• COMPANY SUMMARY aps

    Established by ordinance of the Atlanta City Council, the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) opened three grammar schools and two high schools in 1872 to educate the youth of the city. These openings brought the total number of schools offering free education to the city’s children to seven, as the Freedman’s Bureau had established two schools for “Negro” children in 1866. The primary objective of the District has not changed from those early days. In the 21st century, APS has a renewed focus on student success and strives to prepare every child for the future through effective and innovative teaching. Families, teachers, students, and the community are encouraged to fully participate in the educational process that offers rigorous academics and relevance to everyday life, and builds strong relationships among students, peers, and adults. APS operated over 90 learning sites and programs in 2019-2020. The District employs roughly 3,500 teachers and some 3,000 support staff in administrative, civil service, transportation, food service, leadership and other roles.

     

    EMPLOYER HANDBOOK

    The Atlanta Public Schools Employee Handbook is designed to communicate APS’ major policies and procedures. The contents of this handbook are intended to provide a brief overview of the most referenced policies—it may not include every piece of information you need to know. APS reserves the right to revise, expand, or discontinue this information at any time. Only the superintendent and the Board may approve changes to Atlanta Public Schools policies and administrative regulations.

     

    COMPANY APPLICATION PROCESS

    APS has an Online Job Board, where you can view most of its open positions and apply for a job. External applicants click here to (1) create an account, (2) complete your application, and (3) apply for open positions. The Office of Human Resources (HR) requires the following documents from all employees prior to the first date of employment: • An Employment Eligibility Verification Form from Human Resources to establish your right to work in the U.S. • A photo ID; • A medical checklist (HR provides this form); • Appropriate certificates/licenses; and • A signed loyalty oath, pledged once during your career. Human Resources provides this form during onboarding.

     

    OVERVIEW OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY OCCUPATIONS

    1. IT Architecture Specialist ($66,504-$95,192)

    Position Summary The IT Architecture Specialist will provide support for infrastructure and applications. Under the supervision of the IT Architect, this position will lead the effort to monitor all computing equipment relative to infrastructure and application processing and provide alerts identifying events that have potential impacts to the production environment. This role will also serve as liaison to provide event situation management, including escalation, coordination, tracking and reporting, by interacting with Incident Management and Service Desk teams. This position reports to the IT Architect and works closely with others in IT Infrastructure, Accountability, IT Information Services, IT Applications, APS Business Units, all APS Schools, and many external vendors and service providers.

    Education

    •  Bachelor’s degree in engineering, information technology, computer science or related discipline, or
    •  Associate degree in engineering, information technology, computer science or related discipline and 1 additional year of work experience

    Certification/License

    •  Information Technology Infrastructure Library Foundation Certificate (ITIL) V3 preferred

    Work Experience

    •  1 year of experience in enterprise infrastructure implementation required
    •  Experience working in and supporting a K-12 environment preferred • Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
    •  Strong analytical, critical thinking and communication skills
    • Familiar with broad technical areas which might include networking, servers/virtualization/storage, application containers, operating systems and information security
    •  Functional knowledge of best practices and industry standards for IT architecture and infrastructure
    •  Understanding and knowledge of project management
    •  Ability to think analytically, organize work and problem solve
    •  Proficiency with Linux and Unix like operating systems strongly preferred

    Essential Duties

    •  Provides support for infrastructure and applications
    •  Trains, coaches, and mentors the technicians and analysts in IT Architecture
    •  Creates and leads special projects developing IT networking and security monitoring systems that may be useful for the district
    •  Analyzes processes, makes recommendations and implements new IT networking and security monitoring processes
    •  Evaluates IT networking and security monitoring systems to ensure they are performing optimally and providing value to the district
    •  Identifies weaknesses in the IT architecture, such as single points of failure or systems that don't comply with standards
    •  Provides feedback, identifies trends and performs analysis of recurring incidents; extracts trends on incident types, customer types, key problem areas, departments and hardware types
    •  Researches and analyzes incidents based on logging, monitoring data, etc.  Follows established processes and procedures, and reports to the IT Architect any suggestions that will improve process or make support easier or more efficient
    •  Performs other duties as assigned by appropriate administrator
    •  Required to attend scheduled shift during regular business hours as mandated

    Physical Abilities and Working Conditions

         The Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment listed in this section are representative of but are not intended to provide an exhaustive list of Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment which may be required of positions in this class. Atlanta Public Schools encourages persons with disabilities who are interested in employment in this class and need reasonable accommodation of those disabilities to contact the Human Resources Department for further information.

    • Vision: (which may be corrected) to read small print; view a computer screen for prolonged periods. Hearing: (which may be corrected) to answer telephones and tolerate exposure to noisy conditions.
    • Speech: to be understood in face-to-face communications; to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone.
    • Upper Body Mobility: use hands and fingers to feel, grasp, and manipulate small objects; manipulate fingers, twist and bend at wrist and elbow; extend arms to reach outward and upward; use hands and arms to lift objects; turn, raise, and lower head
    • Strength: to lift, push, pull and/or carry objects which weigh as much as 5 or more pounds on a frequent basis. Incumbent may be required to physically restrain parties involved in a conflict.
    • Environmental Requirements: encounter constant work interruptions; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors.
    • Mental Requirements: read, write, understand, interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance; math skills at a high school proficiency level; judgement and the ability to process information quickly; learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance; copy, compare, compile and coordinate information and records.

    IT Architect ($95,110-$130,423)

    Position Summary The Infrastructure Architect develops an enterprise resource planning framework for the effective and efficient use of IT infrastructure to integrate and support overall operations for the District. Directs and is responsible and accountable for the selection, implementation, and integration of infrastructure components impacting the entire organization.

    Education • Bachelor’s degree required.

    Certification/License • Microsoft, IBM, Cisco and related technical certificates preferred

    Work Experience •

    • 5 years in Information Technology. 
    • Experience with a broad range of technologies including network security, next generation firewalls, SIEM, system event logging, email, Windows and VMware preferred.

    Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

    • Analytical thinking.
    •  Ability to organize work in a precise manner. 
    • Solves problems using clear logic from problem definition to solution. 
    • Ability to concentrate for long periods of time, and is relentless in pursuit of meaningful solutions. 
    • Is able to identify areas where other expertise is required and is willing to be self directed in gaining knowledge and seeking help. 
    • Someone at this level is self-motivated, learns quickly, follows instructions precisely, and documents his/her work carefully.

    Essential Duties 

    • Serves as an Infrastructure Engineer, providing the highest level of technical support, coordination and integration for all Infrastructure systems, including networking, core systems and data center.
    • Assesses organizational needs, evaluates hardware, systems, and processes, and makes recommendations.
    • Plans, monitors, and provides direction in the integration of systems solutions to the enterprise IT infrastructure, including business need and requirements analysis, selecting tools, and overseeing the implementation and maintenance of such tools.
    •  Determines appropriate components, methods of implementation, hardware/software requirements, and the level of support required.
    • Investigates, reviews, and evaluates new technology solutions for feasibility and compatibility with APS’ current systems and strategic plans. 
    • Develops specifications for material, supplies, equipment, and technology tools.
    • Supervises staff by determining priorities and workloads, determines schedules, monitors and evaluates staff and makes hiring and termination recommendations. 
    • Performs ongoing performance management as required. 
    • Delivers services in his/her area of responsibility as called upon by IT senior management, in support of the mission and goals of APS. 
    • Requires regular contact with outside agencies and vendors; may require contact with officials at higher levels. (e.g., auditors) 
    • Performs other duties as assigned by the appropriate administrator. 
    • Required to attend scheduled shift during regular business hours as mandated.

    Physical Abilities and Working Conditions The Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment listed in this section are representative of but are not intended to provide an exhaustive list of Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment which may be required of positions in this class. Atlanta Public Schools encourages persons with disabilities who are interested in this class and need reasonable accommodation of those disabilities to contact the Human Resources Department for further information.

    Vision: (which may be corrected) to read small print; view a computer screen for prolonged periods. Hearing: (which may be corrected) to answer telephones and tolerate exposure to noisy conditions.

    Speech: to be understood in face-to-face communications; to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone.

    Upper Body Mobility: use hands and fingers to feel, grasp, and manipulate small objects; manipulate fingers, twist and bend at wrist and elbow; extend arms to reach outward and upward; use hands and arms to lift objects; turn, raise, and lower head.

    Strength: to lift, push, pull and/or carry objects which weigh as much as 5 or more pounds on a frequent basis. Incumbent may be required to physically restrain parties involved in a conflict.

    Environmental Requirements: encounter constant work interruptions; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors.

    Mental Requirements: read, write, understand, interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance; math skills at a high school proficiency level; judgement and the ability to process information quickly; learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance; copy, compare, compile and coordinate information and records.

    Additional Work Conditions & Physical Abilities: Periodic walking throughout the building to meet with customers.

    Assistant Director, Enterprise Resource Planning ($84,293-$115,658)

    Position Summary • The Assistant Director (Enterprise Resource Planning) (ERP) is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction for the Infor/Lawson ERP system which includes ERP databases, reporting, interfaces and ERP continuous improvement initiatives.

    •  The incumbent will work with internal and external stakeholders to research, recommend, plan, and deploy new solutions that enhance productivity across the district.
    • The Assistant Director will be the visionary leader responsible for ensuring the team is providing consistent system stability, exceptional customer service, and successful implementation of project objectives.
    • The incumbent will be responsible for developing, tracking, and maintaining key performance indicators to measure team success based on quantitative and qualitative data.
    • The Assistant Director will maintain a technical working knowledge of all applications in the portfolio including system capabilities, enhancements, customers, interfaces, data quality, and security protocols. Programming Career Pathway Student Career Toolbox for
    • The incumbent will ensure systems meet division standards and industry best practices including development, installation, hardware, back-up, security, and lifecycle tracking.
    • The Assistant Director will lead and provide oversight of the approach and execution of enterprise continuous improvement initiatives across the division.
    • The incumbent will build and champion operational excellence practices and drive improvement activities to achieve increased customer satisfaction and improved key performance indicators.
    • The Assistant Director will serve as a key change agent and be responsible for leading sustainable improvement efforts across the division.

    Education • Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline required.

    Certification/License

    • Project Management and/or Infor/Lawson certification(s) preferred.
    • LEAN Six Sigma Green Belt (or other Six Sigma Certification) is a plus.

    Work Experience • 5 years of experience as a Manager, Project Manager, Supervisor, Lead or similar role required. 

    • 7 years of IT experience preferred.
    • 4 years of experience in the implementation and support of Infor/Lawson ERP applications or other ERP systems (SAP, PeopleSoft, etc) preferred. 
    •  Crystal Reports a plus. • Web development experience a plus.

    Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

    • Problem solving and root cause analysis. 
    • Active listening with written and oral communication. 
    • Analytical with attention to details.
    • High-level programming and general application development knowledge. 
    • Interpersonal and relationship-building and team building skills.
    • Mental agility and flexible to change.

    Essential Duties 

    • Participates in strategic cross-functional management discussions to enhance and align all IT systems to support strategic objectives.
    • Oversees team processes, monitors metrics, and makes continuous improvements to elevate the team’s efficiency.
    • Acts as primary contact and manages third party contractor and vendor relationships.
    • Leads and provides analysis, oversight, and technical leadership of solution designs and planning during projects.
    • Provides oversight of development, testing, installation, maintenance, and post installation evaluation of new software or software enhancements. 
    • Prioritizes customer requests and provides appropriate assignments based on customer needs and department prioritizations.
    • Ensures the appropriate level of documentation and cross-training is conducted. 
    • Sets and implements policies and procedures in support of division standards and industry best practices. 
    • Performs other duties as assigned by the appropriate administrator.
    • Required to attend scheduled shift during regular business hours as mandated.

    Physical Abilities and Working Conditions The Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment listed in this section are representative of but are not intended to provide an exhaustive list of Physical Abilities and Other Conditions of Continued Employment which may be required of positions in this class. Atlanta Public Schools encourages persons with disabilities who are interested in employment in this class and need reasonable accommodation of those disabilities to contact the Human Resources Department for further information.

    Vision: (which may be corrected) to read small print; view a computer screen for prolonged periods.

    Hearing: (which may be corrected) to answer telephones and tolerate exposure to noisy conditions.

    Speech: to be understood in face-to-face communications; to speak with a level of proficiency and volume to be understood over a telephone. 

    Upper Body Mobility: use hands and fingers to feel, grasp, and manipulate small objects; manipulate fingers, twist and bend at wrist and elbow; extend arms to reach outward and upward; use hands and arms to lift objects; turn, raise, and lower head.

    Strength: to lift, push, pull and/or carry objects which weigh as much as 5 or more pounds on a frequent basis. Incumbent may be required to physically restrain parties involved in a conflict.

    Environmental Requirements: encounter constant work interruptions; work cooperatively with others; work independently; work indoors.

    Mental Requirements: read, write, understand, interpret and apply information at a moderately complex level essential for successful job performance; math skills at a high school proficiency level; judgement and the ability to process information quickly; learn quickly and follow verbal procedures and standards; give verbal instruction; rank tasks in order of importance; copy, compare, compile and coordinate information and records