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OSU-Stillwater

Chelsie Whitelock, osucio@buffkinbaker.com

This position is classified as exempt and requires availability beyond standard business hours to support critical technology operations, institutional priorities, and executive initiatives.
Must be available to respond to after-hours technology incidents, including system outages, cybersecurity events, and other urgent operational disruptions requiring immediate leadership response.
Regular evening and weekend work may be necessary to support system implementations, upgrades, maintenance windows, emergency response, and strategic initiatives.

Regular Continuous/Until Further Notice

Commensurate with education and experience

While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by June 29, 2026 to receive optimal consideration. Applications (letter of interest addressing the qualifications and responsibilities listed above, current resume, and the names, email addresses and telephone numbers of five references) must be submitted to jobs.okstate.edu, 494407. For additional information, please contact our search consultants at Buffkin / Baker:
Mr. Martin M. Baker
Ms. Chelsie Whitelock
Buffkin/Baker
osucio@buffkinbaker.com

Oklahoma State University is seeking a visionary and collaborative Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead a dynamic, service-driven technology organization supporting the OSU/A&M System. This role serves as the system-wide CIO, providing strategic and operational leadership for Information Technology (IT) services across OSU campuses, while partnering closely with OSU Center for Health Sciences (CHS) and overseeing enterprise-level services that extend to five additional system institutions.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the CIO will work closely with campus IT directors, academic and administrative leaders, and technical teams to deliver innovative, secure, and cost-effective technology solutions. Key areas of collaboration include strategic planning, shared service delivery, technology evaluation, cybersecurity, policy development, digital experience and cost-sharing models.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology at a leading land-grant institution, ensuring that IT services empower students, faculty, and staff to achieve their goals through the effective use of technology.

Job Responsibilities

The CIO will provide strategic executive leadership that includes operational responsibility for the university's comprehensive information technology, security and cybersecurity programs, including:

Strategic and Operational Leadership

• Provide vision and direction for the development and implementation of technology strategies that support the academic, research, and administrative goals of OSU and the OSU/A&M System.
• Ensure the delivery of reliable, secure, and efficient EIT operations, including:
• Wired and wireless network infrastructure
• Voice and telecommunications systems
• Server and database administration
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems
• End-user support (help desk, executive, and deskside services)
• Data center operations
• Application development and support
• IT security and compliance
• Business continuity and disaster recovery
• Collaborate with campus IT directors, department heads, and technical staff to assess needs, plan joint projects and deliver shared services.
• Lead the development of EIT-related policies and conduct risk assessments to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations
• Represent EIT on university and system-wide committees and working groups
• Support efforts to enhance the digital experiences of various constituents
• Leverage emerging technologies to modernize operations and strengthen delivery of core services
• Assist efforts to maximize the use of data to achieve strategic goals across the OSU/A&M System

Personnel Leadership and Development

• Lead and support a team of approximately 100 IT professionals across the Stillwater, Tulsa and Oklahoma City campuses.
• Work closely with EIT directors and managers to:
• Set strategic direction and performance expectations
• Recruit, retain, and develop top EIT talent
• Delegate responsibilities and oversee project execution
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement

Financial Management and Budgeting

• Collaborate with EIT leadership to identify and prioritize funding needs for technology initiatives and infrastructure
• Conduct rate structure analysis for telecommunication and ID services
• Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities and operational efficiencies
• Oversee the management of the University Technology Services Fee (UTSF), ensuring transparency through regular reporting and public posting of project and financial information

• Bachelor's
  Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, Management Information Systems, or related field.
  (degree must be conferred on or before agreed upon start date)

• Ten years' of progressively responsible IT leadership experience, including: strategic planning and execution, managing enterprise-level IT operations, leading cross-functional teams. Demonstrated success in budget management, staff development, vendor relations and contract negotiations, IT governance, Cybersecurity and compliance, digital transformation initiatives, and ability to direct a large-scale information technology organization consisting of decentralized information technology units

Certifications, Registrations, and/or Licenses:

• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills. Deep understanding of current and emerging technologies. Ability to align IT strategy with institutional goals. Knowledge of regulatory and compliance frameworks (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, etc.). Knowledge of digital accessibility and requirements. Excellent communication skills require the ability to explain technical concepts to nontechnical individuals. Experience with ERP systems, cloud services, and data governance. Strong customer service orientation.
  

Skills, Proficiencies, and/or Knowledge:

• Excellent communication skills requiring the ability to explain technical concepts to nontechnical individuals; evidence of management abilities and leadership; knowledge of cyber security; privacy issues and regulatory compliance; strong customer service orientation

• Master's
  MBA, Information Systems, Public Administration, Higher Education Leadership, or related field.

• Experience in Higher Education

Certifications, Registrations, and/or Licenses:

• Certification in the areas of cyber security and project management

Skills, Proficiencies, and/or Knowledge: 

• Strong acumen for user experience-focused design and development with proven background in enabling seamless customer-facing and employee digital experiences. Knowledge of data management and governance.

To learn more about this opportunity, please view the Chief Information Officer Leadership Profile.