UAF Chief Information Officer

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) invites resumes for a Chief Information Officer (CIO) reporting to the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services. The position is full-time, senior administrator, exempt with benefits. The CIO is a UAF senior leader and will be responsible for providing leadership and vision for the strategic planning, operation, integration and implementation of information systems and services at a vibrant and diverse university. UAF is a premier research flagship with a goal to achieve Carnegie tier 1 research status (R1). UAF is a place of transformative experience for students, faculty and staff. UAF has a multifaceted land, sea and space grant mission including support of five (5) community college campuses throughout urban and rural Alaska.

UAF and the UA System Office are co-located in Fairbanks and have a shared services partnership for some services and support. It is important for applicants to understand a shared services business environment as the CIO will work with the UA Chief IT Officer (CITO) within a shared services framework for certain identified services. The CIO will provide technology vision and leadership for UAF-wide information technology resources and develop the UAF technology plan in alignment with UAF strategic goals. The CIO must foster team and project development, meeting UAF academic, research and administrative needs. Service to UAF customers and students is a core responsibility of this team.

This position is a senior leader that will report to the Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services. The UAF Administrative Services Division includes: Facilities Services, Financial and Business Services, Environmental Health, Safety and Risk Management, the Police Department, the Fire Department, and Nanook Technology Services.

A successful applicant will lead and develop the NTS team, and will maintain a strong sensitivity to and focus on building and sustaining a positive culture. As a member of the UA System, UAF operates in a shared services environment. It is important for applicants to understand the shared services culture and foster positive and productive relationships with service owners, service consumers, functional leads, and CIO peers at sister universities. Within the portfolio of the UAF CIO are the following services, and are not limited to: Service desk for the UAF campuses and UA System, supporting UAF and System Office employees and students (in person and online); Learning management systems and support IT security and compliance for UAF campuses; Project and portfolio management for UAF IT; Endpoint management and protection; and Smart classrooms and learning spaces.

In addition to services within the UAF CIO portfolio, the CIO will also contribute to governance for shared services provided by the UA System. Services provided by the UA System include, and are not limited to: Enterprise Data Management; ERP (Ellucian/Banner) consisting of the student information system, financial records system, human capital management systems, and associated support; Enterprise Cyber Security; UA Networks (LAN, WAN, wifi) and VoIP telecommunications; and Infrastructure and Cloud Systems/Storage.

Join Our Team as a Visionary IT Leader!

In this role, you’ll:

• Drive Strategy: Lead the development of our IT strategic plan and disaster recovery initiatives to ensure organizational resilience and innovation.
• Inspire Leadership: Build and nurture a positive team culture within the IT Services team while supporting organizational growth.
• Collaborate Broadly: Work closely with faculty, staff, vendors, and IT leaders across our campuses to align technology with academic and institutional goals.
• Champion Excellence: Oversee technology services that enhance teaching, learning, and operations, from enterprise systems to cutting-edge digital learning solutions.
• Plan for Impact: Develop budgets and proposals for major IT investments, and design communication plans for new initiatives.

This position combines strategic vision, operational expertise, and a passion for advancing education through technology. 

What It Takes to Thrive in This Role

To excel, you’ll bring a mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities that ensure strategic leadership and operational success:

Your Expertise:

• A deep understanding of business principles, including strategic planning, organizational management, financial analysis, and trends in the technology industry.
• Experience with data processing methods, software systems, and the full systems development lifecycle, from design to support.
• Expertise in business process analysis, redesign, and IT service delivery models, including distributed leadership and shared services.
• Familiarity with instructional and academic technology, and how IT aligns with higher education goals.

Your Skills:

• Building and supporting high-performing teams, fostering growth, and creating a culture of continual improvement.
• Strategic planning, budgeting, and business planning for operations, campus fees, and grant-funded projects.
• Persuasive communication—both written and verbal—with a knack for translating technical jargon into clear, actionable language.
• Negotiating with vendors and stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes.
• Leading through influence and collaboration while managing complex priorities effectively.

Your Abilities:

• Build relationships across all levels of the university, engaging in shared governance and fostering collaboration.
• Assess organizational needs and scale IT resources sustainably to meet those needs.
• Manage and motivate teams with agility and focus, delivering exceptional service and support.
• Comprehend complex technical challenges and connect them to business and academic strategies.
• Advise senior leadership on critical IT programs and foster strong partnerships across the university system.

If you’re passionate about leadership, innovation, and creating impactful IT solutions, this role is the perfect fit for you!

Minimum Qualifications:

Requires a Master’s degree in a relevant field (i.e. Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field) and 7 years progressively responsible experience, or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Demonstrated responsible management and support of corporate or public-sector information
  systems and information technology, direct management of a major IT operation.
• Knowledge of business processes and their interrelationships. Ability to analyze and resolve
  complex issues, both logical and interpersonal. Ability to build and execute plans.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills and effective presentation skills, all necessary for
  building collaborative relationships, sustaining effective coordination, and supporting excellence in
  education.
• Ability to negotiate, defuse conflict and work successfully in a complex and distributed public
  university system, including managing a shared service framework with co-located IT in Fairbanks.
• Self-motivated, independent, cooperative, flexible, creative, and collaborative.

  The ideal candidate will also have:
• Experience with both shared and outsourced solutions, as well as support of in-house
   information and communication systems in a multi-campus/unit environment.
• Significant experience in a public university or public government setting is desirable,
   specifically in technology and information systems planning to support programmatic
   and business goals.
• Specific experience with IT architecture, financial management and electronic teaching/learning
   information systems.
• Familiarity with a wide variety of fixed and mobile computing technologies.
• Familiarity with an ITIL framework, service management, and project management concepts
  and best practices.
• Familiarity with local area network design, implementation, and operation.
• Experience overseeing enterprise application and integrations service delivery.

Position Details:

This position is on-site, located on the Troth Yeddha' campus in Fairbanks, Alaska.  This is a full-time, executive management, Exempt Senior Administrator staff position complete with both a competitive salary and full employee benefits package. UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. 

This position is designated as a senior administrator at the discretion of the president.

Please attach a resume, cover letter and the names and contact information of three (3) professional references with your Application

To be considered for this position, applications must be submitted by Sunday, January 26, 2025 by 11:55 pm, Alaska Standard Time.  Applicant Review will begin on Monday, January 27, 2025.

This position is Open Until Filled.

📃To view the full list of job responsibilities, please click HERE.

☎️If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Lee Ann Amerson, Nanook Technology Services HR Coordinator, at lamerson@alaska.edu or (907) 474-6664

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact UA Human Resources by phone at 907-450-8200.

UA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, educational institution and provider and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual: www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination.

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

All employees at the University of Alaska are expected to uphold the highest standards of ethics and professionalism when conducting or engaged in university business.

*Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA: (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online: https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety. Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or police@uaa.alaska.edu / 907-786-1214 or uaa_deanofstudents@alaska.edu. 

UAF: (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online: https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or uaf-orca@alaska.edu.

UAS: (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online: https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf. Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing uas.clery@alaska.edu.