Chief Information Officer

Job Level
Senior position
Job Category
C Level
Sector
  • Technology
Job Status
Areas of Responsibility
  • All Areas of Technology
The purpose of the Information Technology (IT) department is two-fold and represented by its two primary divisions: Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Instructional Technology Center (ITC). ITS provides a broad spectrum of operational support for the planning, development, deployment, and integration of state-of-the-art facilities, infrastructure, and services that enhance and support the information technology needs of the academic, research, and administrative functions of the University community. ITC functions as a strategic partner in both the business and instructional innovation space, enabling the mission of the University through ongoing collaboration, governance and exploration of trends and opportunities presented by the continuously evolving information technology environment.
 
IT is the home of all centralized computing services for the University and provides oversight, management, coordination, integration, and staffing for the Client Services and Solution Center, Information Support Services, Innovative Technology, Multimedia Services, Network and Systems Services, and Telecommunications work units.

This position reports directly to the Vice President for Finance and Administration. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a thoughtful leader who understands higher education and the broad-based issues impacting the University and how technology should best be applied by the University to advance its strategic mission and goals. The CIO is a business partner with strong emphasis on financial management, governance, and collaboration with all campus stakeholders and members of senior leadership. Business acumen is essential to engaging business operations, understanding and communicating complex workflows, and partnering effectively with the many organizations throughout campus. The CIO is a change agent with demonstrated project and change management success in all areas of the IT organization. This includes the ability to build and maintain an organization that operates with agility and responsiveness in a constantly changing environment. The CIO is a service expert who maintains operational excellence of the IT organization to be reflected in the highest standards of customer service, constantly reviews performance trends, project expectations, and organizational capacity, and takes material steps to reorganize and structure the department divisions and their resources to provide a robust and dependable technical environment for the campus community.
 
The CIO is an ambassador of the University, representing its strategic interests to a variety of internal and external organizations, building relationships that elevate the University and strengthen its standing and influence in the greater community. The CIO is a visionary who knows how to communicate vision, advocate for resources, develop future IT leaders, integrate technological innovation into the educational mission, maintain a skilled workforce, and future-proof all IT operations.

 Position Duties and Responsibilities:
Primary Duties
  • Managing IT Operations and Services

    • Effectively manages all IT personnel, budgets, equipment, facilities, systems, and associated customer service needs, and provides risk management and information security through identity management for an ever evolving IT organization.

    • Provides senior-level expertise regarding the principles and practices of information technology services in a university setting, including interpreting, formulating, and providing guidance as it pertains to applicable legal and administrative requirements, reporting regulations, and related best practices.

    • Establishes and maintains a strong information security posture for all IT operations, compliance requirements, campus operations, and constituent IT security education.

  • Planning and Innovation within the IT Organization

    • Provides strategic and tactical planning leadership for the continuous improvement of technology services. Demonstrates critical thinking skills in problem solving and decision making. Strategically weighs risks and benefits or actions prior to taking action while mitigating the impact of problems. Ensures the continuous delivery of IT services through the oversight of service level agreements with vendors and monitoring of IT systems performance, and ensures the continuous functioning of mission critical operations.

    • Provides vision and operational leadership in expanding the scope of innovative technologies while exploring and assessing the feasibility of emerging technologies for future implementation that will benefit the campus and provide a technology-rich academic environment demanded by today's diverse campus and student population, as well as provides technologies and information systems that afford strategic advantages to CSU-Pueblo and its constituents.

    • Oversees the diverse IT project planning, development, upgrade, and deployment pipeline, and communicates to all associated stakeholders, managing delivery expectations and resource allocation.

  • Planning and Innovation with Business, Academic Units and Governance Bodies

    • Participates in the strategic and operational process of the University as a member of senior leadership to manage, support, develop, coordinate, and implement a campus-wide strategic direction for technology initiatives for the University in the areas of academic, instruction, and administrative technology while working in a heterogeneous and complex education environment.

    • Works collaboratively with administrators, faculty, staff, and students to provide leadership and direction for IT governance, planning, and policy development. Develops short- and long-range strategic plans, goals, and objectives for the University's IT operations and to meet the needs of campus constituencies.

    • Participates on numerous committees to represent IT and serves as spokesperson and technology expert for the University on matters related to information and learning technology and maintains effective working relationships with System and state individuals and groups related to University technology use and delivery.

    • Champions technology initiative domains including but not limited to academic, administrative, and student affairs, which may include advocating for funding, staffing, and resources as needed to advance the strategic mission of the University.

  • HR/Staffing, Including Staff Professional Development

    • Hires personnel, including writing job descriptions, interviewing candidates, and making hiring recommendations. Supervises, including developing performance plans and standards and evaluating employee performance; when appropriate, recommending and administering corrective and/or disciplinary action, responding to grievances, assessing training needs and finding training resources, determining work schedules and work assignments, managing leave requests, and maintaining a positive work environment.

  • Engaging External Community Relationships

    • Effectively presents information and responds to inquiries from the University campus community, higher education constituents, and the general public.

    • Develops and maintains key relationships with external organizations, communities, and individuals in an effort to elevate and advance the strategic mission of the University.

Ancillary Duties

  • Other duties as related to IT and/ or assigned by supervisor or the University President's cabinet
 Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications

  • Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Information Systems or related field

  • Five years of management-level supervisory and leadership responsibilities over an information technology organization that includes multiple work units, with at least one year experience as Director of lT or Chief Information Officer at an institution of higher education

  • Technical experience and background in managing an information technology environment at a higher education institution

  • Experience in strategic IT planning, budgeting, and personnel management

  • Experience in building and developing collaborative relationships with campus community

  • Experience working in a position that required a high degree of customer service skills

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Master's degree in Information Technology or related field

  • 7+ years of successful experience as Chief Information Officer (or equivalent) at an institution of higher education

  • Strong technical and administrative background at an institution of higher education in support of academic and instructional technology including e-learning, on-line, hybrid and distance learning environments, and instructional media resources, and in supporting administrative computing, campus networks, information security, and telecommunications

  • Demonstrated ability to build and develop cooperative, collegial working relationships with a broad range of university and higher education constituencies

  • Demonstrated record of securing external funding from private and/or public sources

 Important Information:

All interested candidates must apply through the on-line application system. No other format of application materials will be accepted. Applicants must attach a letter of intent (cover letter); a current resume or CV; an unofficial transcript; and three professional references with contact information to the on-line application. Applications submitted without the required information above will be considered incomplete and will not move forward in the selection process. Once submitted, applicants will not be able to make changes or add information to their application packet, with the exception of their personal contact and demographic information.

Early submission of application materials is encouraged. Screening of application materials will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled, though all applications received by 4 p.m. (MST) on Friday, October 12, 2018 will be given full consideration.

About Colorado State University-Pueblo

Colorado State University-Pueblo is a comprehensive state university with an enrollment of 4,000 students.  CSU-Pueblo provides relevant professional coursework and superior instruction with a small professor-to-student ratio for an ever-changing global economy.  Students can choose from 28 undergraduate programs with 70 fields of study in the College of Science and Mathematics, the Hasan School of Business, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and the College of Education, Engineering, and Professional Studies and 10 graduate programs.

CSU-Pueblo is equally committed to serving the diverse population of the region; this emphasis is reflected in the demographic characteristics of the student body. Because more than 25 percent of our students are Hispanic, the Federal Government has designated CSU-Pueblo a Hispanic Serving Institution.  Besides reflecting our commitment to serve this critically important and rapidly-growing segment of the student population, that designation also allows the University to compete for certain federal grant funds to support its ability to better serve all students.  The University also seeks to provide a rich and diverse cultural environment that allows freedom of expression within a spirit of civility and mutual respect.  The public service expected of all members of our community benefits our society - local and global - and builds our sense of citizenship.

Among its unique features, CSU-Pueblo is one of seven schools in the nation to offer a degree in mechatronics, which combines electrical and mechanical engineering. The Hasan School of Business ranks among the top 15 percent of all business schools internationally with graduate and undergraduate programs in business administration accredited by the AACSB International Board of Directors. The College of Education, Engineering and Professional Studies houses an undergraduate engineering program that was ranked in the nation's top 100 by U.S. News and World Report.  CSU-Pueblo has an ever-changing campus landscape that features a newly renovated Library, a new general academic classroom building, and a newly renovated and expanded student center.

At CSU-Pueblo, Student Life offerings have increased significantly with the transition of the campus from a commuter environment to a more traditional collegiate experience.  Competing at the NCAA Division II level, CSU-Pueblo is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and offers 22 varsity intercollegiate sports and also has active intramural and club sports teams that allow students to get involved in campus life.

About Pueblo, Colorado 

The city of Pueblo is a historically and culturally rich, diverse city of more than 100,000, located in the southern part of the state along the Arkansas River near the Wet Mountains and the majestic Sangre de Cristo range. Pueblo enjoys ideal year round climate with four distinct mild seasons, crisp mountain air and 300+ days of sunshine per year. Pueblo attracts outdoor enthusiasts to a full slate of summer and winter recreational activities, encompassing water sports at Lake Pueblo, biking or running along Pueblo's beautiful river trail system, golfing, tennis, hiking or skiing in the mountains to the west.  The region is heavily agricultural, with large and small-scale farming and ranching, and a diverse mix of service, manufacturing, and technology industries.

CSU-Pueblo is committed to providing a safe and productive learning and living community. To achieve that goal, we conduct background investigations for all final candidates being considered for employment. Background checks may include, but are not limited to, criminal history (felony and misdemeanor), national sex offender search, and/or motor vehicle history. Candidates who are extended an offer of employment must submit to and pass a background check prior to beginning employment. Some positions depending on the job duties may be required to complete a DMV and/or credit check.

The University reserves the right to check additional references, with prior notification given to the candidate.

Note: The successful candidate must provide official transcripts of academic work completed and, under U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations, be able to submit evidence of the ability to accept work in the U.S. by the day employment begins.

It is the policy of Colorado State University-Pueblo to provide reasonable accommodations for employees and applicants with disabilities.  If you need accommodations, please contact the Human Resources at (719) 549-2441 or hr@csupueblo.edu.

In compliance with the Clery Act of 1990, the University's annual security report is available at: https://www.csupueblo.edu/campus-safety. 

Colorado State University-Pueblo is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Additionally, the University complies with all other relevant, federal, state, and local laws regarding employment practices.