Fast Facts

Lafayette College is seeking a visionary Chief Information Officer to lead digital transformation and align technology resources with institutional goals, enhancing educational services for faculty, students, and staff.

Responsibilities: The CIO will oversee Information Technology Services, lead strategic planning, modernize IT infrastructure, and implement effective governance while supporting academic programs and collaboration across campus.

Skills: Candidates must possess excellent communication skills, strategic planning capabilities, and a deep understanding of emerging technologies in higher education.

Qualifications: An undergraduate degree (graduate preferred) and at least eight years of IT management experience in complex organizations are required for the ideal candidate.

Location: Easton, Pennsylvania, USA

Compensation: Not provided by employer. Typical compensation ranges for this position are between $150,000 - $250,000.

Lafayette College, one of the nation’s premiere undergraduate institutions, seeks a visionary, highly accomplished, and collaborative information-technology leader to serve as its Chief Information Officer. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) will have the opportunity to lead digital transformation, develop capabilities, support academic programs and address infrastructure enhancements across the campus. They will advance Lafayette’s mission by delivering exciting, integrated, secure, and sustainable information, research, data, and administrative services and systems to serve faculty, students, and staff.

Chartered in 1826, Lafayette College is dedicated to excellence in undergraduate education. Students are engaged in a transformative educational experience that bridges the liberal arts, engineering, and interdisciplinary study. The College fosters intellectual inquiry, artistic exploration, scholarship, and personal growth in a vibrant, diverse, and inclusive community. Lafayette students become critical thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and responsible citizens of the world. Read more about Lafayette’s mission, values, and history . 

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration, the CIO will function as an integral part of the senior staff, ensuring that technology investments and priorities align with overall institutional goals, contributing to effective decision-making by the leadership team, and bringing a clear grasp of the College’s opportunities, risks, and challenges to the leadership and staff of ITS.

The CIO leads Information Technology Services (ITS) and stewards Lafayette’s technology strategy , ensuring that resources are well-aligned to advance the College’s strategic direction. ITS is composed of five units—Application and Integration Development, IT Infrastructure and Cybersecurity, ITS Operations, Learning and Research Technologies, and User Services. Across these teams, ITS employs 38 professionals. For FY2025, ITS’ budget included $3.9M in operating expenses and $4.9M in compensation and benefits. The CIO has supervisory responsibilities for 6 direct reports – one executive director, four directors, and an administrative coordinator. In addition to management of the ITS organization, the CIO will collaborate with the leaders of other units on campus to strategically meet their IT needs, including the Lafayette Library and the Registrar’s Office.

Strategic priorities for the incoming CIO include modernizing IT infrastructure & systems, establishing a data-driven decision culture, implementing effective IT governance, solidifying IT’s role as a strategic partner, and guiding the institution through digital change management.  

Qualified candidates must have an undergraduate degree (graduate preferred) and at least eight years of IT management experience, with proven leadership in complex organizations, strategic planning, and enterprise data initiatives. The ideal candidate will demonstrate excellent communication skills, a deep understanding of emerging technologies in higher education, and a commitment to Lafayette College's mission of providing transformative educational experiences within a diverse and inclusive community.

The full position description can be viewed here .

To Apply

Lafayette College has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment, Katie Dean, Partner, Kenna Boyd, Partner and KD Sweaney, Senior Associate, are leading the search. Confidential inquiries, applications, and nominations should be submitted by email to katie.dean@opuspartners.net . Required application materials include a resume and cover letter that addresses the responsibilities and qualifications of the role. The search process will unfold with the greatest possible attention to candidate confidentiality.    

Equal Opportunity at Lafayette College   

Lafayette College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, disability, religion, age, military or veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or familial status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law in its educational programs and activities, admissions, or employment as required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 (which requires that the College not discriminate on the basis of sex); the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (which requires that the College not discriminate on the basis of disability); Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which requires that the College not discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin); and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which requires that the College not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin); and other applicable laws and College policies.