Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Reports to: President and CEO
Effective Date: July 1, 2024
Department: Technology Products and Services
Job Code: LSAC0561
LSAC’s mission is to advance law and justice by promoting access, equity, and fairness in law school admission and supporting the learning journey from prelaw through practice.
Job Title and Overview
The CIO has complete ownership of development and execution of the organization-wide IT strategy and ensures its integration with the LSAC’s business strategy. The CIO will lead coordination and management of the broad spectrum of projects and services of the organization including development, maintenance, security and support. The incumbent in this role will create a proactive environment in which the technology staff can increase the capacity of information services to support internal and external users including staff, schools, candidates and other users.
As a member of LSAC’s leadership team, the CIO participates in and contributes to overall business model, operating model and business strategy development. The CIO brings a current knowledge and future vision of leveraging information and technology in business model design, business capability performance re-engineering, product and service development.
Essential Job Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. The individual employed in this position will be required to:
• Oversee and coordinate all aspects of service design, development, implementation, quality control, delivery, support and project management of technology-based services, ensuring technology capabilities are delivered reliably, sustainably, cost effectively, securely, and meet and exceed accessibility standards.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight for the design, development, operation and support of IT systems and programs that fulfill the needs of the organization, icluding enterprise architecture management, application management, security and risk management, and infrastructure and operations support management.
• Ensure the IT contributions are delivered with agility based on changing business objectives, goals and strategies.
• Contribute actively to enterprise strategy and business capability strategic planning. Lead the development of the IT strategic plan and roadmap. Ensure integration with the organization’s strategic planning process, and the resulting business strategy and plans.
• Establish active relationships with executive and business unit leaders and members of their teams.
• Act as a trusted advisor to ensure all executive leaders can, with the CIO, make confident decisions about the application of information and technology within their units and across the organization.
• Identify, analyze, and interpret service operation issues and information within the group and communicate the results to senior management.
• Create and foster a collaborative, customer-focused, team-oriented, inclusive environment within the division. Provide leadership, coaching and direction to the IT leadership team and staff.
• Provide recommendations for computer hardware and software needs on an ongoing basis. Ensure an appropriate level of staff support to meet those needs. Guide the preparation of requests for proposals for major capital equipment purchases, consulting and vendor-based services. Establish, communicate and uphold procedures and criteria for evaluating proposals in response to RFP’s providing evaluation and recommending vendor selection.
• Work with outside vendors of technology-based services to identify uses of technology and for support of LSAC systems and services.
• Monitor and stay abreast of innovations and new directions in information systems technology. Assist in preparing recommendations to and working with the appropriate Council governance organization to identify new services and technologies that could be provided by LSAC.
• Provide presentations to the senior management team, Council volunteer committees, advisory groups and the Board of Trustees, as required, to report on current status of initiatives and describe new technology-based services.
• Provide, as part of the senior management team, input into strategic planning for the organization particularly with respect to technology-based services.
• Establish schedules and assignments, monitor workflows, assess personnel and capital equipment needs, and evaluate staff performance as dictated by current personnel guidelines for the Information Services Division.
• Prepare and monitor division-wide operating budget.
• Coordinate workflow needs with other groups to ensure timely and efficient completion of all information systems functions.
• Facilitate information security governance. Oversee and manage a targeted information security awareness training program for all employees, contractors and approved system users, and establish/report metrics to measure the effectiveness of this security training.
• Provide clear risk mitigating directives for projects with components in Technology Services, including the mandatory application of controls. Oversee effective disaster recovery policies and standards to align with the enterprise business continuity management program goals.
• Manage and contain information security incidents and events to protect corporate IT assets, intellectual property, regulated data and the company's reputation.
• Ensure the consistent application of policies and standards across all technology projects, systems and services, including accessibility, privacy, risk management, compliance and business
continuity management.
• Participate and partner with the business leadership team to drive culture change in support of business and technology transformation.
Competencies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Holds a strong sense of accountability for both individual and team objectives.
• Embraces a forward-thinking mindset, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement, creativity and innovation.
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion and establishing a culture of belonging.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to develop and communicate vision that inspires and motivates staff.
• Outstanding ability to build formal and informal professional networks, solicit advice, support and champion collaboration across an organization.
• Demonstrates personal commitment to change through action and words. Mobilizes others to support change through times of stress and uncertainty.
• Ability to communicate ideas or positions in a persuasive manner that builds support or commitment.
• Excellent time management, prioritization, attention to detail and organization skills.
• Excellent analytical and execution skills with proven ability to generate ideas and evaluate future-case scenarios considering the long-term strategic impact while ensuring short-term goals support the longer-term strategy.
• Experience championing accessibility, working closely with legal and accessibility program leadership to ensure ongoing compliance with policies and standards. .
• Handles proprietary and confidential information with exceptional discretion.
Education and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years of information systems and/or technology experience in either business areas or within IT.
• 5 years of leadership responsibilities.
• Preferably 5+ years of experience in related, cross-functional teams or organization-wide programs, influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders effectively across the organization and within complex contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in strategy and strategic planning, organization design and development.
• Preferably proven experience or demonstrated capability in leading large, complex and or transformational initiatives in dynamic environments and taking advantage of opportunities to innovate business models and enable the digitalization of the business.
Additional Information
Supervisory Responsibilities
This role has people management responsibilities.
Position Type
The LSAC standard business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. ET. While these are the standard office hours for LSAC, as an exempt employee, the employee will be expected to work the hours necessary to satisfactorily complete their assignments in a responsible and professional manner.
Work Environment
REMOTE - This job operates in a remote and professional office environment. Whether remote or in-office, this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Travel Requirements
Up to 25% of travel is expected for this position.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee must regularly write, read, and communicate effectively.
Additional Information
Please note that this job description may not contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Job responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.
Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Reports to: President and CEO
Effective Date: July 1, 2024
Department: Technology Products and Services
Job Code: LSAC0561
LSAC’s mission is to advance law and justice by promoting access, equity, and fairness in law school admission and supporting the learning journey from prelaw through practice.
Job Title and Overview
The CIO has complete ownership of development and execution of the organization-wide IT strategy and ensures its integration with the LSAC’s business strategy. The CIO will lead coordination and management of the broad spectrum of projects and services of the organization including development, maintenance, security and support. The incumbent in this role will create a proactive environment in which the technology staff can increase the capacity of information services to support internal and external users including staff, schools, candidates and other users.
As a member of LSAC’s leadership team, the CIO participates in and contributes to overall business model, operating model and business strategy development. The CIO brings a current knowledge and future vision of leveraging information and technology in business model design, business capability performance re-engineering, product and service development.
Essential Job Functions
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position. The individual employed in this position will be required to:
• Oversee and coordinate all aspects of service design, development, implementation, quality control, delivery, support and project management of technology-based services, ensuring technology capabilities are delivered reliably, sustainably, cost effectively, securely, and meet and exceed accessibility standards.
• Provides strategic direction and oversight for the design, development, operation and support of IT systems and programs that fulfill the needs of the organization, icluding enterprise architecture management, application management, security and risk management, and infrastructure and operations support management.
• Ensure the IT contributions are delivered with agility based on changing business objectives, goals and strategies.
• Contribute actively to enterprise strategy and business capability strategic planning. Lead the development of the IT strategic plan and roadmap. Ensure integration with the organization’s strategic planning process, and the resulting business strategy and plans.
• Establishes active relationships with executive and business unit leaders and members of their teams.
• Act as a trusted advisor to ensure all executive leaders can, with the CIO, make confident decisions about the application of information and technology within their units and across the organization.
• Identify, analyze, and interpret service operation issues and information within the group and communicate the results to senior management.
• Create and foster a collaborative, customer-focused, team-oriented, inclusive environment within the division. Provide leadership, coaching and direction to the IT leadership team and staff.
• Provide recommendations for computer hardware and software needs on an ongoing basis. Ensure an appropriate level of staff support to meet those needs. Guide the preparation of requests for proposals for major capital equipment purchases, consulting and vendor-based services. Establish, communicate and uphold procedures and criteria for evaluating proposals in response to RFP’s providing evaluation and recommending vendor selection.
• Work with outside vendors of technology-based services to identify uses of technology and for support of LSAC systems and services.
• Monitor and stay abreast of innovations and new directions in information systems technology. Assist in preparing recommendations to and working with the appropriate Council governance organization to identify new services and technologies that could be provided by LSAC.
• Provide presentations to the senior management team, Council volunteer committees, advisory groups and the Board of Trustees, as required, to report on current status of initiatives and describe new technology-based services.
• Provide, as part of the senior management team, input into strategic planning for the organization particularly with respect to technology-based services.
• Establish schedules and assignments, monitor workflows, assess personnel and capital equipment needs, and evaluate staff performance as dictated by current personnel guidelines for the Information Services Division.
• Prepare and monitor division-wide operating budget.
• Coordinate workflow needs with other groups to ensure timely and efficient completion of all information systems functions.
• Facilitate information security governance. Oversee and manage a targeted information security awareness training program for all employees, contractors and approved system users, and establish/report metrics to measure the effectiveness of this security training.
• Provide clear risk mitigating directives for projects with components in Technology Services, including the mandatory application of controls. Oversee effective disaster recovery policies and standards to align with the enterprise business continuity management program goals.
• Manage and contain information security incidents and events to protect corporate IT assets, intellectual property, regulated data and the company's reputation.
• Ensure the consistent application of policies and standards across all technology projects, systems and services, including accessibility, privacy, risk management, compliance and business
continuity management.
• Participate and partner with the business leadership team to drive culture change in support of business and technology transformation.
Competencies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Holds a strong sense of accountability for both individual and team objectives.
• Embraces a forward-thinking mindset, contributing to a culture of continuous improvement, creativity and innovation.
• Demonstrates a commitment to diversity and inclusion and establishing a culture of belonging.
• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to develop and communicate vision that inspires and motivates staff.
• Outstanding ability to build formal and informal professional networks, solicit advice, support and champion collaboration across an organization.
• Demonstrates personal commitment to change through action and words. Mobilizes others to support change through times of stress and uncertainty.
• Ability to communicate ideas or positions in a persuasive manner that builds support or commitment.
• Excellent time management, prioritization, attention to detail and organization skills.
• Excellent analytical and execution skills with proven ability to generate ideas and evaluate future-case scenarios considering the long-term strategic impact while ensuring short-term goals support the longer-term strategy.
• Experience championing accessibility, working closely with legal and accessibility program leadership to ensure ongoing compliance with policies and standards. .
• Handles proprietary and confidential information with exceptional discretion.
Education and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree required; master’s degree preferred.
• 15+ years of information systems and/or technology experience in either business areas or within IT.
• 5 years of leadership responsibilities.
• Preferably 5+ years of experience in related, cross-functional teams or organization-wide programs, influencing senior-level management and key stakeholders effectively across the organization and within complex contexts.
• Demonstrated experience in strategy and strategic planning, organization design and development.
• Preferably proven experience or demonstrated capability in leading large, complex and or transformational initiatives in dynamic environments and taking advantage of opportunities to innovate business models and enable the digitalization of the business.
Additional Information
Supervisory Responsibilities
This role has people management responsibilities.
Position Type
The LSAC standard business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. ET. While these are the standard office hours for LSAC, as an exempt employee, the employee will be expected to work the hours necessary to satisfactorily complete their assignments in a responsible and professional manner.
Work Environment
REMOTE - This job operates in a remote and professional office environment. Whether remote or in-office, this role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.
Travel Requirements
Up to 25% of travel is expected for this position.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee must regularly write, read, and communicate effectively.
Additional Information
Please note that this job description may not contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Job responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice.
Except as otherwise provided by law, all terms of employment are subject on an at-will basis and can change at any time.
