Chief Operating Officer (Administrator III)

at  California State University

Job no: 545466
Work type: Management (MPP)
Location: San Diego
Categories: MPP, At-Will, Full Time, Information Systems & Technology, Telecommute eligible (work onsite as scheduled and/or as requested and telecommute as scheduled)
The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is essential in overseeing the IT Division’s operational, resource management, and human resources functions. This position is responsible for managing technical outreach and service delivery, ensuring the alignment of IT services with campus needs, and overseeing various services, including project portfolio management, data governance, strategic initiatives, and continuous process improvement. The COO manages IT operations, ensuring alignment with budgetary realities and organizational goals while maintaining compliance with SDSU, CSU, California, and federal laws and policies. Additionally, the role involves close collaboration with senior leadership to drive strategic IT initiatives, enhance community satisfaction, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of IT services across the campus.
The COO provides technical outreach and new services via a two-way integrated channel to understand campus needs, prepare to address them, and disseminate information on progress. The COO establishes and oversees Project Portfolio Management Office services to manage IT Division projects from beginning to end and the overall view of the project portfolio, metrics, health reports, and resourcing.
The COO provides a service and process framework for managing IT Division data governance, service level agreements (SLAs), executive reporting, success metrics, and business process improvement. The COO manages the continuous improvement program for measurement-based service and process improvement, leading IT organizational change management and communication practices.
The COO plays a pivotal role in shaping and executing the IT Division’s strategic initiatives by establishing and maintaining a framework to identify, prioritize, and execute them across the IT Division. This involves leveraging data-driven insights, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and engaging with campus stakeholders to define high-impact goals. The position oversees programs designed to optimize IT service delivery, support digital transformation, and strengthen operational excellence. It focuses on scalability, sustainability, and inclusivity to meet the campus community’s evolving needs while driving strategic priorities forward.
The COO oversees the IT Finance and Administration (ITFA) director and the HR Business Partner, who manages IT HR operations, including recruitment, onboarding, offboarding, performance evaluation, time reporting, volunteers, and all other HR processes. The COO ensures alignment between IT HR strategies and organizational goals, fosters a collaborative work environment, and promotes professional development within the IT Division. Additionally, the COO oversees workforce planning and HR resource allocation, ensuring compliance with the California State University Employees Union (CSUEU) and other personnel guidelines.
The COO works with the VPIT/CIO, Deputy CIO, and IT senior leadership team to lead SDSU in effectively delivering strategic university and IT projects, centers, and initiatives. The COO is a key contributor to the IT Division’s strategic and budgetary planning, achievement of strategic objectives, and continuous improvement activities. The COO is responsible for identifying administrative and technical IT projects to increase efficiencies, enhance client experience/satisfaction, and realize significant cost savings and revenue generation. The COO develops standards and near and long-term goals for improving campus applications and administrative systems.

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY

The IT Division and the OneIT Community provide San Diego State University with the core information technology infrastructure and services that support the university’s learning, research, and outreach mission. The Unit’s mission is inherently a shared services approach to collaboration across our campuses, colleges, administrative, and auxiliary units.
For more information regarding the Information Technology Division, click here.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Doctoral Degree required
• At least 10 years of technology leadership focused on providing IT support and services (overseeing technical support, help desk, and workflow automation).
• At least 5 years of implementing organizational changes to reach key progress indicators defined by an explicit model for collaboration.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with a particular focus on the facilitation of generative discussions that lead to action items tied to clear outcomes.
• Leadership experience in creating and executing resource management plans, including budget allocation, to reach key progress indicators.
• Knowledge and experience in creating strategic and implementation plans for community collaborative frameworks for IT personnel.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience leading strategic initiatives, managing research budgets, and establishing and maintaining relationships with faculty and external consultants.
• Experience with project management, particularly the RACI model for understanding roles and responsibilities, the RVUE model for project prioritization, and using an X-Matrix and Balanced Score Cards for strategic planning and road mapping.
• Experience with IT workflow automation and analytics tools such as ServiceNow
• Senior leadership role in information technology organizations.
• Management experience in higher education focusing on complex multi-divisional information technology collaborations.
• Understanding CSU job titles and career ladders, focusing on examining and understanding IT work in a complex collective bargaining environment.
• Teaching experience in higher education.

Please refer the Job description for details