Reporting to the Vice-President, Finance & Administration, the Associate Vice-President (AVP), Information Technology (IT) provides senior executive-level strategy and operational oversight for the University’s digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and enterprise systems. The incumbent ensures that IT solutions and data governance support the University’s tricultural mandate and a bilingual, diverse academic community. The Associate Vice-President, Information Technology facilitates equitable access to technology and advances institutional goals through innovative digital strategies. The incumbent oversees the integration of robust technology frameworks to support long-term planning and operational excellence across the University.
Strategic Digital Transformation & Governance - 15%
- Spearheads the development and execution of a comprehensive IT strategic plan that aligns with the University’s mission and tricultural mandate.
- Stewards institutional data assets by implementing rigorous governance frameworks that ensure data integrity, privacy, and security across all platforms.
- Orchestrates the alignment of IT initiatives with academic and administrative priorities to foster a seamless digital experience for students, faculty, and staff.
Enterprise Infrastructure & Cybersecurity Operations - 30%
- Champions the modernization of campus-wide network infrastructure and cloud-based services to support high-performance research and remote learning.
- Synthesizes complex security protocols to protect sensitive institutional data against evolving cyber threats, ensuring compliance with privacy legislation.
- Advocates for the continuous improvement of disaster recovery and business continuity plans to minimize operational risks.
Academic & Administrative Systems Maintenance and Support - 30%
- Spearheads the optimization of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Student Information Systems (SIS) to enhance enrollment, financial aid, and HR workflows.
- Orchestrates the delivery of innovative learning management systems and classroom technologies that support bilingual and Indigenous-focused pedagogy.
- Synthesizes feedback from diverse stakeholders to drive user-centric improvements in administrative software and digital communication tools.
Executive Leadership & Fiscal Stewardship - 15%
- Stewards the IT departmental budget, ensuring strategic allocation of resources for capital projects, vendor contracts, and long-term sustainability.
- Champions a culture of professional excellence by leading recruitment, talent management, and development initiatives within the IT division.
- Synthesizes departmental performance metrics to report on IT efficacy and ROI to the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Governors.
Strategic Partnerships & Vendor Management - 10%
- Advocates for the University’s interests in negotiations with technology vendors and service providers to ensure high-quality service level agreements (SLAs).
- Orchestrates collaborative IT ventures with regional partners and other educational institutions to leverage shared resources and expertise.
- Spearheads the evaluation and adoption of emerging technologies, such as AI and advanced data analytics, to maintain a competitive institutional edge.
Other Duties
Performs other duties within the professional scope and skill level of the position, in full compliance with applicable legislation, university policies, and collective agreements.
Qualifications
- Master's / Graduate Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration (MBA), or in a related field.
- PhD in a related technical or leadership discipline is preferred
- More than ten (10) years of progressive leadership in Information Technology, preferably within a higher education or complex public sector environment.
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) is considered an asset.
- ITIL Master Certification is considered an asset.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) is considered an asset.
- Executive-level written and verbal communication skills and interpersonal skills characterized by high-stakes diplomacy and the ability to cultivate strategic partnerships with the Board of Governors and government officials.
- Demonstrated problem-solving, attention to detail, and conflict resolution skills within a complex administrative setting.
- Excellent organizational and time management skills; ability to meet deadlines.
- Systems-level thinking and conceptual agility to integrate complex financial data with the university’s tricultural mandate and academic mission.
- Advanced strategic communication skills to influence institutional policy and negotiate with high-level internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to convey complex, sensitive admissions decisions to diverse stakeholders with professional diplomacy and empathy.
- Proven discretion and sound judgment when managing highly confidential business, financial, or personnel data.
- Experience in identifying and mitigating financial and operational risks to ensure institutional stability.
- Demonstrated ability to create, manage, and report on departmental budgets, including forecasting future financial needs and resource allocation.
- Knowledge of best practices for securing a large-scale network, protecting sensitive data (e.g., student records, research data, financial information), and responding to security incidents.
- Expertise in designing, configuring, and maintaining complex computer networks, including wired and wireless infrastructure that supports a large and diverse user base.
- Proven ability to manage and maintain servers and operating systems to ensure stable, secure, and high-performing environments for various university services.
- Understanding of the unique requirements for IT systems that support academic functions (e.g., learning platforms, research computing) and administrative operations (e.g., admissions, HR, finance).
- Experience in managing and integrating cloud-based services and infrastructure to support university-wide operations and remote learning.
- Ability to maintain operational calm and direct team resources during peak operational cycles.
- Executive-level crisis management and systemic problem-solving to navigate multifaceted institutional challenges and ensure operational continuity.
- Ability to work fluently (verbal and written) in both official languages, French and English, is an asset.
The official University hours of operation shall be from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, during, and including, the months from September to April, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m Monday through Friday during and including May to August., amounting to thirty-three and three-quarter (33.75) hours per week.
At Laurentian University, we recognize that work-life balance is essential for both personal well-being and professional success. Our policy offers employees some flexibility to better balance personal needs while maintaining effective service delivery.
Laurentian University is an inclusive and welcoming community committed to employment equity. Applications are encouraged from members of equity-seeking communities including women, racialized and Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, and persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities/expressions. Laurentian University’s bilingualism policy provides a provision regarding the language requirement for persons self-identifying as First Nations, Métis or Inuit.
Laurentian University is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free experience to applicants with accessibility needs. Requests for accommodation can be made at any stage during the recruitment process. Please contact Human Resources for more information ([contact details available in the full listing]).
