Director of IT Governance

Penn State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 116,000 - 174,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

75% tuition discount

Job summary

The Pennsylvania State University seeks an accomplished leader to serve as Director of IT Governance. This role leads enterprise-wide IT governance design, policies, and portfolio practices, aligning IT investments with university strategy and risk management.

Collaboration across units and mature governance forums will be essential to enable innovation in a decentralized research university. Candidates should bring deep governance expertise, strong communication, and a track record of driving

Qualifications

• Degree in Information Technology, Information Systems, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Progressive leadership experience in IT with substantial governance/strategy experience.
• Experience designing and implementing IT governance structures in large, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Working knowledge of COBIT, ITIL, TOGAF, NIST CSF and ability to apply pragmatically.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and facilitation skills for executive audiences.
• Ability to lead through influence in matrixed, decentralized organizations.
• Experience with enterprise-scale organizational change initiatives.
• Commitment to public higher education and inclusive workplace.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and maturity of Penn State's enterprise IT governance framework across IT, colleges, campuses, and units.
• Define decision rights, accountability structures, and authority matrices for IT investments, architecture, data, security, and service decisions.
• Establish governance bodies and forums (e.g., steering committees, architecture review boards, portfolio reviews) focused on outcomes.
• Direct policy, standards, and guidelines lifecycle with partners like Security, Legal, Internal Audit, and Research.
• Embed governance into IT portfolio management and funding models; drive metrics and dashboards for leadership.

Skills

IT governance

Stakeholder engagement

Policy development

Change management

Leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in IT/IS/BA/Public Admin

Tools

COBIT

ITIL

TOGAF

NIST CSF

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Pennsylvania State University seeks an accomplished and forward-looking leader to serve as the Director of IT Governance. Reporting directly to the Deputy Chief Information Officer, the Director leads the design, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of Penn State's enterprise-wide IT governance framework spanning all of IT at Penn State.

This is a pivotal role at a defining moment for Penn State IT. As the University advances a multi-year operating model transformation and strengthens alignment between technology investment and institutional strategy, the Director of IT Governance will help establish the decision rights, policies, standards, portfolio practices, and collaborative forums necessary to accelerate strategic outcomes, manage risk, and deliver measurable value to students, faculty, researchers, and staff.

The successful candidate will bring deep expertise in IT governance frameworks, a collaborative and consultative leadership style, and the ability to translate complex governance concepts into practical structures that enable — rather than constrain — innovation across a decentralized, research-intensive university environment.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise IT Governance Strategy and Framework

• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing maturity of a comprehensive IT governance framework that operates at both the enterprise level and within colleges, campuses, and administrative units.
• Define clear decision rights, accountability structures, escalation paths, and authority matrices (e.g., RACI models) for IT investment, architecture, data, security, and service decisions.
• Establish and steward governance bodies and councils — including executive steering committees, architecture review boards, portfolio review forums, and domain working groups — ensuring they are well-charged, appropriately staffed, and outcome-focused.

Policy, Standards, and Compliance

• Direct the development, review, publication, and lifecycle management of University IT policies, standards, procedures, and guidelines in partnership with the Office of Information Security, the Office of General Counsel, Internal Audit, and Research.
• Ensure alignment with applicable regulatory, contractual, and accreditation requirements, including FERPA, HIPAA, GLBA, GDPR, export controls, PCI DSS, and federal research compliance mandates.
• Operationalize policy adoption through clear communication, training, exception-handling processes, and governance-as-a-service support for units.

IT Portfolio and Investment Governance

• Partner with IT portfolio leaders, Finance, and the CIO's office to embed governance into IT portfolio management — including intake, prioritization, stage-gate reviews, benefits realization, and portfolio health reporting.
• Support the evolution of a sustainable IT funding model by providing governance structures that align demand, capacity, and investment decisions across enterprise and unit portfolios.
• Champion data-informed decision-making through governance dashboards, decision trackers, and risk registers that are transparent to senior leadership and University stakeholders.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as a trusted advisor and thought partner to the CIO, Deputy CIO, CISO, IT Senior Leadership team, Strategic Partners and IT stakeholders on matters of governance, policy, and strategic alignment.
• Build and sustain productive relationships with other governance bodies across Penn State.
• Lead change management and communications strategies that socialize governance practices, build literacy, and foster a culture of shared accountability for IT outcomes.

Risk, Performance, and Continuous Improvement

• Establish governance-related performance metrics and maturity models; regularly assess and report on effectiveness to executive leadership.
• Identify governance gaps and risks; recommend and implement improvements using industry-recognized frameworks, adapted thoughtfully to the higher education context.
• Benchmark governance practices against peer R1 research universities and emerging industry standards, incorporating insights from EDUCAUSE, Internet2, and AAU/AAUDE communities.

Team Leadership and Talent Development

• Provide leadership, coaching, and professional development to governance staff and cross-functional team members assigned to governance workstreams.
• Model servant leadership, intellectual humility, and a bias for action in the face of ambiguity.

Qualifications

Required

• Degree in Information Technology, Information Systems, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Progressive leadership experience in IT, with substantial experience focused on IT governance, strategy, policy development, portfolio management, or enterprise architecture.
• Demonstrated success designing and implementing IT governance structures in large, complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Working knowledge of established IT governance and management frameworks (COBIT, ITIL, TOGAF, NIST CSF) and the judgment to apply them pragmatically rather than prescriptively.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and facilitation skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts for executive, academic, and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups, and navigate matrixed and decentralized organizations.
• Experience leading or contributing to enterprise-scale organizational change initiatives.
• Commitment to the mission of public higher education and to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.

Preferred

• Graduate degree in a related discipline, such as Business Administration (MBA), Public Administration (MPA), Information Systems, Information Management (MSIS), or a related field.
• Prior experience in a large, research university, academic medical center, or comparably complex public-sector institution.
• Experience with IT operating model design, service taxonomy, and product management methodologies in addition to traditional ITSM.
• Relevant professional certifications (e.g., COBIT, ITIL Expert/Strategic Leader, TOGAF, CGEIT, PMP, Prosci Change Practitioner).
• Experience with data governance, AI governance, or emerging technology policy development.

Minimum Education, Work Experience & Required Certifications

Bachelor's Degree 8+ years of relevant experience, includes 3+ years of supervisory experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted. Required Certifications: None

WHY PENN STATE

Penn State is a land-grant, top-tier research university with a tradition of excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service. With more than 88,000 students across 24 campuses, a robust online World Campus, and one of the largest alumni networks in the world, Penn State offers a dynamic environment for leaders who want their work to matter at scale.

Penn State IT is investing meaningfully in strategy, architecture, product, and governance capabilities to serve this mission. This role offers the opportunity to shape institutional direction, partner with outstanding colleagues, and build governance practices that will support the University for years to come.

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Salary & Benefits

The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $115,860.00 - $173,844.00.

Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure

Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS

Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

EEO IS THE LAW

Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.