Deputy Vice Chancellor & Data Information Technology

Restore Talent; Sharjah; On-site; AED 300,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in the UAE is seeking a Deputy Vice Chancellor for Data & Information Technology. This role requires a strategic leader with over 15 years of IT experience, focusing on digital transformation, data governance, and cybersecurity. The ideal candidate will hold a Master's degree, preferably a PhD, and must have bilingual proficiency in English and Arabic. The position offers a competitive compensation package and the chance to drive impactful technological initiatives within the institution.

Benefits

Competitive Compensation Package

Qualifications

• Minimum 15+ years in IT leadership, digital transformation, or enterprise technology.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CCISO, PMP®, AI Leadership) are a significant advantage.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and Arabic is mandatory.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the digital, data, and cybersecurity landscape.
• Define, execute, and refine a unified digital transformation strategy.
• Lead enterprise data governance to ensure compliance and data integrity.
• Oversee cybersecurity programs to safeguard environments.
• Drive innovation, AI adoption, and digital capabilities.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Cybersecurity

Data governance

Digital transformation

Cloud management

AI adoption

Education

Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Science, Cybersecurity, or Engineering

PhD strongly preferred

Job description

Role Purpose

The Deputy Vice Chancellor (DVC) – Data & Information Technology is responsible for defining, leading, and governing the full digital, data, technology, cybersecurity, and innovation landscape across the Institution. This executive role provides institution‑wide leadership for digital transformation, data strategy, AI adoption, cloud and infrastructure, cybersecurity, IT governance, educational technology, higher‑education and early‑education technology operations, and enterprise systems.

The DVC ensures that technology functions as a strategic enabler of academic excellence, childcare quality, institutional resilience, and operational efficiency. The role establishes and enforces governance frameworks, oversees secure and reliable digital infrastructure, ensures regulatory and data compliance, enables analytics‑driven decision‑making, and leads innovation initiatives aligned with global and national digital priorities.

The DVC provides visionary digital leadership, ensures executive alignment, drives adoption of emerging technologies, and cultivates a high‑performance culture across all IT divisions.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the digital, data, cybersecurity, and technology landscape across the Institution, including its higher‑education divisions and government nurseries network.
• Define, execute, and continuously refine a unified digital transformation strategy aligned with the Institution's vision, national digital policy, accreditation requirements, and global technology standards.
• Establish and enforce robust digital governance frameworks (COBIT, ISO, NIST, GDPR) that ensure secure, compliant, and accountable technology operations.
• Lead enterprise data governance to ensure data integrity, accessibility, quality, and privacy across all systems including ERP, SIS, LMS, HRMS, and childcare platforms.
• Oversee cybersecurity programs including Zero‑Trust architecture, SOC operations, threat prevention, incident response, and cyber awareness to safeguard academic and childcare environments.
• Direct the design, optimization, and resilience of hybrid cloud and on‑premise infrastructure, ensuring stability, scalability, redundancy, and disaster recovery across all campuses and nursery sites.
• Ensure high‑performance IT service delivery using ITIL‑aligned practices, SLAs/OLAs, and user‑centered support models that enhance operational excellence across academic and nursery settings.
• Lead the advancement of educational technology, ensuring learning platforms, AI‑enabled tools, and digital classroom environments support academic excellence and early childhood learning.
• Oversee technology operations for all sites, ensuring safe, age‑appropriate digital environments, secure communication systems, and compliant safeguarding technologies.
• Drive innovation, AI adoption, intelligent automation, and user‑experience improvements to deliver measurable value and strengthen digital capabilities.
• Develop and monitor IT performance frameworks using KPIs, dashboards, maturity assessments, and audits to drive operational excellence and informed decision‑making.
• Lead technology budgeting, procurement, contract management, and vendor partnerships to ensure cost‑effective investments and full lifecycle stewardship of digital assets.
• Build and empower a high‑performing IT leadership team, promoting capability development, upskilling, workforce planning, and a culture of accountability and innovation.
• Strengthen collaboration with academic leaders, nursery leadership teams, internal departments, regulators, and national digital entities to ensure alignment and digital readiness.
• Provide strategic recommendations and executive reporting to the Institution's leadership on digital performance, cybersecurity posture, innovation opportunities, risks, and technology priorities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Data Science, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or related field, with a PhD strongly preferred.
• Professional certifications are a significant advantage (e.g., Certified Chief Information Security Officer (CCISO), PMP®, Executive Program in Digital Transformation / AI Leadership, Certificate in Leadership / Strategy).

Experience Requirements

• Minimum 15+ years in IT leadership, digital transformation, or enterprise technology.
• At least 7–10 years in senior executive or CTO/CIO‑level roles.
• Proven experience leading multi‑entity, multi‑site technology operations.
• Demonstrated success in cybersecurity, cloud transformation, data governance, EdTech, and IT service management.
• Experience working in higher education, government, childcare, or regulated sectors is an advantage.

Competencies

• Strategic leadership and people management
• Enterprise technology governance
• Information technology frameworks and service delivery
• Cybersecurity and data protection
• AI, automation, and digital transformation
• Cloud and infrastructure management
• Executive communication and stakeholder influence
• Systems integration and architecture
• Data‑driven decision‑making
• Project management
• High integrity, accountability, and confidentiality

Bilingual proficiency in English and Arabic is mandatory.

Benefits

Competitive Compensation Package and the unique opportunity to take on a high‑level, impactful role within a leading educational institution in the region.