Solutions Architect & Virtual CIO

ApplyDescription

Description

Position Summary:

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic IT Leadership (vCIO):

This position is responsible for acting as a Virtual Chief Information Officer for assigned Collegis’ partner institutions in the following ways:  

• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop and execute a forward-thinking IT strategy and roadmap that supports the partner institution’s mission and vision. 
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, PCI-DSS) and institutional policies. 
• Manage IT budgets, vendor relationships, and technology procurement with a focus on cost-effectiveness and innovation. 
• Champion data-informed decision-making through analytics and business intelligence initiatives. 
• Provide thought leadership and executive level guidance on the technologies required to meet strategic and operational objectives. Assist in setting direction for technological systems and platforms that support business operations as well as teaching and learning to ultimately improve student, faculty and staff experience. 
• Partner with faculty, staff and administrative leadership to define, prioritize and deliver technology initiatives. Ensure the continuous delivery of effective IT services through proactive monitoring of system and staff performance.  
• Act as an advocate for partner universities and develop deep  relationships with an institution’s leaders, at the operational and board level.  
• Explore new technologies and keep up-to-date on trends and best practices within the IT industry and establish an open and collaborative environment where knowledge and experience is shared throughout the organization.  
• Maintain responsibility for all aspects of the university’s information technology ecosystem (information security, applications, network, voice, vendor relationships, infrastructure, help desk, call center, database, etc) including the matrixed management of the Collegis technology team members supporting the university.  
• Provide on campus presence at university campuses to attend meetings, meet with staff and ensure face to face collaboration.   

Solutions Architecture:

This position is responsible for partnering with Collegis’ sales team to provide appropriate and forward-thinking architecture of prospective information technology deals and managing the progress of those deals through the sales process.  

• Support Collegis’ efforts to bring industry leading services for colleges and universities across the country by actingas a key member of the business development team to execute the strategy of technology solutions for new partnerships as well as new solutions for current partnerships.  
• Build rapport with targeted clients, help diagnose key areas of opportunity, and help devise the execution strategy of these solutions in tandem with our internal subject matter experts. 
• Areas of focus for this role will include: 
• Consultation of IT strategy  
• Display a strong business expertise for client operations, stakeholders, and governance.  
• Develop strong relationships with key decision makers at colleges and universities (i.e. Deans, Provost, CIO, etc.) determined to be potential clients. 
• Coordinate and lead on campus assessments that help diagnose key client IT challenges 
• Help identify key operational technology improvement opportunities across the entire college/university 
• Help identify alignment of college/university operational challenges with Collegis’ product and service offerings 

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field. 
• 8+ years of progressive experience in IT leadership and architecture, preferably within higher education. 
• Demonstrated experience with higher ed systems (e.g., SIS, LMS, CRM) and cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud). 
• Possess in-depth knowledge of integrated technology solutions across ERP (e.g., Ellucian, Jenzabar), LMS (e.g., Canvas, Blackboard), CRM, and cloud platforms. 
• Strong understanding of the technology needs of institutions, including enrollment management, donor relations, and student journey. 
• Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder engagement skills.

Core Competencies:

• Strategic Vision & Institutional Alignment 
• Higher Education IT Governance & Compliance 
• Digital Transformation & Innovation 
• Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management 

Remote/Hybrid Policy:

This role offers the flexibility of a fully remote environment. However, in alignment with our commitment to collaboration and team engagement, candidates within a 60-mile radius of our Chicago, IL headquarters will be expected to follow a hybrid schedule, working onsite 1-2 days per week to support in-person connection and cross-functional partnership.

Beware of scams:

Please note that all inquiries regarding Collegis Education job postings will come from an email domain of @mail.paylocity.com or @collegiseducation.com.