Chief Data and Technology Strategist

Job Duties

The Chief Data and Technology Strategist (CDTS) serves as the university’s senior executive responsible for advancing institutional effectiveness through strategic leadership of emerging technologies, information technology, institutional research, enterprise data governance, and analytics. As a member of the Chancellor’s Cabinet, the CDTS collaborates with executive leadership to align technology, data strategy, and operational priorities with the university’s mission, strategic plan, enrollment goals, student success initiatives, and fiscal sustainability.

This position fosters a culture of ingenuity, transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement while ensuring the integrity, accessibility, and strategic use of institutional data.

• Project Management and Operational Excellence
• Promote best practices in project management, change management, and process optimization.
• Prioritize and coordinate institution-wide initiatives involving technology implementation, operational redesign, and process improvement.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to ensure timely completion of strategic projects within scope and budget.
• Institutional Research and Data Analytics
• Ensure data governance standards, data quality, integrity, and accessibility across university systems.
• Direct institutional research, reporting, and analytics functions.
• Oversee the collection, validation, interpretation, and dissemination of institutional data for strategic planning, accreditation, compliance, enrollment management, and student success initiatives.
• Develop enterprise dashboards, key performance indicators, and predictive analytics tools to support institutional priorities.
• Strategic Leadership
• Promote a culture of evidence-based decision-making across all university divisions.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the Chancellor and Cabinet on generative artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, data governance, analytics, institutional effectiveness, and digital transformation initiatives including artificial intelligence and quantum computing.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive institutional data and technology strategy aligned with university priorities and accreditation requirements.
• Lead enterprise-wide modernization efforts that improve operational efficiency, student services, academic support, and administrative effectiveness.
• Provides analysis and consultation on a variety of administrative-related matters. Applies subject matter knowledge to support institutional decisions and policymaking through research and fact-finding combined with an understanding of applicable business systems.
• Leadership and Administration
• Represent the university in system-wide, regional, and national technology and higher education organizations.
• Supervise Chief Information Officer and additional professional staff from institutional research, AI, emerging technologies and analytics.
• Develop and manage departmental budgets and resource allocation strategies.
• Foster professional development, and organizational effectiveness within assigned areas.
• Collaboration and Communication
• Support transparency and shared governance through collaborative planning and stakeholder engagement.
• Partner with academic and administrative leaders to identify opportunities for innovation and improved service delivery.
• Communicate complex technical and analytical concepts clearly to diverse stakeholders.
• Information Technology Leadership
• Establish and maintain cybersecurity protocols and compliance with applicable federal, state, and higher education regulations.
• Oversee all university information technology operations, including infrastructure, enterprise applications, cybersecurity, networking, instructional technologies, cloud services, and user support.
• Ensure reliable, secure, and innovative technology environments that support teaching, learning, research, and administration.
• Lead long-range IT planning, budgeting, risk management, disaster recovery, and business continuity initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technology, data, higher education, business, computer science, or related field at time of application.
• Minimum of three years of progressively responsible leadership experience.
• Knowledge and experience using artificial intelligence and willingness to lead emerging technologies.
• Experience overseeing information technology systems, data governance, cybersecurity, analytics, and institutional reporting.
• Demonstrated success in budget management, personnel supervision, and/or cross functional collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Preferred leadership experience in technology administration, institutional research, analytics, or enterprise operations in a large organization.
• Understanding of accreditation, compliance, and regulatory reporting requirements.
• Experience implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, data warehouses, business intelligence platforms, and cloud technologies.
• Professional certifications related to project management, cybersecurity, data analytics, or information technology leadership.