Chief Information Officer

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) and the University System of New Hampshire (USNH) has embarked on an initiative to improve our IT service delivery capabilities while reducing operational costs across the entire System. USNHSystem consists of three additional schools: Granite State College (GSC), Keene State College (KSC), and Plymouth State University (PSU), along with a System Office that provides services for each of the campuses.

The University of New Hampshire has a large portfolio that includes an expansive research component which will continue to grow in the coming years with a recent research R1 designation. In addition, UNH IT provides IT shared services across the System for all campuses which includes Enterprise System management, data center, network services and information security for enterprise and academic systems.

UNH and USNH are seeking a Chief Information Officer to partner with leadership across the University System, including Board of Trustees, Administrative Board, and IT and Finance leaders, to assist with the consolidation and transformation of IT service delivery. The expected outcome is a new organizational and service deployment model for streamlined, standardized, and effective IT service delivery across the system with defined and measurable cost savings. The end goal is to determine a more holistic and streamlined process for service delivery across the entire system leveraging off the shelf software where possible. The CIO will be expected to objectively evaluate and recommend a new organizational model that will result in streamlining and improving the quality of services and garner significant and demonstrable annual cost savings.

At this pivotal moment in the trajectory of the UNH and USNH IT organizations, the CIO will manage a broad portfolio of responsibilities that have an impact on all faculty, students, and staff. The goal is to invigorate the team by creating a highly effective organization that delivers world class IT services to our constituencies. The CIO role is responsible for extensive portfolio and serves numerous campuses and customers, this position will report directly to the President of University of New Hampshire and have a dotted line reporting expectation to the Chancellor of University System of New Hampshire.

Key responsibilities: 

• Develop and execute a comprehensive IT service delivery strategy that supports and advances the UNH and USNHmissions. 

• Evaluate current IT infrastructure across campuses and recommend opportunities for consolidation, including cloud-based hosting. 

• Leverage Commercial off the Shelf Software (COTS) where possible utilizing configurable platforms. The key driver behind this philosophy is to minimize customizations so cloud-based hosting can become a standard. 

• Determine a new organizational model that is responsive to the needs of each campus and can flex and scale accordingly to meet peak demands of the campuses. 

• Recommend and implement cost savings measures. Create a short term (i.e. quick wins) and longer-term vision and plan to implement cost savings

• Align and promote an ITS team that is innovative, responsive, service-oriented, collaborative, and efficient; create conditions for that team to thrive as professionals, promoting diversity and inclusion. 

• Work collaboratively with faculty, students, staff, and administrators as necessary to understand requirements and provide ongoing and evolving technology services that will meet the needs of a diverse array of departments in advancing each school’s mission.

The ideal candidate will be a proven information-technology leader who is adept at collaborating with a broad range of constituencies on a shared vision for the role of information technology, systems, and services. They will possess outstanding people, project, and process-management skills, and bring experience leading an organization through significant change. Leaders and key stakeholders believe that a transformative CIO could come from any industry sector, though a candidate who brings relevant experience in IT leadership, transformation, innovation, and service delivery in higher education may be particularly attractive. 

• A Bachelor’s degree (required) and Master’s degree (highly preferred), in a field or fields relevant to technology innovation, service delivery, and/or information management. 

• 10-15 plus years of progressive IT leadership experience in a collaborative, decentralized, service-focused environment, with evidence of broad experience across the IT systems and services portfolio. 

• Energy, tact, conviction, flexibility, respectfulness, plus the other intangible attributes necessary to succeed in a mission-focused institution. 

• Demonstrated understanding and experience with the decision-making process and structure within a large, complex institution such as USNH, and the ability to build consensus with key stakeholders and leaders. 

• Substantial experience and demonstrated success leading major re-organizations, information technology teams, and Infrastructure consolidation and/or large project implementations. 

• Strong strategic thinking, change management and leadership skills plus the ability to implement new systems and redesign work processes. 

• Excellent leadership, interpersonal, organizational, and problem-solving skills, plus the ability to work closely and effectively with faculty, students, and senior administrators in a distinctive culture that strongly values integrity and collegiality. 

• Outstanding and effective oral and written communication skills, including experience presenting to committees of senior staff, faculty, trustees, and governing boards. 

• Demonstrated experience providing leadership and vision for the use of information technologies in facilitating and advancing the mission, vision, and goals of a large and comprehensive institution of higher education.

Salary is complemented by a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, retirement, tuition, and paid time off.

The University System of New Hampshire is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Affirmative Action employer. The University System is committed to creating an environment that values and supports diversity and inclusiveness across our campus communities and encourages applications from qualified individuals who will help us achieve this mission. The University System prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, or marital status. Application by members of all underrepresented groups is encouraged. Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the U.S.

The University of New Hampshire is a major research institution, providing comprehensive, high-quality undergraduate programs and graduate programs of distinction. UNH is located in Durham on a 188-acre campus, 60 miles north of Boston and 8 miles from the Atlantic coast, and is convenient to New Hampshire’s lakes and mountains. There is a student enrollment of 13,000 students, with a full-time faculty of over 600, offering 90 undergraduate and more than 70 graduate programs.