Chief Information Officer

Chief Information Officer

Susquehanna University is a small liberal arts college based in beautiful, rural Pennsylvania. The campus is located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, approximately 50 miles north of Harrisburg in the scenic Susquehanna River Valley and is about a three–hour drive from Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. The three-county region of the Greater Susquehanna Valley has
a population of 180,000 and is characterized by small towns and a hilly rural landscape.

The University was founded in 1858 and from its opening offered a classical liberal arts curriculum. They pioneered coeducation with the admission of women in 1873 and were renamed as a university in 1895. They have offered degree programs in the liberal arts, business, and music since 1900. The University is well known for its beautiful 325-acre campus and Georgian architecture. Two of the more than 80 buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places.

For most of its history, Susquehanna was modest in size and in the scope of its academic program, with a student body of around 500. In the early 1960s, the University grew to around 1,200 students and significantly expanded its liberal arts component. Today, Susquehanna University is nationally known as a comprehensive, selective, private residential university enrolling 2,250 men and women. Boasting a strong liberal arts curriculum enhanced by equally robust professional programs, the University enrolls students in the School of Arts and Sciences and the Sigmund Weis School of Business. Degrees offered include the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, and Bachelor of Science. Susquehanna offers more than 60 majors and minors, plus pre‐professional programs and an interdisciplinary honors program.

Susquehanna University is committed to providing access to students from all economic backgrounds and to producing citizen leaders who will contribute to the betterment of society. In 2014, the New York Times recognized Susquehanna as #9 out of 100 “Most Economically Diverse Top Colleges.” This supports their current strategic initiatives to build a more diverse and global campus and optimize student success. The entire article may be found here. Susquehanna’s long history of serving students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, including substantial first-generation and Pell-eligible populations, aligns with the University mission to educate students for productive, creative and reflective lives of achievement, leadership, and service in a diverse, dynamic and interdependent world.

Please visit susqu.edu for further information on Susquehanna University.

Susquehanna University, located in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, seeks an innovative and collaborative leader for the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO). The CIO will report directly to the Executive Vice President and be responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive information technology (IT) strategies that support the mission, strategic plan, core educational and administrative objectives of Susquehanna University. This is an exciting opportunity for a senior IT executive who has the experience, leadership ability, and enthusiasm to map an innovative and strategic direction for IT services.

In this context, the new CIO must be an experienced IT leader with strong strategic and executive capabilities, the vision to anticipate the evolutionary pathways of new technology, and the imagination to identify emerging areas. The CIO must be rooted in sound principles but must be able to recognize and embrace constant change, allowing room for creativity, growth, and the shifting demand for systems architecture and technology that is digital, dynamic, and diverse.

Leadership at Susquehanna:
Mike Coyne, Executive Vice President

Mike earned his B.S. in accounting from Penn State and his M.S. in finance from Johns Hopkins University. He joined Susquehanna in September of 2002. Prior to joining Susquehanna, he served for eight years as controller and assistant treasurer at Elizabethtown College. Before his career in higher education, Mike was an audit manager at Deloitte Touche in its Baltimore office.

Mike is a member of the National Association of College and University Business Officers. In addition, he is a member of Selinsgrove Projects, Incorporated, the not-for-profit organization working to revitalize Selinsgrove. Mike is also a member of the trust committee of the Selinsgrove Commons, the pocket park in downtown Selinsgrove. He sits on the board and is the treasurer of Summer Seals Day Camp, a group offering extended learning opportunities to academically struggling 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders each summer. Mike and his wife Janie live in Selinsgrove and have two grown daughters, Claire and Anne.

The Position:
The Chief Information Officer is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive information technology strategies that support the mission, strategic plan, core educational and administrative objectives of Susquehanna University. The CIO, in collaboration with key stakeholders, will prioritize technology initiatives, identify risks, evaluate trends, and make IT recommendations as appropriate to senior leadership.

Key primary responsibilities and opportunities for the Chief Information Officer include:

• Develop a strategic IT direction for Susquehanna that integrates with the University’s strategic plan and ties into the institution’s five-year capital and operating plans;

• Work in partnership with administrative departments to streamline business processes and to help administrators identify technology solutions that help deliver on strategic priorities;

• Provide day-to-day leadership of the IT office, through the IT leadership team, including the oversight of information and telecommunications technology functions and services supporting the institution;

• Ensure appropriate implementation and support for business, academic and research systems by managing and coordinating applications, network administration, security and related areas;

• Develop and administer IT security strategies, policies and procedures for network availability, security and related issues;

• Ensure overall compliance with regulations for securing data records associated with student and personnel records, financial records, and research data;

• Work collaboratively with the senior leadership team and key stakeholders in identifying and implementing key IT initiatives;

• Establish effective quality assurance processes, including integration and testing strategies, and departmental metrics;

• Identify the appropriate balance of campus-based resources and services versus brokered resources and services delivered by vendor and cloud-based providers;

• Develop, manage, and marshal the IT budget, including capital and recurring expenses pertaining to ongoing and future projects;

• Advance and maintain cloud resources focused on effective business/disaster recovery plans to ensure the effective recovery of IT systems and services in the event of an outage or catastrophic event;

• Build strong working relationships among IT and faculty, staff, management, vendors and other technology organizations within the University by facilitating communication and resolving conflicts;

• Achieve mutually agreed upon service standards and operational benchmarks for services to the campuses; and

• Use IT to improve the University’s competitive position regarding its peers and aspirational peers.

The CIO will demonstrate evidence of many of the following qualities:

• A successful record of visionary leadership and excellence in Information Technologies in a complex environment;

• An effective project manager, change agent and innovative and forward-thinking leader who can think strategically and translate strategies into actionable plans;

• The ability to effectively manage financial and other resources in a manner that maximizes productivity and quality of work;

• An in-depth knowledge of current and emerging information technologies, hardware and software, data security issues, and use of social media;

• The ability to lead with both a decisive and consultative style, foster open communications, and proactively build positive relationships with faculty, staff, students, and diverse constituencies;

• The ability to drive and promote innovation, collaboration, and partnerships across the University and with external constituencies, as needed and in particular to achieve effective cost savings;

• Demonstrated ability to closely work with colleagues across campus to ensure that the University is actively working to achieve the goals and mission of the University;

• A track record of successfully hiring, managing, and mentoring staff and a strong commitment to inclusion and diversity; a demonstrated record of encouraging the professional development of staff; and experience supervising multiple departments;

• A team player who fosters collaboration within the organization, and has a strong commitment to excellent customer service;

• A well-organized and self-directed individual who exhibits a high level of integrity that inspires trust and confidence;

• An adeptness in problem solving and creating solutions

Qualifications and Experience:
The ideal candidate will be a proven IT leader with progressive leadership experience. A bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, engineering, or other related discipline required.

Qualifications and Experience:
Master’s degree is strongly preferred; and
Prior experience in higher education is desirable.

Contact:
This search is being led by Mo Lashendock and supported by Josyanne Roche of Koya Leadership Partners. To express your interest in this role, please submit your materials, including your letter of interest and resume at https://koyapartners.com/search/susquehanna-chief-information-officer/. All inquiries and discussions will be considered strictly confidential.

The university encourages candidates from historically underrepresented groups to apply. Susquehanna University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Koya Leadership Partners:
Koya Leadership Partners is a national retained executive search and human capital consulting firm that works exclusively with mission-driven organizations, institutions of higher education and social enterprises. We deliver measurable results, finding exceptionally talented people who truly fit the unique culture of our client organizations and ensuring that organizations have the resources and strategies to support them. For more information, visit www.koyapartners.com.

Yes

12 months

Full Time

Administrative/Salaried

06/18/2019

Yes

AH00599