Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon Portland Community College

Systems Application Manager

  • Title: Systems Application Manager
  • Category: Management
  • FLSA: Exempt
  • Grade: L

Job Summary

Under the direction of a senior level manager is responsible for performing senior professional level business systems analysis and project management activities which include planning, designing, implementing and maintaining district-wide business applications and computer systems. Determines business requirements, conducts process analysis and prioritization. Individual positions may require supervision of staff.

Distinguishing Characteristics

The Systems Application Manager carries out the system support activities and oversight for an assigned administrative or student services area.

Typical Duties and Responsibilities

  1. Assesses customer and/or business process requirements; analyzes structure and flow of work and data that support needs; evaluates possible solutions and implements and/or recommends solutions that support the mission, values and goals of the College.
  2. Performs project management and participates on project teams responsible for system hardware and application software implementation and upgrades; determines project scope and staff resources required to complete projects; prepares project work plans and timelines. Monitors project milestones and reports project progress to management. Works closely with technical staff, vendors, and contacts from other institutions to ensure timely and efficient completion of projects.
  3. Assures technical support problem resolution related to networks, servers, desktops, database management software, operating systems, and/or business application software systems through cooperative relationship with District Technical Support Services. Performs system administration activities, which includes coordinating and managing the purchasing, installation, and configuration of desktops, software and related application software upgrades.
  4. Creates and maintains standards, procedures, and documentation related to area of responsibility. May participate in computer audits and perform testing for disaster recovery process, ensuring a secure processing environment that protects the integrity and availability of information.
  5. Implements system changes and administers access to systems and information utilizing approved information technology security policies, standards and guidelines.
  6. Creates, develops and oversees processes, protocols and procedures, ensuring compliance with applicable federal and state regulations and to minimize financial liability of the District.
  7. May supervise technical/support staff as required by individual position(s); participates in hiring, evaluating, training, disciplining, and recommending discharge staff as necessary.
  8. Effectively communicates with all levels of the organization to ensure project success and user needs are identified and met.  Makes presentations to a wide-variety of audiences within the College community and to external organizations and at conferences.
  9. Participates in/on a variety of meetings, groups, and/or committees to communicate and confer about process analysis of existing procedures and systems, determine cost/benefit and complexities of new processes and projects, prepare for testing, discuss the roll-out of new projects and software upgrades, and/or discuss other applicable issues.
  10. Researches and recommends required desktop and database configurations to ensure optimum performance and capability to meet the business needs of the District.
  11. Prepares project proposals and budgets; performs analysis for new technologies and system enhancements.
  12. Participates in recommending budget items; implements and allocates resources following budget approval.
  13. May define testing and development environment suitable for testing and evaluation of new technologies.
  14. Positions in this classification may perform all or some of the responsibilities above and all positions perform other related duties as assigned.
Position-Specific Duties and Responsibilities
Financial Aid

Positions assigned to Financial Aid may also be responsible for:

  • Serving as the College’s financial aid data custodian.
  • Coordinating financial aid application, awarding, disbursement, and monitoring of satisfactory academic progress, including creating and maintaining communication systems via email and through letters to communicate with current and prospective students.
  • Managing the disbursement of federal, state, and institutional funds and federal return of Title IV funds.
  • Developing and facilitating presentations related to financial aid for the College and community organizations.
Human Resources

Positions assigned to Human Resources may also be responsible for:

  • Managing human resources employment data function and serving as the official custodian of human resource data and documentation.
  • Develops and implements procedures related to the maintenance of employee records, ensuring compliance with applicable laws.
Financial Services

Positions assigned to Financial Services may also be responsible for:

  • Providing financial system expertise to campus managers and staff.
  • Support Financial Services in providing quality information management for all District operations.
  • Provide training to District staff on effective system operations and processes.
  • Coordinating and administering the department’s financial representative program.
Enrollment Services

Positions assigned to Enrollment Services may also be responsible for:

  • Serving as the gatekeeper for student data maintenance and security.
  • Responsible for the system functionality of the student portal and degree audit systems. Assist with training of employees.
  • Researching, troubleshooting and finding a resolution to system end user issues, requests and/or reports.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Business Systems Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Information Systems or a related field. Relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement on a year-for-year basis. Three years of systems administration, including one year of supervisory experience and knowledge of assigned functional area.

Knowledge and Skills

Knowledge of:
  • Supervisory principles (for those positions with supervisory responsibility);
  • Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, and regulations affecting data collection, processing, consolidation, analysis, and reporting;
  • System design, development, implementation, and user support principles and practices;
  • Database management principles and practices;
  • Expert level principles, concepts and practices in assigned area of responsibility;
  • Applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules, and regulations;
  • Hardware and software system design and implementation principles and practices;
  • Project management principles;
  • Applicable hardware, software, and systems;
  • Advanced systems analysis methods, practices, and principles;
  • Cost modeling principles;
  • Leading edge technologies;
  • Information system troubleshooting methods.
Skills in:
  • Supervising subordinate staff (as required);
  • Planning innovative, efficient, and productive information infrastructure to facilitate data transactions;
  • Troubleshooting, researching, and resolving complex computer system problems;
  • Managing enterprise-wide, complex projects;
  • Evaluating and researching computer-related products;
  • Developing automated business systems;
  • Providing customer service;
  • Reading, analyzing, and interpreting technical manuals;
  • Reading, analyzing, and interpreting applicable laws, rules, and regulations;
  • Developing cost models;
  • Identifying situations requiring action and resolving problems proactively;
  • Preparing workflow analyses;
  • Evaluating and designing new systems and applying them to new or existing business processes;
  • Facilitating training;
  • Developing creative and innovative system solutions;
  • Communicating technical information to a non-technical audience;
  • Defining problems, collecting data, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions;
  • Working with diverse academic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and staff;
  • Utilizing computer technology used for communication, data gathering and reporting;
  • Communicating effectively through oral and written mediums.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

Work is generally performed in an office environment, with frequent interruptions and irregularities in the work schedule. Frequent fingering, reaching, sitting, walking, standing, lifting, stooping, or carrying of equipment and materials may be required. Incumbents may be required to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.

Reviewed: 12/2018

  • Revised: 4/2007, 11/2008
  • Replaces: Student System Support Manager, Financial Systems Development Manager, Human Resources Systems Development Manager, Financial Aid Systems Manager