Associate VP, Digital Transformation, AI & Institutional Intelligence

Drexel University; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 224,000 - 335,000; Full time

Job summary

Drexel University seeks an Associate Vice President for Digital Transformation, AI & Institutional Intelligence to shape and execute the university’s transformation agenda across academic, research, student, administrative, and business functions. This senior enterprise role partners with the CIO to drive AI, data, digital platforms, and emerging technologies with measurable institutional value.

The AVP will establish operating models, governance, and investment priorities, translating

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent experience. (Please review equivalency.)
• 10+ years of experience in senior leadership roles.
• Experience leading enterprise transformation and AI strategy initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for enterprise transformation initiatives across Drexel University.
• Steer AI strategy governance and institutional adoption.
• Lead institutional intelligence and data strategy for decision architecture.
• Drive research, innovation, and adoption of emerging technologies.
• Oversee strategic investment, portfolio & value governance.
• Establish governance for transformation opportunities and risk management.
• Lead organizational change and cross‑functional collaboration.
• Represent IT leadership in university‑wide strategic matters.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Enterprise transformation

AI strategy

Data governance

Education

Master's degree or equivalent

Job description

Job Summary

Reporting directly to the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, the Associate Vice President for Digital Transformation, AI & Institutional Intelligence is a senior enterprise executive responsible for shaping and executing Drexel University's institutional transformation agenda across academic, research, student, administrative, and business functions. The AVP serves as the CIO's principal executive partner for enterprise transformation and provides strategic leadership to University executives, academic leadership, research leadership, and administrative leaders on the institutional implications of artificial intelligence, data, digital platforms, automation, emerging technologies, and changing models of higher education. The position has enterprise-wide influence and accountability for translating Drexel's institutional strategy into transformative capabilities, operating models, governance structures, investment priorities, and measurable institutional outcomes. The AVP exercises substantial independent judgment in establishing strategic direction, evaluating enterprise opportunities and risks, determining priorities, designing governance and operating models, and directing complex initiatives that cross organizational, academic, and administrative boundaries. The AVP is accountable for advancing transformational capabilities that materially affect the University's competitive position, financial sustainability, research enterprise, academic mission, student experience, operational effectiveness, institutional intelligence, and long-term resilience. As a member of the Information Technology senior leadership team, the AVP operates as an enterprise executive rather than solely as a technology leader. The position extends the CIO's capacity by assuming executive accountability for strategic portfolios that require integration of people, processes, platforms, data, policy, governance, organizational change, and institutional purpose.

Strategic Purpose

The Associate Vice President serves as the University's senior executive leader for digital transformation, artificial intelligence strategy, institutional intelligence, and emerging technology-enabled institutional change. The AVP translates technological and market disruption into institutional strategy and action, ensuring that Drexel is positioned to respond proactively to changes in artificial intelligence, data, automation, digital delivery, research, workforce expectations, and the higher education operating environment. The role is responsible for connecting institutional strategy to enterprise capabilities and ensuring that major investments in technology, data, AI, and transformation produce measurable institutional value. The AVP works with the CIO and senior University leadership to address fundamental institutional questions: How should Drexel redesign its operating model, capabilities, and investments to remain innovative, financially sustainable, research- intensive, student-centered, and competitive in an AI-enabled higher education environment? How can the University use data, artificial intelligence, digital platforms, and emerging technologies to create measurable institutional advantage while managing associated financial, operational, ethical, regulatory, security, and reputational risks?

Essential Functions

• Digital Transformation & Enterprise Modernization: Provide executive leadership for enterprise transformation initiatives that materially change how Drexel University operates, delivers services, makes decisions, educates students, conducts research, and creates institutional value.
• Artificial Intelligence Strategy, Governance & Institutional Adoption: Provide executive leadership for Drexel University's enterprise artificial intelligence strategy, governance, adoption, and institutional readiness.
• Institutional Intelligence, Data Strategy & Decision Architecture: Provide executive leadership for the University's institutional intelligence strategy, ensuring that data becomes an enterprise asset for strategic decision-making, institutional performance, and competitive advantage.
• Research, Innovation & Emerging Technologies: Provide executive technology and transformation leadership for initiatives that strengthen Drexel University's research enterprise, innovation ecosystem, and competitive position. -
• Strategic Investment, Portfolio & Value Governance: Provide executive oversight of the strategic prioritization and value realization of transformation, AI, data, and emerging technology investments within the AVP's portfolio.
• Enterprise Governance, Risk & Strategic Alignment: Establish governance structures that enable Drexel to pursue transformational opportunities while appropriately managing institutional risk.
• Organizational Leadership & Change: Lead the organizational transformation required to institutionalize new technologies, operating models, and capabilities.
• Executive Leadership & Institutional Representation: The AVP serves as a senior representative of the CIO and Information Technology Division in University-wide strategic matters.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Master's Degree in or equivalent experience or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. (Please review the Equivalency Chart for additional information.)
• Minimum of Over ten years of experience.

Physical Demands

• Typically sitting at a desk/table

Location

• University City - Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information

This position is classified as Exempt, grade R. Compensation for this grade ranges from $223,600 to $335,390 per year. Please note that the offered rate for this position will vary based on the successful candidate's qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review.

Applicants are encouraged to explore the Professional Staff salary structure and Compensation Guidelines & Policies for more details on Drexel's compensation framework. For information about benefits, please review Drexel's Benefits Brochure.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.