Home to the curious, brave, and bold, we are determined to do things differently and put student success at the centre of everything we do. We offer transformational education to around 20,000 students and have one of the most international academic communities in the world. We are committed to ‘research-led’ teaching, where every Essex student has direct experience of being a researcher themselves, helping our students develop critical, analytic, and transferable skills. We are proud to be top 25 for research quality in The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2022.
Our Colchester Campus is the largest of our three sites based across the beautiful parkland of Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England’s oldest recorded development. We have a state-of-the-art campus in the bustling lively town centre of Southend-on-Sea, and an additional in our stately home at Loughton. We are a global university, which is proud to play a part in the cultural and economic life of the communities surrounding our campuses.
Technology is integral to most University activities. Our Digital Innovation and Technology Services provide the University of Essex with technology and digital services to support the academic mission of the University and our communities of 35,000 users including students, staff, and researchers with the technology services they require to undertake their roles, in providing “excellence in education and research”.
We are now seeking to appoint an outstanding individual as Chief Information Officer. Reporting to the Deputy Registrar (Infrastructure and Environments), you will lead our Technology Supporting Strategy and help achieve the University’s strategic growth aspirations through digital and technology. You will drive transformational step-change and the development of a ‘digital first’ approach to systems and services with a clear focus on delivering outstanding user experience for our students and staff. There is a need to ensure we have the necessary resources, infrastructure, and systems in place to support teaching and learning, research, and operational activity.
This is a rewarding and challenging post, and we are looking for candidates with significant experience in a leadership role in a large and complex organisation. You will be an inspirational, supportive, and forward-thinking leader who can build resource capacity and raise aspirations to deliver the best service. You will demonstrate a deep understanding of modern digital technologies, driving technology innovations and delivering systems change. Your ability to operate strategically and work in partnership with stakeholders cannot be underestimated.
A full list of duties and responsibilities as well as essential requirements for the post can be found within the attached candidate job pack.
Applications are to be submitted to Veredus (executive search agency) by no later than 5pm on Friday 21 October 2022. Full details regarding the recruitment process can be found on page 10 of the candidate job pack.
At the University of Essex, internationalism and diversity is central to who we are and what we do. We are committed to being a cosmopolitan, internationally oriented university that is welcoming to staff and students from all countries, faiths and backgrounds, where you can find the world in one place.
To support this commitment we have our Global Forum, a staff-led network that promotes and celebrates the rich cultural diversity among Essex staff, and our Colchester campus based Faith Centre, which hosts regular services, meetings and events organised by our chaplains and faith representatives. For more information see: https://www.essex.ac.uk/life/student-facilities/religion-and-faith
Please see the attached job pack, which contains a full job description and person specification, which outlines the full duties, skills, qualifications and experience needed for this role plus more information relating to the post. We recommend you read this information carefully before making an application. Applications should be in this format, but if you would like advice or help in making an application, or need information in a different format, please email the Resourcing Team (resourcing@essex.ac.uk).
*More information: Working at the University