IT Director, Emerging Technologies

The University of Iowa; Iowa City (IA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 155,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Iowa is seeking an IT Director of Emerging Technologies to shape how our university explores, evaluates, and adopts technologies transforming work, teaching, and research. You will lead a small team, collaborate with faculty, researchers, and IT professionals, and drive pilots with measurable success.

We value curiosity paired with strategy, willingness to experiment, and the ability to distinguish promising technologies from investable opportunities that deliver institutional

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Experience (typically 7 years or more) leading technology-driven projects, including strategic planning and aligning projects/initiatives with organizational priorities.
• Experience successfully managing a team, including mentoring and guiding team members toward achieving collective and individual goals.
• Experience with organizational change management and adapting to rapidly changing environments; ability to communicate and pivot direction.

Responsibilities

• Advance and help influence the University’s roadmap for AI and emerging technologies.
• Identify promising technologies and use cases, and lead structured pilots to evaluate their potential.
• Establish success measures and use evidence to recommend whether initiatives should scale, evolve, or stop.
• Translate fast-moving technology trends into practical recommendations and strategic guidance for University leadership.
• Partner across academic, research, administrative, and IT units to understand needs, share learning, and reduce duplicative effort.
• Lead and develop a team focused on emerging technology while building partnerships with peers in higher education, industry, and other related fields.

Skills

Leadership

Change management

AI knowledge

Data analysis

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Job description

The University of Iowa is seeking an IT Director of Emerging Technologies to help shape how our university explores, evaluates, and adopts the technologies that are changing how we work, teach, learn, and conduct research.

This is a role for someone who is excited about what’s next, while equally interested in determining what’s actually useful, sustainable, and ready to scale. You’ll keep a pulse of rapidly evolving technologies, identify opportunities worth exploring, and turn promising ideas into structured pilots with clear goals and measures of success. d

Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be a significant part of that work, but this role is ultimately about building an institutional approach to emerging technology that encourages experimentation while considering scalability, reliability, risk, cost, user needs, and long-term value.

As Director, you will lead a small team focused on emerging technology and work closely with faculty, researchers, administrative leaders, IT professionals, and university leadership. You’ll seek out innovative work already happening across campus, connect people tackling similar challenges, and help turn isolated experimentation into shared learning and broader opportunities.

Key Job Duties (not all inclusive):

Advance and help influence the University’s roadmap for AI and emerging technologies.

Identify promising technologies and use cases, and then lead structured pilots to evaluate their potential.

Establish success measures and use evidence to recommend whether initiatives should scale, evolve, or stop.

Translate fast-moving technology trends into practical recommendations and strategic guidance for University leadership.

Partner across academic, research, administrative, and IT units to understand needs, share learning, and reduce duplicative effort.

Lead and develop a team focused on emerging technology while building partnerships with peers in higher education, industry, and other related fields.

We are looking for a leader who combines curiosity with strategy; someone willing to experiment, comfortable operating in areas where the answers are not yet obvious, and able to distinguish an interesting technology from an investment that can deliver meaningful institutional value.

There is an expectation that the individual in this position will maintain effective, civil, and respectful working relationships with the University of Iowa campus community and uphold the University’s commitment to creating a welcoming and respectful environment for all.

This position is not eligible for University sponsorship for employment authorization.

Bachelor’s degree in a field relevant to the position, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.

Experience (typically 7 years or more) leading technology-driven projects, including strategic planning and aligning projects/initiatives with organizational priorities.

Experience successfully managing a team, including a demonstrated ability to mentor and guide team members toward achieving collective and individual goals.

Experience with organizational change management and experience in rapidly changing environments; the ability to communicate and pivot direction with the change.

Knowledge of a variety of artificial intelligence tools used for different purposes, and the ability to discern which of those tools and technologies are best suited for different specific use cases.

Experience with data analysis and metrics tracking, with an ability to identify and report project outcomes.

Experience and a deep understanding of stakeholder engagement and relationship building, with the ability to integrate a wide variety of perspectives and priorities into a cohesive direction.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, as well as interpersonal skills.

Keen interest in leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance educational and operational outcomes.

Commitment to fostering a welcoming and respectful work environment.

Desirable Qualifications:

Experience evaluating, piloting, or implementing emerging technologies, including AI, in a complex organization.

Experience assessing new technologies for scalability, risk, sustainability, cost, and/or organizational value, and making recommendations regarding broader adoption.

Experience developing or contributing to an organizational strategy, roadmap, governance model, or framework for AI or other emerging technology.

Experience working in higher education, research, or other highly complex, decentralized organization.

• Classification Title: IT Director
• Appointment Type: Professional and Scientific
• Schedule: Full-time
• Work Modality Options: On Campus, Hybrid within Iowa

Contact Information

The University of Iowa is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment free from discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth and related conditions), disability, genetic information, status as a U.S. veteran, service in the U.S. military, sexual orientation, or associational preferences.

Persons with disabilities who need assistance or accommodations with the application or interview process may contact University Human Resources/Faculty and Staff Disability Services, [phone] or [e-mail] . For jobs in UI Health care, please contact UI Health care Leave & Disability Administration at 319-356-7543 .