Senior Director & Virtual CIO

Collegis Education; Oak Brook (IL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Collegis Education seeks a strategic technology leader to act as a Virtual CIO for partner institutions, aligning technology strategy with business outcomes and overseeing governance, investments, and secure, scalable services.

The role focuses on multi-year roadmaps, cloud adoption, risk management and collaboration with Collegis delivery teams to advance digital transformation in higher education. Significant travel may be required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Advanced degree and/or relevant technology, cloud, infrastructure, security, IT service management, or project/program management certifications are preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the trusted technology advisor and Virtual CIO to assigned partner institutions, building strong relationships with presidents, cabinet members, boards, and other institutional leaders.
• Develop, maintain, and advance multi-year technology strategies and roadmaps aligned with institutional strategic plans, operating priorities, risk posture, and financial objectives.
• Translate institutional goals into prioritized technology initiatives, investment recommendations, and measurable outcomes; provide clear executive-level communication on progress, decisions, risks, and tradeoffs.
• Lead technology governance, portfolio prioritization, and investment planning in partnership with institutional leaders and Collegis delivery teams.
• Provide senior oversight across enterprise infrastructure, cloud services, networking, identity and access management, end-user computing, service desk operations, enterprise applications, data platforms, and related technology services.
• Partner with Collegis Security Services to advance cybersecurity strategy, risk management, compliance, audit readiness, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.
• Guide infrastructure modernization, cloud adoption, resiliency, automation, lifecycle planning, and reduction of technical debt, leveraging Collegis subject-matter experts for design and execution.
• Serve as a senior infrastructure advisor and backup escalation resource within Collegis for complex incidents, partner transitions, infrastructure planning, service recovery, and other organizational needs.
• Connect partner priorities with the appropriate Collegis delivery teams and subject-matter experts; clarify ownership, remove barriers, and eliminate service or delivery concerns as appropriate.
• Monitor service performance, contractual commitments, operational risks, and key initiatives; ensure appropriate transparency to partner leadership and drive continual service improvement using established IT service management practices.
• Lead executive vendor relationships, contract negotiations, technology sourcing, and financial planning to maximize value, manage risk, and optimize technology costs.
• Present technology strategies, budgets, investment recommendations, risks, roadmaps, service performance, and major initiatives to executive leadership, governance committees, and boards as appropriate.
• Lead and mentor matrixed technical teams through influence, fostering collaboration, accountability, knowledge sharing, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support partner onboarding, transitions, renewals, and growth opportunities by providing technology leadership, assessing needs and risks, and ensuring alignment between partner expectations and Collegis capabilities.
• Champion digital transformation and operational improvement initiatives that increase institutional effectiveness, improve technology experiences, and create sustainable business value.

Skills

IT strategy

Executive leadership

Enterprise infrastructure

Technology roadmaps

Executive communication

Budgeting & vendor mgmt

Portfolio management

Higher education domain

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree (IT/CS/Engineering/Business)

Advanced degree or relevant certifications

Job description

In this role, you’ll serve as a strategic technology leader and trusted advisor to Collegis Education partner institutions, helping institutional leaders align technology strategy, digital transformation, and operational priorities with measurable business outcomes.

This role exists to support one or more Collegis Education partner institutions as a Virtual Chief Information Officer by advancing multi-year technology strategies, strengthening IT governance, overseeing technology investments and services, and ensuring solutions are secure, scalable, resilient, financially sustainable, and aligned to the needs of students, faculty, and staff.

What You’ll Do:

• Serve as the trusted technology advisor and Virtual CIO to assigned partner institutions, building strong relationships with presidents, cabinet members, boards, and other institutional leaders.
• Develop, maintain, and advance multi-year technology strategies and roadmaps aligned with institutional strategic plans, operating priorities, risk posture, and financial objectives.
• Translate institutional goals into prioritized technology initiatives, investment recommendations, and measurable outcomes; provide clear executive-level communication on progress, decisions, risks, and tradeoffs.
• Lead technology governance, portfolio prioritization, and investment planning in partnership with institutional leaders and Collegis delivery teams.
• Provide senior oversight across enterprise infrastructure, cloud services, networking, identity and access management, end-user computing, service desk operations, enterprise applications, data platforms, and related technology services.
• Partner with Collegis Security Services to advance cybersecurity strategy, risk management, compliance, audit readiness, disaster recovery, and business continuity planning.
• Guide infrastructure modernization, cloud adoption, resiliency, automation, lifecycle planning, and reduction of technical debt, leveraging Collegis subject-matter experts for design and execution.
• Serve as a senior infrastructure advisor and backup escalation resource within Collegis for complex incidents, partner transitions, infrastructure planning, service recovery, and other organizational needs.
• Connect partner priorities with the appropriate Collegis delivery teams and subject-matter experts; clarify ownership, remove barriers, and eliminate service or delivery concerns as appropriate.
• Monitor service performance, contractual commitments, operational risks, and key initiatives; ensure appropriate transparency to partner leadership and drive continual service improvement using established IT service management practices.
• Lead executive vendor relationships, contract negotiations, technology sourcing, and financial planning to maximize value, manage risk, and optimize technology costs.
• Present technology strategies, budgets, investment recommendations, risks, roadmaps, service performance, and major initiatives to executive leadership, governance committees, and boards as appropriate.
• Lead and mentor matrixed technical teams through influence, fostering collaboration, accountability, knowledge sharing, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support partner onboarding, transitions, renewals, and growth opportunities by providing technology leadership, assessing needs and risks, and ensuring alignment between partner expectations and Collegis capabilities.
• Champion digital transformation and operational improvement initiatives that increase institutional effectiveness, improve technology experiences, and create sustainable business value.

What You’ll Bring: Experience & Skills

• 10+ years of progressive information technology experience, including significant responsibility for technology strategy, operations, service delivery, consulting, or partner leadership.
• 5+ years of leadership experience in a complex enterprise environment, including experience leading through matrixed teams and influencing stakeholders outside of a direct reporting structure.
• Demonstrated depth in enterprise infrastructure and technology operations, with experience across multiple areas such as cloud platforms, networking, identity and access management, end-user computing, data center services, telecommunications, monitoring, disaster recovery, and business continuity.
• Demonstrated success developing technology strategies, infrastructure modernization roadmaps, investment plans, and transformation initiatives that align technology with business or institutional priorities.
• Experience presenting technology strategies, risks, performance information, and investment recommendations to senior executives; experience working with governing boards or executive committees is strongly preferred.
• Strong financial management, budgeting, vendor management, sourcing, and technology investment planning experience.
• Proven ability to manage complex technology portfolios and balance strategic priorities, operational requirements, risk, cost, and resource constraints.
• Experience in higher education, managed services, consulting, or another complex, regulated, mission-driven environment is preferred.
• Exceptional executive communication, relationship management, judgment, facilitation, and strategic planning skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 25%, including periodic on-site presence at assigned partner institutions.

Education & Certifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Advanced degree and/or relevant technology, cloud, infrastructure, security, IT service management, or project/program management certifications are preferred but not required.

Collegis employs team members in a variety of locations across the country, supporting a flexible and distributed workforce. Depending on candidate location, this position may be structured as either remote or hybrid. Candidates located within 60 miles of our Oak Brook, IL office or a partner school will be expected to follow a hybrid schedule, working onsite 2–3 days per week to support collaboration and team engagement, while those outside this radius may work fully remotely. Specific expectations based on location will be discussed during the interview process.

Who We Are:

Collegis Education partners with higher education institutions to deliver technology, marketing, and enrollment solutions that support the full student lifecycle. Our teams work across institutions to improve operations, enhance the student experience, and drive meaningful outcomes for both students and our partners. For more information about Collegis Education, please visit www.collegiseducation.com.

Beware of Scams:

Please note that all inquiries regarding Collegis Education job postings will come from an email domain of @mail.paylocity.com or @collegiseducation.com.

Collegis Education is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, or sexual orientation.