Job no: 508423
Position Type: Staff Full Time
Campus: UMass President's Office
Campus Location: Beacon Street-Boston
Department: UITS-General Assignment
Date opened: May 18 2021 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:

Role Summary:

The University of Massachusetts invites applications and nominations for the position of Vice President and University Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO will join UMass at a time of enormous opportunity and potential impact. As a forward thinking and exceptional communicator, the CIO will provide collaborative leadership that will translate into effective policy, planning, and action, to further the goals of the University’s strategic plan and promote UMass’s role in the State of Massachusetts and the world.

The Vice President and University Chief Information Officer (CIO) will provide strategic vision and leadership to the University to advance the teaching, research, and service missions through the use of data and information technology. The CIO serves as an integral part of the university’s senior leadership team and will be charged with developing, championing, and implementing a cohesive and forward-thinking University-wide IT strategy.

As Massachusetts’ third largest employer, with around 100,000 internal users and a global audience for research and teaching, technology is pervasive, and the CIO will be actively engaged with constituencies across and beyond the University. They will be a key strategic advisor to the President and Executive Leadership and be responsible for overseeing all technology planning and strategic initiatives. They will provide the leadership necessary to enable the university’s mission and strategic priorities and provide the necessary flexibility for the University to operate effectively and evolve in an increasingly digital and data-centric world.

The successful candidate will be a thought leader with a comprehensive approach who values innovation, possesses a passion for education and research, as well as for administrative effectiveness, and a demonstrated record of accomplishment in navigating a large and complex organization and influencing organizational change at a grand scale. They will be an inspiring leader, a dynamic, creative, and forceful advocate for change. Experience in effectively managing across a federated and decentralized structure will be an asset. Excellent relationship-building skills with a large and diverse set of stakeholders is necessary.

Respect and advocacy for diversity in all its forms, including diversity of thought and perspective, are essential attributes. The capacity to understand and embrace the mission, purpose, and culture of a public research university is essential.

The University CIO will also lead the IT Leadership Council (ITLC), comprised of CIOs from the five UMass campuses, the Associate Vice President/Deputy CIO within the President’s Office, and other senior IT leaders at the University. The Deputy CIO reports directly to the University CIO and is accountable for day-to-day operations of the University IT Services (UITS) department of 130 staff within the President’s Office and a budget of approximately $40-million.

The CIO will be responsible for the following:

The CIO will work with campus Chancellors, CIOs, Chief Finance Officers, and other stakeholders to assess and improve the current model of providing information technology services and will play a key role in improving business process standardization, establishing robust data analytics and management programs, and exploring new ways to collaborate, consolidate, and streamline non-instructional activities.

As a key leader at UMass, the CIO will serve as a partner, trusted colleague, collaborator, and facilitator who can advance the effective and efficient use of information technology across UMass. The CIO will demonstrate the nimbleness and flexibility necessary to lead in a complex, multi- institution environment while advancing operational goals that include process standardization, data management, and consolidation or centralization of services where warranted. As an ambassador and communicator, the CIO will possess the creativity and listening skills to build relationships at all levels, within UMass, the Board of Trustees, and individual campuses, as well as externally with state legislators and organizations.

Minimum Qualifications:

UMass is seeking candidates who possess a record of professional experience that demonstrates progressive responsibilities and significant senior-level management experience in a complex, distributed IT environment.

Candidates must be proven leaders demonstrating a minimum of 10 years information technology experience with at least 5 years in a significant leadership/management role managing cross functional teams in complex organizations including accountability for strategic planning and implementation, consensus building, organizational leadership, and technical performance.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated success in setting and achieving strategic initiatives in a complex and changing environment; the ability to be an innovative and visionary thinker with strong leadership and communications skills; the ability to articulate a vision for UMass regarding information technology, and build an organizational structure to supports that vision; and exceptional interpersonal skills to communicate persuasively and interact with a wide variety of constituents at all levels across institutions, including members of the Board of Trustees, chancellors, and with state agencies and national organizations.

The CIO will possess a balance of highly developed management skills and leadership ability as well as a focus on service. The ideal candidate will be an expert problem solver who finds ways to address current needs while anticipating future trends in information technology, administrative operations, compliance, risk management, and academic priorities.

Ideal candidates will also possess many of the following experiences and attributes:

• Experience working in a multi-university higher education system or experience at a large, complex, and diverse campus.
• Knowledge and experience leading digital strategic planning and digital transformation initiatives. Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• Ability to influence and drive change at scale and influence the adoption of new strategies, and new approaches to working in a digital world.
• Comprehensive understanding of both business and academic issues related to information technology.
• Experience developing and articulating vision and direction to diverse interest groups to achieve common goals related to information technology.
• Experience developing, implementing, and evaluating information technology plans to achieve the strategic goals of the organization.
• Experience working with a range of institution types.
• Superior written and oral communication skills, strong interpersonal and relationship building skills, ability to interact effectively with a broad range of constituents.
• Ability to function with a high degree of autonomy, creativity, and innovation, and to manage multiple tasks in a complex organization.
• Experience managing and motivating technical staff members and managers.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience is required, and a graduate degree is strongly preferred.

To express your interest in this role please submit your materials (resume and cover letter) using the following url; https://koyapartners.com/search/umass-chief-information-officer/

All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

Applications close: