Job Details

Chief Information Officer

Position Number: 6649235
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Position Type: Computing - Management/Director

Chief Information Officer

Job Summary

As one of the nation's leading research universities, the University of Utah is committed to providing best-in-class technology services and capabilities to empower all members of its community-faculty engaged in groundbreaking research, students seeking a premier campus experience, and staff requiring effective tools to excel in their roles. The university's technology function faces the challenge of meeting these high standards with the north star of its strategic goals: student success, research and innovation, service to the community, and ensuring the long-term viability of the University through IT services.

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the University of Utah provides the forward-looking vision, leadership and management necessary for the development, implementation and ongoing support of information technology initiatives and processes that align with and advance the University's strategic plan. The CIO coordinates the adoption of technology policies and data standards to drive efficiency and effectiveness, while ensuring integrity, privacy, security and quality for all systems and data. Reporting to the chief operations officer (COO), the CIO works closely with other senior leaders in academics, research and health sciences to engage stakeholders in collaborative efforts and support both IT and operational priorities. The CIO leads the University of Utah Information Technology (UIT) organization, overseeing the IT department's managerial, technical and support personnel.

The University of Utah CIO also serves in various state capacities as well, including as the CIO for Utah State Higher Education (USHE). In this capacity, they work with the CIOs from the seven colleges and universities and the IT administrators from the eight technical colleges in the state of Utah in the development of system-wide IT plans, policy, joint software, network connectivity, grants and legislative changes in law to IT and funding requests. In this role, the CIO will report to the Associate Commissioner of USHE. Additionally, the CIO also ensures the Utah Education and Telehealth Network's (UETN) services are aligned to the University's, that its policies and procedures are consistently followed, and that its resources are well-coordinated with the University's IT department.

This role is based in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the main campus.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic direction for the long-term development of the University of Utah's information technology.
Partner and collaborate with senior leadership team members representing academics, research, administrative services and health sciences in the use of technology to support the University's vision and strategic plan.
Oversee infrastructure modernization, including network consolidation, disaster recovery planning, and the adoption of cloud and AI services to support institutional goals.
Establish, lead, and continuously improve IT governance processes to ensure transparency and sound prioritization of technology investments across the University of Utah.
Oversee the evaluation, selection, and adoption of transformative, disruptive, and evolutionary technologies that enhance student experience, learning resources, and operational efficiency. This encompasses targeted opportunities within the HR and Finance systems that could support the potential implementation of an ERP solution.
Drive the evaluation and implementation of emerging cloud and digital learning technologies to increase organizational agility and foster a high-quality, accessible academic environment.
Promote consistent and reliable IT support for faculty, staff, students, and extended campuses, ensuring seamless access to technology services for both on-campus and online activities.
Identify, recruit, and develop IT leadership talent to build a high-performing organization capable of leading innovation and transformation across the university.
Lead the design, development, and testing of new technology initiatives, with a focus on inventive solutions and industry-leading innovation.
Drive continuous efforts to improve operations, streamline work processes and work both independently and cooperatively to provide quality IT service.
Collaborate with university departments and external partners to negotiate and implement technology solutions that meet organizational needs.
Ensure governance and practices meet regulatory and institutional standards for information security and privacy, and oversee the development and execution of comprehensive information security and business continuity plans.
Provides leadership to ensure the University's information security, data governance, and enterprise risk mitigation strategies are aligned with prevailing industry standards and regulatory requirements, thereby safeguarding institutional assets and enabling sustainable innovation
Serve as the primary contact for the University with state organizations for IT-related requests.
Manage annual and long-term budgeting and resource planning for technology and departmental staffing and resources.
Manage IT funding and spending through coordinated models that maximize value, support shared purchasing, and facilitate effective vendor management.
rovide system-wide leadership, coordination of development and management of shared information technology services across USHE including governance, digital learning technologies, finance, cybersecurity, infrastructure, and applications.
Ensure (Utah Education Telehealth Network) UETN's services are aligned to the University's, that its policies and procedures are consistently followed, and that its resources are well-coordinated with the University's IT department.
Lead the USHE system-wide IT strategic planning process determining priorities, projects and future direction
Oversee the USHE information technology budget with a process for generating campus, federal and state legislative resource requests
Serve as USHE's senior spokesperson on issues related to administrative, student support, clinical and academic information systems

Minimum Qualifications
15 years of technology leadership experienceIncluding experience in group-level or division-level technology leadership roles (e.g., CIO, CTO, etc.).
Demonstrated success in leading a significant technology transformationEfforts that required influence, change management, business orientation and strategic resource optimization.
Operations in a distributed/matrixed environmentExperience in higher education, association or a multi-faceted corporate environment is preferred.

Knowledge of healthcare organizations and academic partnerships
Experience or strong knowledge of healthcare organizations and the working integration between a healthcare organization and its higher education counterpart.

Team leadership experience of organizations of more than 300 employeesExperience, including full-time, contract and vendor resources.

Academic credentials in a relevant fieldBachelor's degree required, with a master's degree or Ph.D. preferred, preferably in STEM fields such as computer science, engineering or other technical disciplines.

CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES
Collaborating and Influencing
Adjusts influencing style for each person, considering effects of words and actionsInvites and incorporates the opinions and perspectives of others to achieve alignmentPre-empts or resolves conflicts by discussing individual issues with each personSeeks to understand the different sides of an issue or disagreement
Acting Strategically
Creates well-defined plans for own area or team that translate broader organizational goals into decisions or actionsConsiders how critical issues will play out beyond the yearThinks through the longer-term implications of decisions and actionsAdjusts plans to take new information or events into account
Driving ResultsInstills a sense of urgency in the team to deliver on goalsWorks to overcome obstacles and/or plans for contingenciesChecks own and others' work against required quality standards and recalibrates as neededReviews performance and progress on a regular basis through metrics and KPIs to ensure the team is achieving required results

Preferences

Special Instructions
The University of Utah has engaged Spencer Stuart to conduct this search. Interested parties should direct inquires to Ian Finlay at ifinlay@spencerstuart.com

Requisition Number: PRN43322B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary:
Department: 00332 - University Infor. Techn. UIT
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: Commensurate with Experience
Close Date: 11/14/2025
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/190383