UNH begins search for new AVP for CIS

By Lori Wright, Media Relations

UNH has launched its search for a new assistant vice president/CIO for Computing and Information Services (CIS).

The search committee, chaired by Claudia Morner, University librarian, will be working with the national search firm, Korn/Ferry International, who will assist and guide the search process.

Bob Cape, former assistant vice president for Computing and Information Services, left UNH in September 2004 to accept a position at American University in Washington, D.C.

The assistant vice president for CIS will be the chief information officer (CIO) for UNH. The individual will serve as a member of the UNH President's Staff, chair of the UNH Technology Policy and Planning Committee, and as a member of the USNH CIO Council.

The CIO provides leadership for strategic planning, policy development, operational redesign, and ongoing operations for information technology services for the university including academic technology, administrative computing working in collaboration with the University System of New Hampshire, telecommunications, networking, and desktop computing support. CIS at UNH also provides infrastructure and telecommunications services and support to the sister campuses within USNH.

The CIO will lead an organization of 200 professional and operating staff and manage an annual operating budget of over $26 million.

The assistant vice president of CIS position has historically presented unique challenges because of its dual reporting role to the UNH vice president for finance and administration and to USNH. In order to determine if efficiencies could be found, UNH hired an external consultant to provide advice about the position and governance of CIS. As a consequence of that work, an agreement has been reached with USNH that the UNH assistant vice president of CIS will report solely to UNH.

“We found some difficulties with that reporting structure and also with the way in which we govern our independent and shared computing resources. This succession gave us an opportunity to rethink and refine the CIS role into the future for UNH and USNH,” Hart said.

Requirements for the position include a proven success in managing a large, complex service organization; familiarity with major IT equipment vendors, products, and technologies; and master's degree in an appropriate discipline required with a minimum of 10 years management experience in an IT service environment, preferably in a university setting.

The successful candidate should demonstrate excellent interpersonal and communications skills that emphasize collaboration, creative vision, technical competence, project management skills, and sensitivity to the multifaceted nature of IT's role in a complex organizational environment.

The search committee strongly encourages participation in identifying potential candidates for the position. More information about the position can be found at
http://www.ekornferry.com/Library/Process.asp?P=Opportunity&S=XI462
or http://www.unhjobs.com.