LOCATION: Central Administration-900 Watervliet-Shaker Road
BASIC FUNCTION:
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) serves as the primary visionary and executive technology strategist for the Northeastern Regional Information Center (NERIC), driving digital innovation, operational excellence, and enterprise-wide transformation. Under the general supervision of the Deputy District Superintendent and Chief Operating Officer, the CIO provides strategic oversight and executive leadership for NERIC and its associated programs, services, staffing, and Cooperative Service Agreements (Co-Sers). The CIO is a future-focused, service-minded changemaker equipped with business acumen, dedicated to elevating the organization to its next level of regional and statewide impact. The incumbent leads the design and execution of next-generation technology roadmaps capable of addressing the complex, diverse, and rapidly evolving operational and instructional needs of over 130 school districts in the NERIC region and additionally supporting statewide needs. Anchored in a deep customer service orientation, the CIO oversees a team of 200+ employees that provide over 200 distinct services with a focus on continual improvement. The CIO functions as an executive thought partner to superintendents, technology directors, and instructional leaders, transforming regional technology services into high-value, client-focused solutions that advance student achievement, operational efficiency, and administrative resiliency. As a senior leadership team member, the CIO balances long-term strategic vision with sound fiscal management, modern governance, and comprehensive cyber risk mitigation. The CIO directly supervises NERIC Deputy Directors, aligns divisional priorities with organization-wide Enterprise Goals, and works in tandem with the Assistant Superintendent for NERIC to ensure external district needs, regional initiatives, and statewide educational technology mandates are seamlessly executed. Does related work as required.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provides overall leadership of the NERIC division to ensure effective delivery of services to school districts to support instructional programs across the region;
- Recruits, mentors, and evaluates staff and works with Deputy Directors to supervise specialized personnel (e.g., Network & Systems Technicians, Program Coordinators, Administrators, Systems Analysts, Cybersecurity Specialists, Training Specialists);
- Manages the development, pricing, and structural integrity of technology Cooperative Service Agreements (Co-Sers). Coordinate with New York State Education Department (NYSED) to secure approval for aidable regional technology services;
- Works with leaders to identify, evaluate, and promote the use of current and emerging technologies to support excellence in student learning and to improve services for all stakeholders;
- Facilitates regional advisory committees of district technology leaders to align RIC service offerings with the evolving needs of school districts;
- Oversees enterprise project management, service level agreements, and NERIC deliverables;
- Exercises independent judgment in strategic and tactical planning, development, evaluation, coordination, and maintenance of information and technology systems and related infrastructure throughout the BOCES and component districts;
- Identifies opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce costs, manage enterprise risk, affect positive organizational change, and maximize return on investment;
- Oversees careful management of vendors and vendor contracts, reviewing technical specifications, ensuring Service Level Agreements (SLAs), uptime guarantees, and hardware warranties protect BOCES’ financial investments as well as establishing terms and conditions to meet district needs;
- Establishes technical support workflows and sets strict Service Level Descriptions (SLDs) for internal staff and component districts utilizing BOCES infrastructure, instilling a client-focused service delivery standard;
- Works in collaboration with the Assistant Superintendent of NERIC and statewide RIC Directors on the rollout of major state initiatives;
- Defines and identifies resource requirements and provides scalable solutions related to information and technology systems, including comprehensive risk-management and cybersecurity programs;
- Communicates effectively with board members, district superintendents, administrators, teachers, students, parents, community members, and business partners;
- Ensures organizational compliance with all federal and state regulations related to data security, student privacy (Ed Law 2-d), and operational governance requirements;
- Oversees development and maintenance of instructional technology systems, business analytics, and information management systems, data collection and management, and reporting processes, including policy development and implementation in these areas;
- Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the District Superintendent, Deputy District Superintendent, and Chief Operating Officer as a direct report to them and ultimately to the Board.
- Comprehensive knowledge of enterprise information systems architecture, technology infrastructure, and emerging educational technologies;
- Thorough knowledge of information technology governance, systems planning, and data security/privacy frameworks;
- Thorough knowledge of business acumen, fiscal management, budget development, and governmental procurement;
- Thorough knowledge of change management principles and organizational development within a multi-stakeholder or educational environment;
- Good knowledge of project management and workflow optimization;
- Exceptional written, verbal, and executive presentation skills;
- Ability to champion a customer service orientation and build collaborative relationships with over 100 independent school districts;
- Ability to cast a long-range strategic vision and lead teams through digital transformation.