Reports to:

Laura McLeran – vice president for administrative affairs and senior advisor to the president

Direct Reports:

A team of 500+ employees, including direct reports in the following areas:

• Research Services

• Office of Teaching, Learning, and Technology

• Administrative Information Systems

• Enterprise Infrastructure

• Enterprise Services

• Information Security and Policy

• CIO Office - Business and Administration

• OneIT Partnership and Collaboration

• Chief of Staff

Other key relationships:

• Barbara J. Wilson – president

• Kevin Kregel – executive vice president and provost

• Cheryl Reardon – chief human resources officer and associate vice president of human resources

• Terry Johnson – chief financial officer and treasurer

• Bradley Haws – CEO, UI Hospitals & Clinics

• Jamie Jorgensen – vice president for legal affairs and general counsel

• Sarah Hansen – vice president for student life

• David Schwebel – vice president for research

Leadership and Change Management

• Lead teams of IT professionals across multiple departments and specialties, ensuring collaboration, productivity, and alignment with the organization’s overarching goals.

• Guide organizational change initiatives by developing comprehensive strategies for change readiness, actively fostering a culture that embraces transformation at all levels.

• Model leadership behaviors and organization-wide change adaptability by demonstrating commitment to growth, resilience in the face of challenges, and a proactive approach to evolving business needs.

• Manage the structural, cultural, and process aspects of ITS organizational transformation by identifying barriers to change, designing interventions, and leading stakeholders through transitions in systems and practices.

Strategic Planning and Execution

• Develop the overall strategy for ITS and the accompanying roadmap.

• Ensure successful execution of strategic IT initiatives by setting clear objectives, mobilizing resources, and tracking progress against defined outcomes to support the organization’s long-term vision.

• Plan and allocate resources for optimal IT performance by analyzing requirements, budgeting effectively, and deploying staff, hardware, and software to maximize organizational efficiency.

• Evaluate and report on the effectiveness of IT programs and services by collecting and analyzing data, preparing comprehensive reviews, and recommending improvements to ensure alignment with institutional objectives.

• Assess emerging technologies and recommend adoption strategies by conducting market research, evaluating potential benefits and risks, and advising leadership on investments in innovative solutions.

• Advocate for ITS needs and priorities within the institution by representing the department in strategic discussions, securing necessary resources, and communicating the value of technology to organizational stakeholders.

Technical and Operational Excellence

• Implement high-complexity IT projects and services by overseeing planning, execution, monitoring, and completion, ensuring that deliverables meet quality standards and stakeholder requirements.

• Support academic systems that facilitate admissions, financial aid, student records, billing, advising, orientation, student success, faculty, and teaching and learning efforts.

• Deliver service management, support, and training for instructional technologies used campus wide.

• Oversee academic, research, and administrative IT environments by providing strategic direction, managing resources, and supporting the technological needs of each domain to facilitate their unique functions.

• Work closely with the UI Health Care chief information digital officer (CIDO) organization to coordinate and create synergies across campus and UI Health Care.

• Develop policies and standards for IT operations that promote efficiency, security, and compliance, and regularly review and update these guidelines to address emerging risks and opportunities.

• Promote continuous improvement in IT service delivery by evaluating performance, soliciting feedback from users, and implementing best practices to enhance the quality and responsiveness of services.

• Monitor compliance with regulatory and governmental requirements by staying abreast of relevant laws, standards, and policies, and ensuring that all IT activities adhere to mandatory guidelines.

• Continue to collaborate with the academic, research, and administrative partners to understand specific use cases where AI can be harnessed.

Relationship and Partnership Management

• Communicate effectively with colleagues, partners, stakeholders, and leadership by delivering clear, transparent messages, facilitating open dialogue, and ensuring mutual understanding of objectives and expectations.

• Establish and nurture healthy working relationships with internal and external parties, cultivating trust, respect, and effective communication to enhance collaboration and drive shared success.

• Build and maintain partnerships with faculty, staff, vendors, and regulatory or governmental agencies, leveraging these connections to support the institution’s mission and secure necessary resources.

• Coordinate cross-functional IT teams for project success by facilitating collaboration, managing interdependencies, and resolving conflicts to ensure that initiatives are delivered on time and within scope.

Innovation and Research Support

• Foster innovation and support research initiatives by encouraging creative problem-solving, backing pilot projects, and providing infrastructure that enables cutting-edge academic and scientific work.

Within the first 12-18 months, the successful CIO will have:

• Collaborated with multiple groups at the UI to identify ways to enhance value and efficiency through broader technology use.

• Built effective working relationships across the UI, with particular attention to the health care enterprise and the new health care CIO.

• Actively contributed to the university's AI strategic goals by participating in ongoing visioning efforts and assisting with the implementation of various AI initiatives.

10 years of technology leadership experience, operating across multiple information technology functions
Including experience in group-level or division-level technology leadership roles (e.g., CIO, CTO, etc.)

Demonstrated success in leading a significant technology transformation
Efforts that required influence, change management, business orientation, and strategic resource optimization.

Knowledge of academic, research, and administrative IT environments
Those with experience across all three of these missions will be given additional consideration

Operations in a distributed/matrixed academic environment
Those with health system experience will be given additional consideration.

Team leadership experience of organizations of more than 150 employees
Experience, including full-time, contract, and vendor resources.

Academic credentials in a relevant field
Bachelor’s degree required, with a master’s degree or PhD preferred, preferably in STEM fields such as computer science, engineering, or other technical disciplines.

Collaborating and Influencing

• Adapts approach to individuals, anticipating impact of words and actions

• Invites and incorporates the opinions and perspectives of others to achieve alignment

• Pre-empts or resolves conflicts by discussing individual issues with each person

• Seeks to understand the different sides of an issue or disagreement

Driving Results

• Instills a sense of urgency in the team to deliver on goals

• Works to overcome obstacles and/or plans for contingencies

• Checks own and others’ work against required quality standards and recalibrates as needed

• Reviews performance and progress on a regular basis through metrics and KPIs to ensure the team is achieving required results

Acting Strategically

• Creates well-defined plans for own area or team that translate broader organizational goals into decisions or actions

• Considers how critical issues will play out beyond the year

• Thinks through the longer-term implications of decisions and actions

• Adjusts plans to take new information or events into account

The University of Iowa is known for excellence in both the arts and sciences, offering world-class undergraduate, graduate, and professional academic programs in a wide variety of fields. Iowa boasts numerous top ten programs including writing, audiology, nursing, and physician assistant. With more than 200 majors, minors, and certificates, Iowa encourages students to explore across disciplines and many graduate with minors, certificates, or double majors due to cross-college or dual degree programs. The job/graduate school placement rate at Iowa (96%) is 10% higher than the national average. Most of the physicians, dentists, and pharmacists in the state of Iowa are graduates of the UI’s professional colleges.

The University of Iowa is home to a distinguished community of scholars, including more than 1,400 tenured or tenure-track faculty, nearly 1,100 clinical-track faculty, over 50 research-track faculty, and more than 300 instructional-track faculty. Twenty-two current faculty members have been elected to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. In fiscal year 2025, the UI secured $533.7 million in external funding for research, scholarship, and creative activity. Our faculty are leading research on cancer treatment and patient care, advancing brain science and mental health, and building healthier and more resilient communities. Iowa’s world-renowned writing programs continue to shape American literature, with more than 45 Pulitzer Prize winners affiliated with the university. Across the humanities and arts, UI faculty bring expertise and artistry into classrooms, studios, and labs, giving students unparalleled opportunities to learn directly from leading innovations and creators. 

University of Iowa Health Care represents the integrated health care enterprise of the UI, which includes the UI Health Care clinical enterprise, the Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, and UI Physicians. UI Health Care Medical Center on the university campus is one of the largest university-owned teaching hospitals in the United States, and sits adjacent to the Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. UI Health Care is expanding, including the Medical Center Downtown, the brand-new North Liberty campus, and the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, as well as regional expansion in the Iowa Quad Cities, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines markets. UI Health Care’s expansion also includes the recent purchase of Mission Cancer + Blood, adding 21 affiliate faculty to the division and paving the way for a statewide comprehensive cancer care network aimed at keeping high-quality cancer care local for Iowans. The faculty and staff of UI Health Care conduct biomedical research that has led to some of the most important discoveries in the treatment of cancer, heart attack, stroke, eye disease, hearing loss, genetic diseases, birth defects, and many other conditions. Through its educational mission, UI Health Care trains the next generation of global leaders in patient care, medical research, and education.

The University of Iowa is proud to call Iowa City home, a vibrant community located in the rolling hills of southeastern Iowa. As one of only two UNESCO Cities of Literature in the United States, Iowa City blends world-class arts, culture, and entertainment with the energy of a Big Ten university.

Across the I-380 corridor, including Iowa City, Coralville, North Liberty, and Cedar Rapids, you’ll find outstanding schools, safe and welcoming neighborhoods, and a thriving mix of local shops and restaurants, and national retailers. The area’s many miles of biking and hiking trails, scenic state parks, and the Iowa River offer outdoor recreation.

From live music downtown in the summer to lectures, readings, and performances on campus throughout the year, the region offers community events for every interest. Iowa City frequently ranks among the nation’s best places to live, with its combination of opportunity, livability, and community.

Just 20 miles north, Cedar Rapids offers additional amenities and the Eastern Iowa Airport, while major Midwest cities, including Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Omaha, and Minneapolis/St. Paul are within easy driving distance.