Fast Facts

Northwest State Community College is seeking a visionary Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead the Information Technology department and align IT services with the College's mission and strategic goals.

Responsibilities: The CIO will develop and implement IT strategies, oversee technology functions, ensure compliance with regulations, manage budgets, and support faculty and student technology needs.

Skills: Applicants should possess skills in IT strategic planning, budget management, ERP systems, cybersecurity, data analysis, and strong communication abilities.

Qualifications: A Bachelor's degree is required, with a Master's preferred; at least 5 years of leadership experience in IT, preferably in higher education.

Location: Archbold, Ohio, USA

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $150,000 - $225,000.

Northwest State Community College (Northwest State) invites applications and nominations for the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO). Northwest State seeks a dynamic, energetic, visionary leader who fosters innovation and collaboration in a shared governance environment.

POSITION SUMMARY

Reporting to the President, the CIO, provides leadership, vision, and strategic direction for the College’s Information Technology department. The CIO oversees all information technology and institutional research functions that support the academic and administrative areas of the College while ensuring that all services support and align with the mission, strategic plan, and goals of the College. The CIO is responsible for budgeting, policies, compliance, and integration of IT across the Van Wert and Archbold campuses and various satellite locations. As a member of the President’s cabinet, the CIO will provide service-oriented leadership as well as build a strong customer service focus within the IT department.

The CIO is responsible for the leadership, coordination, planning, and development of technology resources and services to ensure effective and efficient operational support for all enterprise-wide information technology resources in support of the institutional strategic priorities. The CIO provides strategic leadership to a team of approximately ten information technology professionals including the Director of Information Technology & Support and the Executive Director of Institutional Research and will promote and enable services that support innovation and exploration, and balance agile operations with highly reliable, available and secure capabilities.

The CIO shall possess a record of innovative and effective ways of working with others, a positive attitude and self-image, and the courage to take risks while working to achieve stated goals. Preferred candidates must have high professional aspirations and be willing to support professional aspirations of their staff.

POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develops and implements an overall vision and strategy for the IT department that aligns with the Northwest State mission, values, and strategic plan.
• Works directly and collaboratively with faculty, staff, and students to understand technology needs through the use of an IT governance structure.
• Effectively communicates IT initiatives and strategies to various stakeholders (Board of Trustees, community, staff, faculty, & students).
• Builds, maintains, and grows relationships with the community, educational institutions, external vendors, and professional organizations to foster collaboration, partnerships, streamline services, and to develop professionally (e.g., University of Toledo, OarNet, Northwest Ohio Computer Association, Ohio Two-year Community & Technical College Consortium).
• Ensures Northwest State is in compliance with state & federal laws and the appropriate security regulations and standards regarding procurement, implementation, use and distribution of technology services (i.e., PCI-DSS, Cyber Insurance, and FERPA, and GLBA).
• Establishes and maintains high standards for technical operations reliability and security, acquisition, and administration of campus technology resources including but not limited to networks, servers, computer systems, audio/visual equipment, communications systems, and distance learning/videoconferencing equipment.
• Develops and maintains a disaster recovery and business continuity plan to ensure the continuity of IT services in the event of a disruption.
• Leads Institutional Research functions, including data strategy, data research, and internal/external reporting.
• Establishes and manages the IT budget effectively, prioritizing investments and maximizing resources to achieve the college’s mission and strategic plan. This includes forecasting future technology needs and trends.
• Supports the work of faculty in using technology resources to enhance their instruction and the work of students.
• Develops staff members who have up-to-date expertise in their areas and are adept at problem-solving, information sharing, collaboration, transferring skills, and serving as partners with the campus community.
• Serves on the President’s cabinet.
• Other similar duties and projects as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, or a related field is required; Master’s degree is preferred.
• At least 5 years of progressively increasing leadership experience in information technology strategy and operation required.
• Previous experience working for an institution of higher education is strongly preferred.

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of planning, design, installation, and support of ERP and enterprise applications.
• Experience developing and implementing IT strategic plans and budget management.
• Experience with large, complex enterprise systems that support administrative computing, teaching, learning, and research is strongly preferred.
• Experience with cybersecurity best practices and data privacy regulations.
• Knowledge of enterprise network and server configurations.
• Knowledge of data warehousing, business intelligence, and data visualization tools.
• Knowledge of institutional research, data analysis, and reporting. Experience in combined IT and IR functions is desirable.
• Excellent oral and written communication and listening skills.
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills with an attention to detail.