Vice President & Chief Information Officer

Job Summary The Chief Information Officer (CIO) provides executive leadership for the strategic and operational direction of all information technology functions at Texas Southern University (Texas Southern). The CIO serves as the senior technology officer of the University, with cabinet-level responsibility for ensuring that technology investments, capabilities, and governance align with the Ascend 2030 strategic plan and the institution’s broader mission. The CIO is responsible for the development and execution of the University’s information technology strategy, the modernization of core administrative and academic systems, the security and resilience of the technology environment, and the cultivation of a technology workforce capable of supporting both day-to-day operations and long-term institutional transformation. The role requires balancing immediate operational priorities with multi-year modernization commitments, and partnering closely with academic, financial, and administrative leadership to advance institutional outcomes. Distinguishing Characteristics The CIO will lead the next phase of enterprise technology at Texas Southern, with the opportunity to advance enterprise IT governance, develop distributed technology capability across functional areas, modernize institutional systems including the ERP platform, and lead the integration of advanced technologies including artificial intelligence as set out in strategic plan. Strategic Leadership and Institutional Alignment Provide executive leadership for the development and execution of the University’s information technology strategy, ensuring alignment with the strategic plan and the four guiding priorities: Student Achievement and Outcomes, Academic Research and Innovation, Operational Excellence, and Technology and Artificial Intelligence. Serve as the principal technology advisor to the President, Provost, Chief Administrative Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and the Board of Regents on matters of technology strategy, investment, risk, and capability. Lead institutional decision-making on the modernization of financial, human resources, and information technology systems as called for in the strategic plan, including platform direction for the ERP environment, modernization sequencing, and partner ecosystem strategy. Develop and maintain a multi-year technology roadmap that balances operational stability, modernization, and strategic transformation, with clear accountability mechanisms and measurable outcomes. Represent Texas Southern’s interests in external technology and higher education forums, including the Texas higher education technology community, the HBCU technology leadership network, and relevant state and national higher education organizations. Governance and Institutional Decision‑Making Chair a standing enterprise IT governance forum with cross‑functional representation from Finance, Registrar, Admissions, Financial Aid, Human Resources, Academic Affairs, and Research, providing the institutional venue for technology investment prioritization, risk assessment, and platform‑direction decisions. Develop and maintain enterprise IT policies, standards, and procedures consistent with state of Texas requirements, FERPA, GLBA, HIPAA where applicable, and the University’s compliance and audit posture. Define and execute a technology investment review process that ensures alignment between technology spend, institutional priorities, and measurable outcomes. Lead institutional decision processes for major technology directions, including platform migration evaluations, vendor selection, and architecture decisions, working with business‑side leadership rather than absorbing decisions into the IT organization. Enterprise Applications and ERP Modernization Provide executive sponsorship for the modernization of Texas Southern’s enterprise applications portfolio, with particular emphasis on the Ellucian Banner environment, the institutional reporting and analytics layer, and the integration architecture connecting Banner to the broader application ecosystem. Lead the institutional evaluation of platform direction for the ERP environment, including options across managed cloud, SaaS migration, and hybrid configurations, ensuring that business‑side functional leaders are direct participants in evaluation and decision. Lead the ongoing stewardship of the Banner application environment, including structured documentation, knowledge transfer practices, and longer‑term strategies for configuration alignment with evolving institutional needs and vendor product direction. Manage the strategic relationship with Ellucian as the institution’s primary ERP vendor, including contract structure, escalation paths, roadmap influence, and the establishment of quarterly strategic dialogue alongside the existing operational cadence. Ensure that integration platforms, identity governance, and data services support the institution’s reporting, compliance, and student‑success goals. Security, Risk, and Compliance Ensure the security, integrity, availability, and resilience of Texas Southern’s information assets, technology systems, and data, including federally regulated student records (FERPA), financial aid data, financial systems data, and research data. Maintain a mature information security program covering identity and access management, privileged access controls, vulnerability management, security monitoring and incident response, and security awareness across the institution. Lead the institution’s approach to disaster recovery and business continuity, ensuring documented and tested recovery procedures for critical systems including Banner and dependent applications. Maintain robust institutional visibility into the security posture of hosting, SaaS, and managed‑services providers, with contractual structures that support timely security event communication and shared accountability. Ensure technology compliance with state of Texas requirements (DIR, TAC 202), federal requirements (FERPA, GLBA, where applicable HIPAA), and applicable accreditation and audit requirements. Organization, Talent, and Capability Lead, develop, and inspire the Office of Information Technology, providing direction and mentorship to the OIT leadership team and technology professionals across the Enterprise Engagement, Enterprise Solutions, Enterprise Technology, and Enterprise Applications domains. Build distributed business‑side technology capability by partnering with functional areas (Finance, Registrar, Admissions, Financial Aid, HR, Research) to embed analyst‑level expertise within business units rather than concentrating all technology expertise in OIT. Develop an internal technology training program that builds institutional capability in the use of Banner and adjacent systems, reducing dependence on external consulting and conference‑driven learning. Strengthen structured knowledge‑transfer practices that build durable institutional capability across the technology workforce and partner ecosystem. Cultivate an inclusive, mission‑aligned technology workforce that reflects the diversity and values of the Texas Southern community. Advanced Technology and Innovation Lead Texas Southern’s institutional approach to the integration of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, across academic and operational systems as identified in the strategic plan. Develop a responsible AI governance framework appropriate to a public HBCU institution, addressing academic integrity, research ethics, equity considerations, data privacy, and operational use cases. Identify, evaluate, and pilot emerging technologies that could materially advance student success outcomes, operational efficiency, research productivity, or institutional resilience. Partner with Academic Affairs and faculty leadership to support technology‑enabled teaching, learning, and research, ensuring that institutional infrastructure supports the academic mission. Financial Stewardship and Vendor Management Develop and manage the annual technology budget, identifying opportunities for efficiency, consolidation, and reallocation in support of institutional priorities. Establish a strategic approach to vendor portfolio management, including consolidated procurement strategies, total cost of ownership analysis, and vendor performance accountability. Lead negotiations and structuring of major technology contracts, including hosting, software licensing, professional services, and strategic partnerships, in coordination with Texas Southern procurement and applicable state procurement frameworks. Maintain visibility into the institution’s full technology contract portfolio, including renewals, license footprints, escalations, and contractual obligations regarding security, data, and service levels. Communication and Stakeholder Engagement Communicate technology strategy, priorities, and progress clearly and credibly to a wide range of constituencies including the President’s cabinet, Board of Regents, deans, faculty, students, staff, and external stakeholders. Translate between technical and non‑technical audiences, ensuring that institutional leadership has the information needed to make sound technology investment and direction decisions. Build and maintain effective working relationships across the institution, including the President’s office, the Provost, the Chief Administrative Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller, the Registrar, the Director of Financial Aid, deans of the academic schools, and the Board of Regents. Education Master’s degree from an accredited institution in computer science, information systems, business administration, public administration, engineering, or a related field. Required Qualifications Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible information technology leadership experience, with at least 5 years at the senior executive level (CIO, Deputy CIO, Vice President of IT, or equivalent). Demonstrated experience leading enterprise technology in a higher education institution, including direct accountability for the operation, modernization, or implementation of a higher‑education ERP environment (Ellucian Banner, Workday Student, Oracle PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, or equivalent). Demonstrated experience in establishing and operating enterprise IT governance, including cross‑functional steering committees, technology investment review processes, and institutional decision frameworks. Demonstrated experience managing strategic vendor relationships in higher education, including ERP vendors, managed services providers, and SaaS partners, with accountability for contract structure, performance, and roadmap alignment. Strong working knowledge of information security frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST CSF, SOC2) and applicable higher education regulatory frameworks (FERPA, GLBA, HIPAA where applicable). Experience leading and developing technology organizations with multiple functional domains, including application services, infrastructure, security, end‑user services, and project management. Demonstrated success leading institutional change initiatives in a complex, multi‑stakeholder environment. Preferred Qualifications Direct experience with Ellucian Banner (Finance, Student, Financial Aid, HR), including managed cloud, SaaS, or on‑premises configurations. Experience operating in a public higher education context subject to state reporting, audit, and procurement requirements, with familiarity navigating institutional and regulatory environments comparable to Texas public higher education. Experience at an institution or organization with a mission centered on educational access and economic mobility. Experience leading or sponsoring an institutional ERP modernization, SaaS migration, or major platform transition. Experience establishing or participating in higher education AI governance, advanced analytics, or institutional research and reporting transformation. Industry‑recognized certifications in IT governance, information security, or technology leadership (e.g., CGEIT, CISM, CISSP, EDUCAUSE Leading Change, ITIL). Active engagement in higher education technology professional communities (EDUCAUSE, HBCU CIO Network, Texas higher education CIO community). Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Forward‑looking leadership: The CIO will lead the next chapter of enterprise technology at Texas Southern, advancing governance, business‑side capability, and strategic vendor partnerships. The successful candidate is energized by the opportunity to build durable institutional capabilities and to lead the integration of advanced technologies in service of the University’s mission. This is a forward‑looking role with significant scope to shape outcomes. Strategic patience and operational discipline: The technology decisions ahead of Texas Southern including platform direction, customization remediation, AI integration are multi‑year commitments that do not resolve in any single budget cycle. At the same time, day‑to‑day operations cannot be compromised. The CIO must hold both horizons simultaneously: the discipline to deliver on near‑term commitments and the patience to advance multi‑year transformation through institutional decision cycles. Mission alignment: Texas Southern University’s mission of educational access, leadership development, and economic mobility for the communities it serves is foundational to every institutional decision. The CIO must understand and be energized by this mission, and able to articulate how technology investments and capabilities advance it. Cross‑functional communication and translation: Technology at Texas Southern is a cross‑functional enterprise. The CIO must communicate effectively with cabinet‑level academic and administrative leadership, with deans and department chairs, with functional business leaders in Finance and the Registrar, with faculty and students, with the Board of Regents, and with external state and accreditation bodies. The ability to translate between technical detail and institutional consequence in both directions is essential. Distributed leadership posture: Strengthening business‑side technology capability calls for a CIO who partners with functional leaders in Finance, the Registrar, Admissions, Financial Aid, HR, and Academic Affairs, sharing decision‑making authority and developing technology fluency across the institution. This requires confidence, generosity, and a leadership posture comfortable with shared accountability and are qualities that translate the institution’s collaborative culture into effective technology outcomes. Comfort with open institutional questions: The CIO will lead institutional evaluation of several significant technology directions, including the strategic evolution of the ERP platform, the pace and shape of SaaS adoption, and the approach to integrating artificial intelligence across academic and operational systems. The role calls for the analytical rigor and decision frameworks that enable sound institutional choice, combined with the leadership presence to engage diverse stakeholders constructively. Vendor management sophistication: Texas Southern operates significant vendor relationships, including with Ellucian as its primary ERP partner. The CIO is expected to operate strategic vendor relationships at multiple levels: operational cadence for incident and change management, periodic strategic dialogue on roadmap and platform direction, contract review for commercial structure, and clear escalation channels for material issues. The role calls for sophistication across the broader vendor portfolio as well. Personal resilience and public visibility: Senior technology leadership at a public university is a publicly visible role. The CIO will be accountable for outcomes, present at Board of Regents and cabinet meetings, and visible to faculty, students, and external constituencies. The role requires personal resilience, comfort with public accountability, and the judgment to operate with integrity in a politically and institutionally complex environment. Commitment to people development: Texas Southern’s technology workforce includes experienced staff with deep institutional knowledge, talented newer staff with current technical skills, and partnerships with consulting and managed‑services firms. The CIO is expected to value, develop, and retain this workforce, with attention to knowledge sharing, structured development paths, and the thoughtful integration of partner capabilities alongside internal capability. Working/Environmental Conditions Working conditions involve a standard office environment with frequent interaction with executive leadership, state agencies, auditors, suppliers, and campus stakeholders. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required. Physical demands include prolonged sitting, use of computer equipment, and occasional lifting of materials. Position requires periodic travel for professional development, state procurement and finance conferences, regulatory meetings, and representation of the University before external organizations and governmental entities. This job description is intended to be generic in nature and describe the essential functions of the job. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position. EEO Statement It is the policy of Texas Southern University to provide a work environment that is free from discrimination for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, individuals with disability, sexual orientation, or protected veteran status in its programs, activities, admissions or employment policies. This policy of equal opportunity is strictly observed in all University employment‑related activities such as advertising, recruiting, interviewing, testing, employment training, compensation, promotion, termination, and employment benefits. This policy expressly prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, genetic history, national origin, individuals with disability, age, citizenship status, or protected veteran status. This policy shall be adhered to in accordance with the provisions of all applicable federal, state and local laws, including, but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. #J-18808-Ljbffr