Chief Information Officer (CIO) - MUST HAVE HIGHER EDUCATION EXPERIENCE
United States
Talentus Team /
Full Time /
Hybrid
The Opportunity
Our client, a distinguished leader in the Higher Education sector, is seeking a visionary Chief Information Officer (CIO) to join its executive leadership team. This role is pivotal in shaping and executing the institution’s digital and technology strategy to advance its mission of academic excellence, student success, and operational efficiency. The CIO will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, championing technology-enabled innovation and ensuring the secure, reliable, and scalable delivery of enterprise IT services across the academic and administrative landscape. This is a unique opportunity for an accomplished IT leader with deep expertise in higher education to leave a transformative impact on the institution’s future.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and implement a comprehensive IT vision and roadmap aligned with institutional priorities and long-term academic goals.
- Drive enterprise-wide modernization initiatives, including cloud adoption, advanced data analytics, artificial intelligence applications, and emerging technologies to enhance learning, research, and administration.
- Ensure the optimization and integration of core academic and administrative platforms, including Student Information Systems (SIS), Learning Management Systems (LMS), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP).
- Lead a proactive cybersecurity strategy that safeguards institutional data and complies with FERPA, HIPAA, GDPR, GLBA, SOX, PCI/DSS, COPPA, CCPA/CPRA, NIST, LGPD and other applicable state and federal regulations.
- Foster a data-driven culture by providing actionable insights that support student retention, faculty success, and institutional planning.
- Build strong partnerships with faculty, academic leaders, administrators, and external partners to ensure technology supports innovation, teaching, and student engagement.
- Inspire and mentor a high-performing IT team, cultivating a culture of excellence, innovation, service, and accountability.
- Oversee IT budgets, contracts, and vendor relationships to ensure optimal return on investment and alignment with institutional goals.
Education & Experience
- 15+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, with at least 10 years in senior leadership (C-Level) roles within higher education.
- 10+ years of experience at a private-for-profit, private-non-profit or public University.
- Master’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field required; a Doctorate is preferred.
- Demonstrated success leading enterprise-level digital transformation initiatives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
- Deep familiarity with leading higher education systems such as SIS (Banner, PeopleSoft, Workday Student, Anthology Student, Jenzabar, Thesis), LMS (Canvas, Blackboard, D2L, Moodle), and ERP (Workday, Oracle, SAP).
- Proven experience in developing and implementing cybersecurity frameworks.
- Track record of driving data governance, analytics, and decision-support systems in higher education contexts.
- Track record of implementing AI strategies across the institution with measurable results.
Leadership & Competencies
- Exceptional strategic and operational leadership skills with the ability to align technology to institutional mission.
- Strong change management expertise with demonstrated ability to inspire collaboration across academic and administrative units.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders.
- A global and inclusive perspective, with experience working across diverse, multicultural higher education environments.
The Value Proposition
• Lead the digital transformation of a prominent higher education institution.
• Shape the technology landscape to directly impact student success, faculty research, and institutional growth.
• Collaborate with a forward-thinking executive team committed to innovation, inclusivity, and excellence.
• Competitive executive compensation package and benefits, commensurate with experience
About Talentus Global
Talentus Global is a premier executive search partner specializing in leadership recruitment across education, technology, and enterprise transformation. We connect world-class talent with visionary organizations to drive growth, innovation, and long-term impact.
This search is being conducted exclusively by Talentus Global.
