Deputy Chief Information Officer (Deputy CIO) / Acting Director of Enterprise Systems

Connecticut College is seeking a Deputy Chief Information Officer (Deputy CIO) to serve as the senior technology strategist and operational leader within Library & Information Technology. This role reports directly to the Vice President for Information Services and Librarian of the College (CIO).

About the role

The Deputy CIO translates institutional strategy into technology execution, ensuring operational resilience and scalability of the College’s technology infrastructure. For an initial transitional period (12-14 months), this role will also serve as Acting Director of Enterprise Systems, providing direct oversight and stabilization leadership to the Enterprise Systems team while the College evaluates its long-term ERP modernization path. Following this period, the role transitions to broader strategic oversight while serving as the VP’s primary strategic partner for all infrastructure and enterprise systems initiatives.

This position is primarily in-person with potential to work remotely one day per week; in-person collaboration will be essential for key events and meetings.

About Library & Information Technology

At Connecticut College, Library & Information Technology (L&IT) brings together librarians, technologists, archivists, media specialists, and more as one team. We manage the systems that run the College, the network that connects it, the library that anchors it, and the research support that makes academic excellence possible. Our staff regularly collaborate with colleagues at peer institutions through consortia like the Boston Library Consortium, the Oberlin Group, CLAC, and NERCOMP.

Why You’ll Love It Here

Our leadership philosophy is simple: We hire naturally curious people, give them room to be brilliant, and then get out of their way. We treat belonging and inclusion as the foundation of our work, value collaboration over control, and believe that while the work is serious, we don’t have to take ourselves too seriously. If you can work hard, lead with curiosity, tolerate the occasional Swedish-inspired coffee break (fika), and agree that laughter is a legitimate workplace requirement, you’ll fit right in.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the operational and strategic technology leader for Library & Information Technology, partnering closely with the VP to advance divisional and institutional priorities.
• Provide interim leadership and direct supervision to the Enterprise Systems team, ensuring continuity of operations, staff support, and forward progress on key systems initiatives during a transitional period.
• Provide direct supervision and professional development support to the Assistant Director of Network and Systems Infrastructure, Technical Lead for Enterprise Applications, and the Technical Lead for Web Applications, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure technology projects are scoped, resourced, prioritized, and delivered in alignment with institutional goals (in collaboration with L&IT Project Manager).
• Lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive technology roadmap, including cloud strategy, identity and access management, and systems integration.
• Partner with the Director of Information Security to ensure technology infrastructure decisions incorporate security, privacy, and compliance requirements from the outset.
• Collaborate with institutional stakeholders across academic affairs, finance, student life, and advancement to ensure technology services are responsive, equitable, and mission-aligned.
• Assess opportunities for infrastructure consolidation and modernization, including network upgrades, data center strategy, and disaster recovery planning.
• Serve as the technical expert for vendor evaluations and contract negotiations across all infrastructure and enterprise systems domains.
• Contribute to divisional budget planning, resource prioritization, and zero-based budget processes in alignment with the College’s financial sustainability goals.
• Support the VP in developing and presenting technology strategy to the President’s Cabinet, Board of Trustees, and other institutional governance bodies.
• Lead or co-lead vendor relationship management for major technology contracts and partnerships.
• Advance the College’s AI@Conn initiative by identifying responsible, scalable, and pedagogically sound applications of generative AI across administrative and academic functions.
• Promote data governance, data stewardship, and institutional data literacy across the division and the broader College community.
• Contribute to policy development related to technology use, information security, accessibility, and digital equity.
• Represent Library & Information Technology in cross-divisional working groups, task forces, and committees.
• Engage in professional development by participating in relevant conferences, workshops, and training, including EDUCAUSE, NERCOMP, CLAC, and peer consortium engagements.
• Participate in the life of the College by attending campus events such as L&IT speakers and events, athletic games, gallery openings, arts performances, student exhibits, and other signature experiences.
• Perform other duties or responsibilities as may be assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree strongly preferred.
• At least seven years of progressive leadership experience in higher education information technology, with demonstrated success managing complex, multi-functional technology environments.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, including navigating organizational change, evolving technology landscapes, and institutional decision-making processes that are still in formation.
• Experience leading or significantly contributing to large-scale enterprise systems initiatives; direct ERP implementation experience is valued but not required.
• Strong change management and business process improvement skills, with the ability to bridge functional units and technical teams.
• Strong project portfolio management skills with the ability to prioritize competing demands in a resource-constrained environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering a culture of belonging and ensuring technology solutions are accessible and inclusive for all members of the campus community.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience supervising and developing professional staff with varied technical backgrounds.
• Familiarity with cloud strategy, identity and access management, and information security frameworks.
• A service-oriented mindset with the ability to build trust and credibility across the campus community.
• Experience with or strong interest in the responsible implementation of generative AI in a higher education context.

Benefits

This is a full-time, continuing position with full benefits eligibility.

Pay

Salary range: $120,000 - $150,000. Connecticut College is committed to fair and competitive compensation. The final offer will reflect the candidate’s experience, education, and the institution’s pay structure to ensure internal equity.

Schedule

37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year.

Physical Demands

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to remain in a stationary position for extended periods.
• Frequent movement within office and campus environments; ability to traverse campus and navigate multi-level buildings.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 pounds occasionally.
• Repetitive motions including typing, using a mouse, and handling documents.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person, by phone, and electronically.
• Visual and auditory ability to complete job-related tasks.