Chief Academic Technology Officer (University Associate Administrator)

$160,000 - $200,000/Yr

CUNY - New York, NY

Full-time - Executive

Remote - New York, NY

Educational Services

About the position

The Chief Academic Technology Officer (CATO) at The City University of New York (CUNY) is a pivotal role within the University Office of Academic Affairs (OAA), responsible for leading the university-wide tactical vision and execution of the academic technology portfolio. This position aims to enhance the instructional environment for faculty and students through the integration of web and media-based learning technologies into the curriculum. The CATO will operationalize and drive all classroom and online education and digital learning initiatives to meet curricular objectives and support teaching, learning, research, and creative activities across multiple modalities. In collaboration with academic and administrative technology leaders across CUNY, the CATO will establish governance and effective use of academic technologies, leverage technological applications and innovations, and facilitate planning efforts that drive the emerging uses of technology. This includes implementing appropriate academic and instructional technology-based enhancements across the curriculum and learning labs, ensuring all systems meet accessibility and operational objectives, and are integrated into the university's technology infrastructure. The CATO will report to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Innovation and work closely with OAA leaders to build the academic technology team and lead the Office of Academic Technology (OAT). The CATO will ensure full deployment, implementation, and integration of academic technologies across multiple platforms, providing training and support services to faculty and students across all CUNY college campuses. They will serve as a key liaison between the system offices of Academic Affairs and Computing and Information Services, advancing the objectives of both areas and leading joint initiatives related to academic strategy informed by technology capacity and opportunities. Additionally, the CATO will cultivate collaborations between faculty and academic administrators to facilitate effective delivery and continuous improvement of the core educational technology environment, including the Learning Management System (LMS) and affiliated technology ecosystems that support over 225,000 students.

Responsibilities

• Lead the operations of systems and services to deliver important academic programs across multiple modalities including credit-bearing, continuing education, and international programs.
• Ensure proper solutions and knowledge management best practices are followed and integrate continual service improvements to refine and improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Manage the adoption, integration, configuration, and deployment of the full-spectrum solution portfolio necessary to ensure student learning.
• Promote partner adoption of learning technologies and manage the analysis of platform and operational data to guide the continuous improvement of the learning experience.
• Manage large vendor relationships and third-party software companies at the system level, while working with CUNY campuses to manage other content and smaller third-party vendors and software/services.
• Create viable business cases for new or expanded technologies, including effort and budget estimates, staffing information, sourcing information, and risk mitigation plans.
• Partner with the Office of Computing and Information Services to objectively evaluate vendors' delivery performance versus schedule, cost, and quality and provide periodic vendor feedback.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree and eight years of relevant experience required.
• Higher education experience and an advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Experience integrating system-wide technologies into teaching and learning processes via implementation projects and initiatives.
• Thorough knowledge of trends in educational technology and higher education industry, including depth on core processes and available technology options.
• Technical acumen to evaluate and recommend academic and instructional technology solutions based on pedagogical value, usability, and integration with technology services.
• Experience with resource forecasting and project delivery methodologies (e.g., agile, predictive).
• Demonstrated leadership of staff in an academic technology-related environment with a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.
• Collaborative leadership and decision-making style to build relationships and influence faculty and academic leaders.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Strong administrative, organizational, negotiation, financial, and project management skills.
• Proficiency using administrative, academic, and financial systems and remote/virtual meeting/conferencing tools.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with educational technology portfolios and projects.
• Ability to develop strategic targets and translate them into successful projects and results.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and third-party software companies.

Benefits

• Salary range of $160,000 - $200,000, commensurate with education, credentials, and experience.
• Range of health plans and competitive retirement/pension benefits.
• Tuition waivers for CUNY graduate study.
• Generous paid time off.
• Access to extensive academic, arts, and athletic programs on campuses.
• Opportunity to participate in a diverse academic community.