Search for the Chief Transformation Officer

University of Connecticut

Storrs, Connecticut

THE SEARCH

The University of Connecticut (UConn), New England’s leading public land grant research university, seeks a bold, innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative leader with excellent operations experience to serve as its inaugural Chief Transformation Officer (CTO). Reporting to the President, Dr. Radenka Maric, the Chief Transformation Officer joins a strong leadership team and serves as a strategic leader for enterprise transformation, operational excellence, and administrative modernization. The CTO will advance the University’s strategic priorities with direct responsibility for functional line operations and will enhance organizational agility by leading cross-functional initiatives across the University that strengthen institutional effectiveness, improve service delivery, develop revenues and savings, and support transformational investment.  

As a $4.0 billion public flagship university, UConn is home to seven campuses, more than 34,000 students, and an extensive network of research and service enterprises that include UConn Health, its academic medical center. With nearly $30 billion in capital investment from the State of Connecticut in recent years alone, the University has created new expansive facilities, including state-of-the-art engineering and science facilities, all of which create opportunities for vastly expanded research and teaching. To meet the scale of this opportunity, the University needs new flexible revenue for faculty and program investment, a rare moment in the modern academy. In both the CTO’s operations role and in strategic and cross-University work, the CTO will help UConn develop the resources for generational transformation.

The president has assembled a strong leadership team to partner with a Chief Transformation Officer leading strategic and tactical planning on behalf of the president’s leadership group. Joining UConn on the heels of completing the ambitious Envision 2034 strategic plan, the Chief Transformation Officer will examine institutional strategic and operational priorities and execute a roadmap for the plan’s implementation, prioritizing holistic student success and access while expanding UConn’s research impact to power a thriving Connecticut. With plans and coordination clearly articulated with senior leaders, the CTO must work through influence, empowering unit-level leaders to reinvigorate UConn’s institutional commitment to excellence and charter a course for stability, transparency, and strategic growth.

A facile relationship builder, the CTO will enhance communication and collaboration across the complex, multi-campus enterprise. This leader will identify gaps in infrastructure, identify cost saving and revenue generating opportunities, create faculty and staff incentive structures that reward impact, and cultivate structures that enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency while delivering top-notch value for today’s students. By reducing redundancy and eliminating silos, the incoming CTO will help to cultivate a more centralized operations structure while fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Through partnership with key collaborators, especially the newly appointed provost and the newly appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO), the CTO will support the ongoing budget transformation initiative by examining institutional finances, revenues, and enhancing the distribution/allocation of shared resources across the campuses.

APPLICATIONS, INQUIRIES, AND NOMINATIONS

Screening of complete applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search process. Inquiries, nominations, referrals, and CVs with cover letters should be sent via the Isaacson, Miller website. Electronic submission of materials is strongly encouraged.

Becca Kennedy, Managing Partner

John Isaacson, Chair

Afi Tettey-Fio, Senior Associate

Isaacson, Miller

As a Connecticut state agency, the University must comply with state AA/EEO regulations in ensuring a non-discriminatory search and hire process. These regulations direct the University to engage in proactive recruitment strategies to identify a qualified applicant pool and qualification-based evaluation resulting in the hire of the most qualified candidates regardless of protected class. Further information on recruitment and Applicant Evaluation can be found on the Search Compliance and Recruitment page.