Director, Enterprise Systems & Digital Solutions (MUST have Higher Education Experience) - Hybrid Rider University, NJ.

About Ellucian Ellucian powers innovation for higher education, partnering with approximately 3,000 customers across 50 countries, serving more than 21 million students. Ellucian's AI-powered platform, trained on the richest dataset available in higher education, drives efficiency, personalized experiences, and strengthened engagement for all students, faculty and staff. Fueled by decades of experience with a singular focus on the unique needs of learning institutions, the Ellucian platform features best-in-class SaaS capabilities and delivers insights needed now and into the future. These solutions and services span the entire student lifecycle, including data-rich tools for student recruitment, enrollment, and retention to workforce analytics, fundraising, and alumni engagement. Ellucian's innovative solutions, vast ecosystem of partners and user community of more than 45,000 provides best practices leading to greater institutional success and achieving better student outcomes. About the Opportunity The Director, Enterprise Systems & Digital Solutions serves as a strategic leader responsible for advancing Rider University’s enterprise applications ecosystem, with a primary focus on the Ellucian Student ERP. This role goes beyond traditional system support to drive digital transformation, optimize cross-functional business processes, and deliver technology-enabled solutions that enhance student success, operational efficiency, and institutional effectiveness. This is a high-impact role that blends technical expertise, strategic thinking, team management, and strong stakeholder engagement to modernize enterprise systems and enable a connected, data-informed, and increasingly intelligent digital campus. This is a hybrid role with opportunity for regular work from home. The interpersonal relationships critical to success in this role require some days on campus at Rider’s Lawrenceville, New Jersey location. Where You Will Make an Impact Enterprise Ownership & Digital Transformation Own the end-to-end enterprise applications ecosystem, with primary accountability for Ellucian Student and related administrative systems. Define and execute a multi-year enterprise systems roadmap aligned to institutional priorities such as enrollment growth, student success, and operational excellence. Lead the transition to Ellucian Student SaaS and cloud-based services, ensuring scalability, resilience, and long-term sustainability. Advance the institution’s use of emerging technologies, including AI and intelligent automation, to enhance decision-making, streamline operations, and improve the student and staff experience. Shift the organization from system support to solution delivery, driving innovation and measurable campus impact. Strategic Stakeholder Engagement Serve as a trusted advisor to academic and administrative leadership, translating institutional goals into technology-enabled solutions. Build strong partnerships with key functional areas including Admissions, Registrar, Finance, Bursar, Student Success, Advancement, Athletics, and Human Resources. Lead governance structures that ensure clear prioritization, stakeholder alignment, and transparency in decision-making. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to improve processes and maximize system value. Platform Optimization & Integration Oversee continuous improvement of Ellucian Student and related enterprise systems, enhancing usability, performance, and user experience. Lead enterprise integration strategy, enabling seamless data flow across systems and supporting a connected digital ecosystem. Identify and implement automation and AI-enabled solutions to reduce manual processes, improve efficiency, and enable more proactive, data-informed operations. Partner with data and functional teams to enable AI-driven insights, predictive analytics, and intelligent workflows across enterprise systems. Leverage data and analytics to drive informed decision-making and service