Vice President & Chief Information Officer

Arcadia University, formerly known as Beaver College, provides a distinctively global, integrative, and personal learning experience for intellectually curious undergraduate and graduate students and is seeking applications and nominations for the position of Vice President & Chief Information Officer.

 ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Arcadia offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees and educates over 3,800 students, and consists of the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Global Studies (an additional 2,600 students who reside overseas), the College of Health Sciences, the School of Global Business, and the School of Education.  Recognized as a leader in international education with sites in 12 countries, on campus Arcadia offers over 60 well-regarded undergraduate and graduate academic programs across the arts, sciences, business, and education with top-ranked programs in Physical Therapy and Physician Assistant programs.  The campus is beautiful, with a mixture of new and architecturally significant buildings, including a majestic castle.  In close proximity to Philadelphia, Arcadia is a special place because of its emphasis on application of the liberal arts, global experiences, and accomplishment in the health sciences. 

For more information about the Arcadia University, visit www.arcadia.edu

ROLE SUMMARY

Reporting to the President, the position of Vice President & Chief Information Officer (CIO) has been elevated and is now a member of the President’s Cabinet. The CIO will have executive responsibility for the strategic planning, development, implementation, security, compliance, administration of distributed and centralized enterprise information systems, and assessment of IT at Arcadia.  The ideal candidate will have experience managing complex information technology resources across a globally committed University, securing financial support for campus technology needs, and developing partnerships to enhance academic and administrative information systems.   The IT team currently has 17 individuals.

The new CIO will face a number of challenges and opportunities including:

• Resetting Expectations and Delivering Excellence:  The CIO will need to transform IT from being reactive and operational to being proactive and strategic. 
• IT Infrastructure and Applications:The new CIO will need to review Arcadia’s infrastructure and applications, including its ERP systems and academic technology, and will need to determine the appropriate level of investment in IT in the future.  IT information security will also need to be strengthened.
• IT Governance and the User Experience:Arcadia currently does not benefit from any IT governance structure nor is IT seen as user-centric.  The CIO will need to develop relationships across the University and to develop a strong ethos that is responsive to the needs of faculty, students, staff, alumni, and other constituencies.  

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Strategic Thinker and Transformational Leader:  An open, collaborative, transparent and inclusive style of leadership that engenders trust, fosters teamwork, sustains a learning and professional environment for staff and develops a user-centric ethos.  Imaginative with excellent strategic thinking abilities and a broad institutional leader.  Demonstrated track record of navigating and managing a large and complex IT organization.  Experience in higher education is highly preferred.
• Technically Credible:  Ten years of leadership experience in a similar environment with experience in systems and application development, end user computing, communication networks, IT security and telecommunication.  An appreciation of cloud-computing is useful along with an understanding of outsourcing.  Hands-on technical leadership is required.   Proven track record of evaluating and implementing ERP systems and previous successful experience with academic technology and learning management systems is a must.
• Resourceful and Nimble:  Proven track record of exercising creativity and resourcefulness, executing and getting things done, and anticipating and responding to needs and trends.  Operationally-minded and financially prudent with strong project management skills.
• Staff Development:   Proven track record in managing, evaluating, mentoring, empowering, and recruiting IT staff and a demonstrated commitment to their personal and professional development. 
• Relationship and Change Management:  Ability to collaborate and build bridges and relationships with faculty, staff, students, and a diverse set of stakeholders.  Excellent interpersonal, relationship building, and persuasion skills with an accessible, warm, collegial, and unflappable style and manner.   A proven track record of introducing initiatives that require thoughtful change management approaches.

Nominations and applications will be accepted until the position is filled, but for fullest consideration, applications should be received by May 15, 2019.  Applications and expressions of interest should be accompanied by a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and the names of five references.  Cover letters should address how the candidate’s experience and qualifications have prepared them for the role.  Materials should be submitted electronically in confidence to arcadiacio@divsearch.com.

EOE