Join Our Team as the Associate CIO Enterprise & Infrastructure Services at the University of Rhode Island!

We strongly encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply.

The University of Rhode Island (URI), recently named the #1 public university in New England by the Wall Street Journal, is seeking a dynamic and experienced IT leader to the inaugural Associate Chief Information Officer (Associate CIO) position to lead our University’s Enterprise & Infrastructure Services team. If you are an IT professional with a passion for leading large-scale enterprise system transformations, including ERP migrations, and are looking to advance your career toward a CIO role, we invite you to join our Information Technology Services (ITS) organization.

Why Choose URI?

• Transformative Leadership Opportunity: Lead a critical IT transformation, including the migration from PeopleSoft to Workday, that will shape the university's future.
• Flexible Work Environment: Enjoy the flexibility to choose a work arrangement that suits you best—on-campus, hybrid, or fully remote.
• Professional Growth with Mentorship: Work closely with the CIO, who will provide mentorship, professional development opportunities, training, and support to help you advance toward a CIO position.
• Leadership Exposure: Engage with university leadership, including the President's Stewardship Council, the Council of Deans, and the Board of Trustees, offering significant leadership growth and experience.
• Impactful Work: Collaborate with cross-functional teams to modernize IT services, enhance enterprise systems, and contribute to the strategic goals of FOCUS URI.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Tuition waivers for you and your dependents, competitive health and retirement plans, and professional development opportunities are just the beginning.

Position Overview

As the Associate CIO for Enterprise & Infrastructure Services, you will be responsible for managing all enterprise systems, including networking, cloud, IT infrastructure, and critical university applications such as PeopleSoft HCM, FSM, Payroll, and Campus Solutions. In this strategic leadership role, you will oversee the university's transition from PeopleSoft to Workday, ensuring a seamless migration while enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing disruption.

You will work closely with the CIO, who will provide mentorship and support, offering you significant professional development and training opportunities. Your role will include significant interaction with university leadership, giving you exposure to high-level strategic planning and decision-making, and further enhancing your leadership skills.

This position offers a hands-on leadership opportunity for someone with extensive experience in ERP implementation or significant participation in such projects. You will manage a team of approximately 35 IT professionals and onboard an additional 11 team members as part of the transition effort.

You will collaborate closely with the CIO, university leadership, Organizational Change Management (OCM), IT Training, IT Communications, and cross-functional teams. Success in this role will require fostering a collaborative, inclusive environment that drives continuous improvement, instills best practices in IT Service Management (ITSM), Agile methodologies (including Wagile), and ensures compliance with industry standards.

The Associate CIO, with guidance and support from the CIO, will:

• Guide IT governance structures to ensure key technology decisions align with institutional goals.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations like FERPA, HIPAA, and other data security measures.
• Collaborate with external partners, vendors, and peer institutions, driving technology partnerships and solutions.
• Mentor and lead IT department managers, fostering professional growth and ensuring a high-performing team.
• Develop and implement technology policies and standards to ensure the security, integrity, and performance of IT systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership & Modernization:
• Lead and mentor a growing team of IT professionals, driving the modernization of IT services aligned with FOCUS URI and ITS strategic priorities.
• Champion the university’s migration from PeopleSoft to Workday, ensuring that it is completed on time, within scope, and with minimal disruption.
• Develop and implement best practices in IT Service Management (ITSM) and Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including code reviews and regression testing strategies.
• Project Management & Agile Methodologies:
• Oversee the execution of IT projects, applying Agile principles and hybrid approaches like Wagile to balance structured planning with flexible adaptation.
• Utilize Agile methodologies, including sprint planning and retrospectives, to ensure efficient project delivery.
• Establish clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Return on Investment (ROI) metrics to measure the impact and success of IT projects.
• Stakeholder Collaboration & Leadership:
• Build strong partnerships with faculty, administrative staff, university leadership, and external vendors to align enterprise systems with university objectives.
• Lead cross-functional teams, soliciting diverse viewpoints and ensuring that initiatives are inclusive and collaborative.
• Provide critical leadership in managing complex organizational changes, particularly in support of the ERP migration and ongoing infrastructure enhancements.
• Engage stakeholders outside of your direct sphere of control or influence.
• Business Continuity & Change Management:
• Develop and implement a comprehensive Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan, ensuring systems and processes are resilient.
• Enforce IT change management policies and establish clear incident response communications procedures.
• Engage with Organizational Change Management (OCM) to manage stakeholder expectations and ensure a smooth transition during IT transformations.

Requirements

• Education:
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Master's degree or relevant professional certifications are preferred.
• Experience:
• A minimum of 7 years of progressive IT leadership experience.
• Experience managing medium to large teams.
• Significant experience with ERP systems, including direct involvement in ERP implementations or migrations.
• Note: We value candidates who have played key roles in ERP implementation projects, even if they were not solely responsible for the entire project.
• Knowledge and understanding of Agile and Waterfall methodologies.
• Experience in a higher education environment is highly desirable.
• Skills & Competencies:
• Strong understanding of ITSM, SDLC, and ERP systems such as PeopleSoft and Workday.
• Proven ability to lead medium to large teams, drive organizational change, and manage complex projects.
• Ability to lead by example and engage in thoughtful lateral leadership approaches.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and foster an inclusive team environment.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.