operations as evidenced by application materials •Five (5) years of experience working with cloud-native architectures, with a strong preference for AWS environments •Proven expertise in agile delivery and DevOps practices at scale, including CI/CD and high-availability system management as evidenced by application materials •Three (3) years of experience integrating AI/ML capabilities into products, platforms, or operational workflows, with an emphasis on responsible and secure implementation •Strong track record of building stakeholder trust and aligning technology strategy with organizational and client needs as evidenced by application materials •Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field. •Ten (10) years of experience leading product or technology organizations in complex, regulated, or high-availability environments Interested candidates, please apply directly through the job posting on company's career page or try via AI auto apply on this platform. Don't miss this opportunity to join a forward-thinking team!