Description
Chief Information Officer
Gonzaga University invites nominations and applications for the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO). This is an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished, innovative, and highly collaborative technology leader to help shape the future of a distinguished university at an important moment in its evolution. Rooted in its Catholic, Jesuit, and humanistic tradition, Gonzaga is an exemplary learning community dedicated to preparing students for lives of leadership and service for the common good. The University’s educational mission emphasizes academic excellence, ethical discernment, creativity, innovation, social justice, and the development of the whole person.
The CIO serves as a vice-president position and reports to the Chief Financial Officer at Gonzaga University. The CFO oversees an infrastructure portfolio that includes Finance, Plant and Construction Services, Information Technology Services, and Auxiliary Enterprises. The CIO is a member of the extended Cabinet and regularly engages with the President, other vice-presidents, provost, vice-provosts and academic deans. The University is seeking a leader who can bring vision, sound judgment, and a strong service orientation to this work. The CIO will have the opportunity to build upon an established foundation while developing a clear and cohesive direction for technology across the institution. Working in close partnership with academic and administrative leaders, faculty, staff, students, members of the Information Technology Services organization, and community stakeholders, the next CIO will help ensure that Gonzaga’s investments in technology are strategic, sustainable, secure, and responsive to the evolving needs of the community.
This leadership transition comes at a moment of meaningful possibility. Gonzaga’s current Information Technology Services (ITS) strategy prioritizes strengthening technology governance, enhancing data and analytics capabilities, fostering innovation and collaboration, securing the University’s cyberinfrastructure, developing ITS professionals, and increasing organizational agility. Gonzaga is committed to investing in secure and reliable cyberinfrastructure, optimizing technology service delivery and stewardship, and transforming constituent experiences. The next CIO will be well positioned to assess this foundation, engage the community in determining future priorities, and translate Gonzaga’s ambitions into an integrated and achievable technology roadmap.
The CIO will also lead and support the continued development of a largely centralized Information Technology Services organization comprised of approximately 50 employees and a $14.1 million annual operating budget. The next CIO will inherit a team with broad institutional responsibilities and will have the opportunity to cultivate an inclusive, collaborative, accountable, and service-oriented culture. By investing in people, clarifying roles and priorities, developing leadership capacity, and creating opportunities for professional growth, the CIO can position ITS to serve as an increasingly strategic partner to the University. Equally important will be the CIO’s ability to build relationships across Gonzaga. The University seeks a leader who is visible, approachable, and genuinely interested in understanding the work of others. The most successful candidate will recognize that technology leadership in higher education depends on credibility and partnership. This individual will listen actively, communicate complex issues clearly, welcome multiple perspectives, and help stakeholders reach decisions that balance aspiration with institutional capacity.
Ultimately, the next CIO will help Gonzaga imagine and realize a future in which technology deepens, rather than distances, human connection; expands access to knowledge and opportunity; supports creative and courageous thinking; and advances the University’s enduring commitment to leadership and service for the common good. It is a role for a strategic leader who can combine technological expertise with empathy, integrity, discernment, and an abiding belief in the transformative power of higher education.
NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS
Gonzaga University has retained the services of Dr. Josh Ward at the executive search firm Korn Ferry. To apply for the position, candidates should submit an up-to-date and detailed curriculum vitae, as well as a brief (2-4 pages) letter of interest describing why you are interested in becoming the next Chief Information Officer at Gonzaga University, why you would be successful based on your professional and/or lived experience, and why now is a good time for you to consider this opportunity. For priority consideration, please submit all application materials by November 13, 2026. For a copy of the full-length position description, or to submit your curriculum vitae and letter of interest (as separate PDFs), please contact:
Josh Ward, PhD
Senior Client Partner
Higher Education and Academic Medicine
Korn Ferry
(405) 640-3994
Josh.Ward@KornFerry.com
EEO Statement: Gonzaga University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university. The University does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, or any other non-merit factor in employment, educational programs, or activities which it operates. All University policies, practices, and procedures are consistent with Gonzaga’s Catholic, Jesuit identity and mission statement and comply with federal and state regulations, including Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Required Compensation Disclosure: The salary range for this position is $250,000 to $300,000. Appointment at or near the top of the salary range will be reserved for candidates with exceptional qualifications and demonstrated leadership excellence. Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to education, work experience, certifications, geographic location, etc. This role may be eligible for additional compensation based on merit and/or achievement of specific goals. In addition to salary, Gonzaga University offers benefits such as comprehensive benefits package, tuition waiver and 403b contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements).
