Campus
OSU-Stillwater
Contact Name & Email
Chelsie Whitelock, osucio@buffkinbaker.com
Work Schedule
This position is classified as exempt and requires availability beyond standard business hours to support critical technology operations, institutional priorities, and executive initiatives.
Must be available to respond to after-hours technology incidents, including system outages, cybersecurity events, and other urgent operational disruptions requiring immediate leadership response.
Regular evening and weekend work may be necessary to support system implementations, upgrades, maintenance windows, emergency response, and strategic initiatives.
Appointment Length
Regular Continuous/Until Further Notice
Hiring Range
Commensurate with education and experience
Special Instructions to Applicants
While applications and nominations will be accepted until a successful candidate has been appointed, interested parties are encouraged to submit their materials by June 29, 2026 to receive optimal consideration. Applications (letter of interest addressing the qualifications and responsibilities listed above, current resume, and the names, email addresses and telephone numbers of five references) must be submitted to jobs.okstate.edu, 494407. For additional information, please contact our search consultants at Buffkin / Baker:
Mr. Martin M. Baker
Ms. Chelsie Whitelock
Buffkin/Baker
osucio@buffkinbaker.com
Oklahoma State University
Established in 1890, Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university, fostering student success through a blend of tradition and innovation. OSU’s goal is to become the preeminent land-grant institution in the country through a bold
university strategy. Classified as a Carnegie R1 (Very High Research Activity) university, its leaders are advancing the institution further by supporting excellence across the tripartite mission of student instruction, ground-breaking research, and extending the university’s knowledge and expertise to the communities we serve. OSU has more than 35,000 students and employs more than 7,000 faculty and staff across its system, with students from all 50 states and more than 100 nations.
OSU has five campuses: Stillwater, which includes the College of Veterinary Medicine; OSU-Tulsa; OSU-Oklahoma City; OSU Institute of Technology in Okmulgee; and the OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, which includes the OSU Medical Center. OSU also boasts 16 agricultural experiment stations and 77 county extension offices across the state.
The City of Stillwater provides the perfect setting for a comprehensive research university and is important in attracting top faculty members because of the environment the community provides for OSU employees and their families. With a population of more than 48,000, Stillwater is the quintessential college town. It is the tenth largest city in Oklahoma and is conveniently located between the two largest cities in the state, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. As Stillwater's largest employer, OSU is committed to working with business and city leaders to provide economic development opportunities in Stillwater. The city has a diverse economy with a foundation in aerospace, agribusiness, biotechnology, optoelectronics, printing and publishing, and software and standard manufacturing. Stillwater has been named one of the "6th Fastest Growing Small Towns in America" by Forbes.com and one of the top 100 places to live by CNN/Money Magazine.
About this Position
Oklahoma State University is seeking a visionary and collaborative Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead a dynamic, service-driven technology organization supporting the OSU/A&M System. This role serves as the system-wide CIO, providing strategic and operational leadership for Information Technology (IT) services across OSU campuses, while partnering closely with OSU Center for Health Sciences (CHS) and overseeing enterprise-level services that extend to five additional system institutions.
Reporting to the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, the CIO will work closely with campus IT directors, academic and administrative leaders, and technical teams to deliver innovative, secure, and cost-effective technology solutions. Key areas of collaboration include strategic planning, shared service delivery, technology evaluation, cybersecurity, policy development, digital experience and cost-sharing models.
This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of technology at a leading land-grant institution, ensuring that IT services empower students, faculty, and staff to achieve their goals through the effective use of technology.
Job Responsibilities
The CIO will provide strategic executive leadership that includes operational responsibility for the university's comprehensive information technology, security and cybersecurity programs, including:
Strategic and Operational Leadership
- Provide vision and direction for the development and implementation of technology strategies that support the academic, research, and administrative goals of OSU and the OSU/A&M System.
- Ensure the delivery of reliable, secure, and efficient EIT operations, including:
- Wired and wireless network infrastructure
- Voice and telecommunications systems
- Server and database administration
- Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems
- End-user support (help desk, executive, and deskside services)
- Data center operations
- Application development and support
- IT security and compliance
- Business continuity and disaster recovery
- Collaborate with campus IT directors, department heads, and technical staff to assess needs, plan joint projects and deliver shared services.
- Lead the development of EIT-related policies and conduct risk assessments to ensure compliance with state and federal regulations
- Represent EIT on university and system-wide committees and working groups
- Support efforts to enhance the digital experiences of various constituents
- Leverage emerging technologies to modernize operations and strengthen delivery of core services
- Assist efforts to maximize the use of data to achieve strategic goals across the OSU/A&M System
Personnel Leadership and Development
- Lead and support a team of approximately 100 IT professionals across the Stillwater, Tulsa and Oklahoma City campuses.
- Work closely with EIT directors and managers to:
- Set strategic direction and performance expectations
- Recruit, retain, and develop top EIT talent
- Delegate responsibilities and oversee project execution
- Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement
Financial Management and Budgeting
- Collaborate with EIT leadership to identify and prioritize funding needs for technology initiatives and infrastructure
- Conduct rate structure analysis for telecommunication and ID services
- Identify and implement cost-saving opportunities and operational efficiencies
- Oversee the management of the University Technology Services Fee (UTSF), ensuring transparency through regular reporting and public posting of project and financial information
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's
Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, Management Information Systems, or related field.
(degree must be conferred on or before agreed upon start date)
-
Ten years’ of progressively responsible IT leadership experience, including: strategic planning and execution, managing enterprise-level IT operations, leading cross-functional teams. Demonstrated success in budget management, staff development, vendor relations and contract negotiations, IT governance, Cybersecurity and compliance, digital transformation initiatives, and ability to direct a large-scale information technology organization consisting of decentralized information technology units
- Certifications, Registrations, and/or Licenses:
- Strong leadership and interpersonal skills. Deep understanding of current and emerging technologies. Ability to align IT strategy with institutional goals. Knowledge of regulatory and compliance frameworks (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA, etc.). Knowledge of digital accessibility and requirements. Excellent communication skills require the ability to explain technical concepts to nontechnical individuals. Experience with ERP systems, cloud services, and data governance. Strong customer service orientation.
- Skills, Proficiencies, and/or Knowledge:
- Excellent communication skills requiring the ability to explain technical concepts to nontechnical individuals; evidence of management abilities and leadership; knowledge of cyber security; privacy issues and regulatory compliance; strong customer service orientation
Preferred Qualifications