Senior Associate CIO

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A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC-Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package, paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit
Information Technology Services’ mission is to accelerate the University’s academic and research pursuits by providing accessible, reliable, efficient, scalable and innovative technologies that enable faculty, students and staff to realize their goals of leading breakthrough change to improve society and help solve the greatest problems for our state, our nation and our global community.

Position Summary
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

The Senior Associate Chief Information Officer for Core Services (Senior Associate CIO, Core Services) serves as the principal deputy and delegate of the Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and CIO for all institutionally scoped, core information technology services and functions at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This newly established role provides strategic leadership, operational excellence, and organizational alignment across all ITS Core Services divisions, ensuring that the University’s foundational IT services remain reliable, secure, modern, accessible, and responsive to the needs of students, faculty, researchers, clinicians, and staff.

The Senior Associate CIO provides day to day executive oversight for three Assistant Vice Chancellors Educational Technologies & Customer Experience/Engagement (EdTech + CXE), Infrastructure/Operations/Networking & Data Platforms (IO&N + DREAM), and Research Computing (ITS-RC) creating a unified, integrated strategy for mission critical IT services at the nation’s leading public research university. The role partners closely with the CIO to implement institutional priorities, advance digital transformation, and ensure that ITS is a high performing, service oriented organization.

Together with the Assistant Vice Chancellors who report to him/her/them, the Senior Associate Chief Information Officer, Core IT Services, will realign these five (5) operational areas under three (3) subordinate leaders, with the corresponding organizations as follows:

EdTech + CXE
IO&N + DREAM
ITS-RC

Accordingly, the Senior Associate CIO, Core Services, will be responsible for a division containing approximately 230 employees and comprising approximately $40M in total operating budget.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements
Relevant post-Baccalaureate degree required (or foreign degree equivalent) with three years or greater of related professional experience; for candidates demonstrating comparable professional backgrounds, will accept a relevant Bachelor’s degree (or foreign degree equivalent) and five years or greater of relevant experience in substitution.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Undergraduate degree in related field. Amount and type of experience may be a viable substitute for specific degree field listed.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible IT leadership, including executive level experience in large, complex organizations; minimum 5 years managing managers and multi-disciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated leadership across two or more enterprise IT domains: infrastructure, networking, cloud, data platforms, academic technologies, enterprise applications, digital experience, or research computing.
• Proven experience managing senior leaders and large technical teams.
• Deep understanding of enterprise IT operations, cybersecurity, data governance, and IT governance frameworks.
• Ability to work effectively with academic governance, research leadership, administrative executives, and diverse stakeholder communities.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Advanced degree in a related field preferred.
• Leadership experience in higher education, research institutions, or complex public-sector environments.
• Familiarity with major enterprise systems (e.g., PeopleSoft/SaaS ERP, CRM, LMS, ITSM, IAM platforms).
• Experience guiding major transformation initiatives, including cloud modernization, network renewal, data platform consolidation, or enterprise learning technology redesign.

The UNC Department of Executive Talent Management is assisting with the search. The search will remain open until filled.

Priority consideration will be given to materials received by 5/27/26. Applications will be reviewed as they are received and should include 1) cover letter and 2) current curriculum vita (CV). Ideally cover letters should not exceed two pages. All applications are treated confidentially. Inquires, referrals, and nominations are also treated confidentially.

Inquiries and Questions: Please send to etm@unc.edu.

Nominations and Referrals: Please send the nominee’s name, title, and contact information if available to etm@unc.edu.

Please apply online at https://unc.peopleadmin.com/postings/316717

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.