Executive Director Business Innovation and Technology & CIO, University of Washington Facilities
Executive Director & Chief Information Officer for UW Facilities
The University of Washington Department of Facilities (UW Facilities) seeks an innovative and engaging leader to serve as Executive Director of Business Innovation and Technology (BIT) & Chief Information Officer (CIO). BIT is an independent technology, data and process change unit within the UW Facilities department. Its mission is to enable the on-going transformation of UW Facilities’ operations through the effective use of data and digital technologies. Reporting directly to the Vice President for Facilities, the Executive Director oversees data and technology strategies and practices and serves as the CIO for this large and complex department. This position works across departmental and functional lines, developing strong relationships with stakeholders, customers and with central university business and technology providers. As a member of the UW Facilities leadership team, the Executive Director helps envision ways technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and process automation can transform UW Facilities’ operations, building management, sustainability and planning strategies.
The ideal candidate is a change-oriented, creative, analytical problem solver and leader who is equally comfortable leading discussions, forging new relationships and processes, building a team, recommending complex options, participating in iterative decision-making processes, and working on both near-term and long-term planning scenarios.
The Business Innovation and Technology Team
The function of BIT is to accelerate organizational development and maturity in accordance with the foundational tenets for which UW Facilities was re-organized in 2018 – “leveraging data” to drive prudent business decisions to optimize the construction, operations and maintenance, and energy utilization of the University’s facilities. BIT also works across UW Facilities to enable efficient and effective administrative practices and constituent services. The team consists of 26 staff organized into two main groups.
- The Business Solution group focuses on business process design, change management and business intelligence.
- The Information Technology group focuses on application development and administration, operational system support, and IT planning, project management.
BIT works closely with UW’s enterprise IT group and obtains support for networking, security, ERP applications, and data warehouse infrastructure.
Leadership Agenda
The Executive Director and CIO leads strategies to advance innovation across UW Facilities. Accordingly, the position is responsible for the planning, coordination, leadership and management of strategic planning, business intelligence, process improvement and technology services for UW Facilities. Priorities for the Executive Director include:
- Devising an integrated plan that prioritizes major initiatives to meet the department’s process improvement, reporting and technology needs.
- Developing a comprehensive data analytics strategy including data governance, data architecture, technology and organizational capacity.
- Partnering with UW Facilities’ operating units and UW-Information Technology to further adoption of network connected sensors, analytics, and automation in support of energy management, building maintenance, and building operations.
- Better defining BIT’s process improvement and change management services and methods.
- Developing a consistent and transparent process to establish BIT’s strategic and operational priorities in consultation with UW Facilities’ leadership team.
- Leading major technology and process change projects including the migration to a new version of the facilities management system, deployment of a university-wide space management solution and UW Facilities’ implementation of Workday Finance.
- Devising a staffing strategy and organizational plan to enable BIT to deliver the projects and services UW Facilities requires.
- Mentoring and developing the BIT staff and further integrating its diverse competencies.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
The scope of role is wide-ranging and includes strategic to tactical responsibilities including:
- Serving as a key leader in the Facilities organization and continuing to improve performance as a service-oriented, professional, and efficient unit capable of addressing the diverse needs of a growing research campus in a complex stakeholder environment.
- Providing inclusive, strategic leadership and management of the BIT staff, including the management of their professional development and performance.
- Promoting a high-performing and service-oriented culture, with an environment characterized by respect, professionalism, ownership and accountability, diversity, equity and inclusion, pride and recognition, and collaboration.
- Overseeing the development, implementation, integration, optimization, and maintenance of numerous UW Facilities related business services, support, applications and systems, data platforms, and reporting tools to support the effective and efficient execution of UW Facilities’ strategy.
- Planning for future system needs, managing related budgets, providing analysis and advice on operations and processes; evaluating and replacing systems no longer serving UWF’s needs.
- Directing technology teams supporting servers, virtual machines, cloud services, on premise applications, cloud-based applications/Software-as-a-Service, others, as well as endpoint support (workstations, laptops) to over 1000 users.
- Ensuring development and implementation of appropriate data security, risk management, disaster recovery and business continuity planning processes and regular review processes.
- Collaborating with UW-IT on technology architecture, security, and strategy.
Qualifications and Experience
Candidates are required to have a bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 10 years of experience in technology, business intelligence or process improvement, including responsibility for managing an organization with multiple teams or areas of service. Excellent communication skills, experience managing projects, and responsibility for establishing project priorities is also required.
We are interested in meeting candidates with diverse career backgrounds and industry experience. While it is not necessary or expected for candidates to have all of these preferred experiences, strong candidates will have had several of the following experiences:
- Experience leading high performing business services and technical teams through the development and deployment of complex enterprise solutions.
- Proven experience developing strategy and leading projects from requirements definition through implementation.
- Strong communication skills as well as the ability to influence cross functional teams and key decision makers.
- Understanding of data strategy including experience working to establish data governance, data architecture and data integration methods.
- Familiarity with the application of technologies to digitally transform operations and services.
- Familiarity with the key issues in information technology management including data security, software as a service, and other forms of cloud computing.
- Strong people skills: tactful, courteous, respectful, inclusive, and inspirational when engaging with peers, senior leaders, direct reports and all UW staff and other stakeholders, regardless of title or position.
- Dynamic, diplomatic, excellent client service skills and ability to provide effective communication within and outside of the department;
- Champion inclusivity and leverage team-building skills, while emphasizing individual ownership, responsibility and accountability.
- Ability to function in an ambiguous work environment.
- Ability to embrace and lead value-added organizational change.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
About the University of Washington
The University of Washington is one of the nation’s most distinguished educational and research institutions. Ranked in the world’s top 15 universities in measures that include US News & World Report and The Academic Ranking of World Universities, the UW is one of the oldest state-supported institutions of higher education on the Pacific coast. Together, the University’s three campuses in Seattle, Tacoma, and Bothell anchor the Puget Sound region and are firmly established as the pinnacle of the higher education system in Washington State. All three campuses benefit from the region’s Pacific Rim location, from the growth of the Pacific Northwest, and from the growth and dynamism of Seattle.
As one of the world’s preeminent public universities, the UW conducts over $1.4B in funded research annually, and also comprises UW Medicine, a world-class healthcare organization known for its medical discoveries, teaching programs, and compassionate care provided to patients every day. Together, the UW’s three campuses educate over 41,000 undergraduates and 16,000 graduate and professional students. In addition, the UW’s Continuum College programs (online, MOOCs, summer programs, and extension activities) educate more than 55,000 students annually. For additional data about the University, see http://www.washington.edu/about/.
UW staff enjoy outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities and an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty. Seattle is the nation’s fastest-growing city, with a population of approximately 700,000 in the city proper and over two million including surrounding King County. Major corporations headquartered in the Puget Sound area include Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, Nordstrom, Costco, and Weyerhaeuser. Seattle’s average household income is over $60,000, and more than 55% of residents hold a four-year college degree or higher.
The Seattle campus is one of the most iconic settings for a university campus in the country, encompassing 680 acres, 285 buildings with 24 million gross square feet (GSF), 22 miles of campus road & pathways, and two central power plants including seven miles of utility tunnels.
About UW Facilities
UW Facilities manages the University’s buildings, infrastructure, and land through the work of more than 1,100 employees in a variety of fields. This work consists of optimizing the full life cycle of University property from acquisition and development through operations and renewal, while addressing capital reinvestment and advancing sustainability. Concurrently and equally important, UW Facilities has direct responsibility for ensuring the University is ready for business each day. Duties include delivery of capital projects, maintenance and repair, campus utilities infrastructure, custodial services, and safety and transportation programs, providing exceptional service anywhere, anytime in support of the University’s teaching, research, healthcare, and public service missions.
Organizationally, UW Facilities consists of six major units:
- Operations- Maintenance & Construction (buildings and grounds), Campus Operations (building systems), Building Services (custodial and waste management/recycling), Transportation Services,
- Asset Management - Project Delivery Group (PDG), Engineering Services, Campus Architecture and Planning, and Sustainability,
- Finance and Administration – Human Resources, Finance, Procurement & Sourcing, Communications, Campus Stewardship and Capital Budget,
- Campus Utilities and Energy
- Real Estate
- Business Innovation & Technology group - IT, Business Process Management & Analytics.
Please visit the UW Facilities web page for more information: https://facilities.uw.edu/.
To Apply
UW Facilities has retained Next Generation Leadership Partners to assist with the Executive Direction and CIO search. Inquiries and nominations may be made in confidence by contacting Next Generation’s Phil Goldstein phil@nextgenpartnersllc.com. Applicants should email a resume and cover letter to UWFacilities@nextgenpartnersllc.com. For full consideration, applications should be received by March 10th.
Conditions of Employment
The approved compensation range for this position is $170,000 to $200,000.
Regular and predictable attendance is required.
Applicants considered for this position will be required to disclose if they are the subject of any substantiated findings or current investigations related to sexual misconduct at their current employment and past employment. Disclosure is required under Washington state law.
Committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff, the University of Washington will honor your experiences, perspectives and unique identity. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming.
As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here.
The University of Washington is a leader in environmental stewardship & sustainability, and committed to becoming climate neutral.
The University of Washington is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 / 206-543-6452 (tty) or dso@uw.edu.
COVID-19 VACCINATION REQUIREMENT
Employees of the University of Washington are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless a medical or religious exemption is approved. Being fully vaccinated means that an individual is at least two weeks past their final dose of an authorized COVID-19 vaccine regimen. As a condition of employment, newly hired employees will be required to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination. View the Final candidate guide to COVID-19 vaccination requirement webpage for information about the medical or religious exemption process for final candidates.