Chief Digital & Technology Officer (CDTO)

The University of Sussex is seeking a visionary Chief Digital & Technology Officer (CDTO) to lead the transformation of our digital landscape and drive technological excellence across the University. In these challenging times for the UK education sector, we are This pivotal role offers the opportunity to shape Sussex's future, ensuring we remain at the forefront of innovation, learning, and research.

The CDTO will influence the direction of all aspects of the University’s life and strategies, from the Student Experience to key research and Professional Services deliverables and has budgetary responsibility for circa £13m operational expenditure and is accountable for significant capital investment, in excess of £80m, in technology transformation and modernisation.

Key Responsibilities

• As a member of the UEB participate in developing and enacting Sussex’s long-term planning.
• Lead the development, implementation and delivery of IT/Digital plans, incorporating a costed IT Project Portfolio.Lead the planning of new and existing technology, systems, and applications for continuous support to business and academic operations.
• Provide direction for delivery of the IT Services operating model, organisational structure, and governance processes, ensuring a culture of collaboration, innovation, continuous improvement, and high performance, whilst delivering value for money through university technology expenditure and the IT Project Portfolio.
• Act as SRO for Significant projects including the Network Replacement Project and the Digital Infrastructure Programme etc.
• Balance effectiveness and cost-efficiency in the management of the budget of the IT Services, demonstrating compliance with Value for Money and Return on Investment principles.
• Oversee and ensure the effective implementation of human resources processes for the division, ensuring that operational, legal and financial risks are mitigated.
• Accountable for high quality, stable and resilient IT solutions and customer services to enhance academic, student and research experiences.
• Safeguard the University by leading the approach to cyber security defences and technology risk management, developing and executing robust policies, standards and solutions that protect key assets and data.
• Strategic-level collaboration with other senior leaders in respect of digital, data and AI needs and their intersection with IT for alignment toward Sussex’s strategic goals.
• Evolve and improve the student experience through the digital transformation of our student-facing processes and systems across the student lifecycle and through our marketing teams online platforms.
• Work with campus stakeholders to develop and implement frameworks for the effective management of technology such as IT governance and enterprise architecture.
• Presents on key performance indicators related to the division and prepares reports for Sussex’s senior leaders on the implementation of projects and programs, successes, areas of improvement and overall use of budgets.
• Ensure the optimal and secure usage of institution-wide data to inform and support delivery of university processes and streamline its collection where appropriate to ensure optimal business and system performance, whilst facilitating a move towards objective data-driven decision capabilities.
• Maintain currency on new technologies and platforms, providing direction on all aspects of emerging opportunities and innovation efforts as they relate to organisational strategies, whilst horizon scanning to plan for the operationalization of emerging technologies in the fulfilment of the University’s strategic framework.

Additional Information

The University is committed to equality and valuing diversity, and applications are particularly welcomed from women and black and minority ethnic candidates, who are under-represented in academic posts in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) at Sussex.

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