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Title: Associate CIO, Agile Strategy & Delivery Excellence

VP Area: Information Technology Services

Department: Strategy and Engagement

Work Schedule: Fixed daytime hours Monday-Friday

Telework Availability: On-campus Position

FLSA Status: Exempt

Employee Classification: Regular full-time (staff 30+ hours)

Hours per week: 40

Months per year: 12

Job Purpose:

Reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the Associate CIO for Agile Strategy & Delivery Excellence is responsible for architecting and leading a transformation agenda that advances delivery maturity, operational agility, and value realization across Gonzaga University.

As the strategic sponsor for scaling agile practices and implementing best-in-class governance, this leader collaborates with campus leadership and stakeholders to align ITS priorities with institutional objectives, embed a culture of continuous improvement, and drive sustainable performance enhancements.

The Associate CIO ensures transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes for all transformation initiatives. By uniting cross-functional teams under a cohesive vision and executing with disciplined governance, this leader will deliver enduring operational excellence and strategic impact for the university.

With deep expertise in organizational change, delivery excellence, and innovation, the Associate CIO will champion user-centric improvements, accelerate time-to-value, and establish scalable, repeatable frameworks that drive Gonzaga University’s long-term success.

Through the mentorship of high-performing teams, the Associate CIO will instill a vision for excellence, cultivate a culture of agility, and ensure sustainable, scalable delivery at every level

Essential Functions:

• 30% - Agile Delivery Excellence
  • This function is accountable for successful delivery of transformational initiatives on campus by serving as the glue between campus partners, senior leaders, and ITS.
  • Champions the adoption of agile methodologies by embedding scalable frameworks, governance models, and delivery practices across the institution.
  • Develop and operationalize executive reporting, delivery dashboards, and transparent frameworks that connect project outcomes to strategic objectives.
  • Continuously improves delivery maturity, enterprise agility, and measurable value realization. 
• 25% - Agile Strategic Planning and Institutional Alignment
  • Translates institutional priorities into actionable delivery roadmaps and high-impact enterprise backlogs.
  • Governs strategic backlog prioritization to ensure alignment, visibility, and collaboration across academic and administrative units.
  • Facilitates regular planning processes that integrate agile principles and foster collaborative product ownership.
  • Builds trust-based relationships with academic and administrative leaders to ensure alignment and partnership throughout the transformation journey. 
• 10% - Agile Change Management & Continuous Improvement
  • Drives the adoption of transformation initiatives using proven change-management frameworks, such as ADKAR, to embed new mindsets and behaviors.
  • Uses a story based approach to highlight and celebrate the success of transformational initiatives, thus encouraging others to accept the new way of doing things
  • Leverage data-driven insights and proactive stakeholder engagement to deliver measurable, sustainable improvements.
• 15% - Supervision Responsibilities
  • Operates as a key member of the ITS senior leadership team, working cross-functionally to guide and execute the university’s transformation agenda.
  • Leads a team of high-performing transformation and delivery professionals, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation.
  • Provides mentorship, coaching, and role clarity to ensure team alignment with institutional goals and success.
  • Sets clear performance expectations and invest in professional development to build agile leadership capacity across the organization.
• 10% - Division and University Engagement
  • Serves as a key liaison between ITS and other divisions within the university.
  • Builds strong relationships with academic and administrative leaders to understand their needs and ensure the alignment of IT services with university goals.
  • Engages with university committees to represent IT interests and contribute to university-wide initiatives.

• Additional Duties as Assigned by the Department

Educational Requirement:

Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent Experience

Years of Related Experience Requirement:

8+ years

In lieu of the educational qualifications, candidates may qualify with equivalent professional experience at a ratio of one year of experience for each year of required education. 

Skills & Abilities:

• Mastery of agile methodologies, frameworks, and practices, including Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP, Agile Coaching, product-centric delivery, and iterative development.
• Expertise in leveraging Organizational Change Management frameworks (e.g., ADKAR) to drive cultural transformation, stakeholder alignment, and sustained adoption of new ways of working.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in technology or business management.
• Demonstrated experience in higher education.
• PMP, Six Sigma, and/or ITIL certification
• Certifications in relevant Agile and Product Management disciplines, such as:
o Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
o Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
o Certified Scrum Professional (CSP)
o ICAgile Certified Agile Coaching (ICP-ACC)
o ICAgile Certified Team Facilitation (ICP-ATF)
o Product Management certifications (e.g., PMC, PLC, CPM)
• Familiarity with Lean, Design Thinking, or other service management and operational excellence frameworks.
• IT strategic planning and engagement. Evidence of successful implementation of ITIL or similar service management framework.

Physical & On-Campus Requirements:

In-Office Presence - Ability to work on-site in typical office setting and participate in in-person meetings with colleagues: 5 days/week

Standing/Sitting - Ability to remain in a stationary position for a prolonged period: Often (50%-75% of time)

Walking - Ability to move about on foot to accomplish tasks: Rarely (1%-49% of time)

Lifting/Carrying - Ability to move or transport objects up to a specified weight (e.g., 50 pounds): Rarely (1%-49% of time)

Attention to Detail - Ability to focus on detailed tasks for extended periods: Daily (>75% of time)

Problem-Solving - Ability to identify and resolve issues effectively: Daily (>75% of time)

The budgeted salary range that the University reasonably expects to offer for this position: $128,850-$151,000

Pay Range:

Minimum Salary (Annualized 12 months and 40 hours/week): 128850

Midpoint Salary (Annualized 12 months and 40 hours/week): 171800

Maximum Salary (Annualized 12 months and 40 hours/week): 214750

Is this position eligible for relocation reimbursement or a signing bonus?: {bOther10}