Associate CIO and Director of Enterprise Portfolio and Transformation

The Associate CIO and Director of Enterprise Portfolio and Transformation provides strategic and operational leadership for the planning, delivery, and adoption of technology and innovation initiatives across the institution. This role manages the IT Services department responsible for project management, organizational change management (specific to IT-related projects), IT training, and advising business partners on vendor selection and services within this portfolio. The Associate CIO and Director of Enterprise Portfolio and Transformation serves as a primary liaison between Information Technology Services (ITS) and business units, driving proactive planning, timeline development, and coordination of delivery. The Associate CIO and Director of Enterprise Portfolio and Transformation promotes strong cross-ITS collaboration and consistent practices that increase transparency, improve delivery, and support successful outcomes for students, faculty, and staff. About The University of New England UNE is Maine's largest private university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study-abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible online offerings. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to positively impact a world full of challenges. We are the state's top provider of health professionals and home to Maine's only medical and dental colleges, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care programs, and nationally recognized programs in the marine sciences, the natural and social sciences, business, the humanities, and the arts. Benefits Overview Multiple health and dental plan options, plus vision coverage. Up to 8% retirement plan match. Generous leave time, including vacation, sick, and personal time, and 12+ holidays per year. Educational benefits : UNE tuition waiver for employees, spouses, and domestic partners UNE tuition waiver for dependents of employees with 1 year of full-time service 50% tuition reduction if less than 1 year of full-time service For more information about our outstanding benefits, please visit: UNE Benefits Overview Responsibilities Enterprise Portfolio, Program, and Project Leadership Lead the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of an enterprise portfolio and program management framework that aligns technology and innovation investments with institutional strategy. Manage the project management team to ensure alignment and delivery expectations are met. Oversee the ITS project and program portfolio, including intake, prioritization, resourcing, scheduling, and status reporting. Establish and maintain standards, templates, and tools for project and program management. Partner with executive sponsors and business owners to define scope, success measures, and value realization for major initiatives. Personally lead select critical strategic projects as needed, while delegating others to team members. Organizational Change Management and IT Training Lead the creation and execution of organizational change management (OCM) strategies that drive adoption of new systems, processes, and innovations. Oversee business process reviews within the scope of technology and innovation initiatives. Develop and manage stakeholder engagement plans, readiness assessments, and impact analyses. Manage the IT training team, ensuring timely, high-quality training programs and deliver. Partner with HR, communications, and business leaders to integrate change management practices into project delivery and institutional culture. Build change management and process improvement capabilities across ITS and the broader organization. Vendor Selection and Management (Portfolio-Specific) Advise business partners on vendor selection and manage vendor relationships and contracts specifically related to technology initiatives within the Director's portfolio. Ensure vendor performance meets defined SLAs, risk requirements, institutional strategy, and budget parameters. Develop and manage strategic vendor partnerships within the portfolio, ensuring alignment with strategy, risk tolerance, and financial sustainability. People Leadership and Team Development Lead, coach and develop a multidisciplinary team of PMs, OCM professionals, analysts, and trainers. Set measurable performance goals, provide ongoing feedback, and support professional development. Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and outcomes-driven team culture. Champion modern practices in portfolio, program, project management, change management, and training, and foster continuous learning. Liaison Responsibilities, Proactive Planning, and Cross ITS Collaboration Serve as a primary ITS liaison to schools, colleges, and administrative units for technology and innovation programs and initiatives. Assist institutional partners with proactive planning, including the development of realistic timelines, dependencies, and coordination of delivery across teams. Promote a culture of partnership between ITS and business units, ensuring that technology projects are co-designed with end users and stakeholders. Provide regular, concise updates to leadership and governance groups on portfolio health, risks, issues, and decisions required. Collaborate with the Center for Emerging Technologies (CET) as an ITS liaison to advance the use of data, analytics, and emerging technologies efforts, including AI-enabled tools, to strengthen portfolio insights, forecasting, risk identification, and executive decision-making. Strategy, Governance, and Continuous Improvement Collaborate with ITS leadership to develop multi-year roadmaps and annual plans that align the enterprise portfolio with institutional strategy. Support technology and data governance processes, including prioritization, risk management, and investment decisions. Establish and track key performance indicators for the portfolio, change management effectiveness, vendor performance, release quality, and training impact, using pragmatic and sustainable approaches. Identify and implement process improvements to reduce duplication and enhance the delivery and user experience of technology services. Additional Responsibilities Participate in special projects and perform other duties as assigned by the VP and CIO. Lead select critical initiatives when needed while delegating operational and project work appropriately to ensure sustainable delivery and strong team development.

Supervision Exercised:

The Director leads a team that may include project managers, change management professionals, business analysts, and trainers. The Director is responsible for setting clear performance expectations, developing and leading operational processes and procedures, delegating responsibilities appropriately, and supporting professional growth and development. The size and composition of the team will be determined based on institutional needs, portfolio requirements, and strategic priorities. Qualifications Bachelor's degree in information technology, business administration, organizational development, or a related field. Significant progressive experience in technology related project and program management, typically seven to ten years, including leadership of complex, cross functional initiatives. Demonstrated experience leading organizational change management efforts tied to technology, process, or organizational transformation. Experience with business process review or process improvement methods. Proven experience managing vendor relationships and contracts for technology products or services. Strong understanding of project and program management methodologies, tools, and best practices, for example PMI, PRINCE2, Agile, or hybrid approaches. Excellent communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to work effectively with senior leaders, technical teams, and nontechnical stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams, build trust, and foster a collaborative work environment. Preferred Qualifications Master's degree in business, information systems, organizational development, or a related field. Experience in higher education or a similarly complex, mission driven organization. Professional certifications such as PMP, PgMP, Prosci or similar change management certification, Lean or Six Sigma, ITIL, or vendor management credentials. Experience standing up or maturing a project management office or enterprise portfolio and program management function. Experience with portfolio management tools and platforms and with service management practices. EEO Statement Summary Consistent with federal and state law and University policy, the University of New England is committed to the fundamental concept of equal opportunity for all of the members of the University community. The University prohibits, and will not tolerate, discrimination in employment, the provision of academic services or in any other area of University life based on race, color, sex, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, ethnicity, genetic information, HIV status, or status as a veteran. Prohibited bias factors should not motivate decisions regarding students, employees, applicants for admission, applicants for employment, contractors, volunteers or participants in and/or users of institutional programs, services, and activities. COVID Vaccination Statement (PLEASE NOTE) Employees in clinical settings must meet the State of Maine's immunization requirements for clinical activity. Additional Note This position is not eligible for H-1B visa sponsorship.