Vice President, Information Services (IS) and Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Job Type:

Vice President, Information Services (IS) and Chief Information Officer (CIO)

The problems facing humanity are daunting. As a research institution devoted to helping make communities across the world safer, healthier, and more prosperous, RAND plays a key role in analyzing public policy issues and developing recommendations to tackle them for high-level government sponsors and the stakeholders that engage with them. This requires cutting-edge analytic computing capabilities, computing that enables high productivity and effective management, and the ability to seamlessly collaborate among dispersed teams and with research sponsors and partners. And it is critical for RAND to remain a trusted government partner by upholding the highest standards of information security.

To accomplish this, RAND's IS team, led by the Vice President, IS and CIO, works in partnership with the rest of RAND's senior leadership, the research divisions, and the other operations departments to ensure RAND has leading IS capabilities. Reporting to the senior vice president of finance and operations, the CIO will have the knowledge and leadership skills to provide world-class information services, including accelerating our efforts to be at the cutting edge of using rapidly advancing AI capabilities.

About RAND

RAND provides critical insights on a wide range of policy issues spanning security, health, education, and much more. Our work is sponsored by governments and nonprofit organizations and is also supported by philanthropy. To uphold our commitment to the public interest and trust in RAND, our research is rigorous and free of commercial, political, and ideological bias; we ensure independence through evidence-based analysis, funding transparency, open publication within the bounds of information security requirements, and conflicts of interest reviews; and we maintain the highest standards of conduct in everything we do.

We foster a culture of inclusiveness, collegiality, teamwork, intellectual openness, and integrity. Combined with our mission, this enables us to attract diverse top-tier research and operations talent who are mission-driven and have the belief that no problem is too big, complex, or controversial to take on.

Position Description

With a focus on setting strategy and leading IS staff to execute to high standards, the CIO is responsible for RAND's information technology infrastructure encompassing on-premises and cloud-based capabilities, information security, business and research applications-including custom analytic applications, data management, a digital "library", and the research software engineering and data science group.

As a senior leader at RAND, the CIO, working with their Leadership Team, will lead the continual evolution of RAND's IS strategy to ensure RAND is leveraging advances in computing and analytic technologies and that it stays well aligned with the strategies and research needs of RAND's research divisions. To do so, the CIO will collaborate closely with stakeholders across RAND to maintain a deep understanding of their business goals, challenges, and technology needs, along with offering new ideas on how technology and other IS capabilities can help them. And the CIO will oversee the deployment of technology solutions, including software, hardware, and cloud services, ensuring they support business objectives. This includes developing, deploying, and sustaining custom applications when merited.

In addition to traditional information technology roles, RAND's IS Department plays a pivotal role in advancing RAND's research capabilities by leveraging cutting-edge computing technologies for analysis. This requires ensuring that the research computing infrastructure, consisting of high-performance computing and specialized analytic applications, can meet all research needs and stays at the cutting edge to enable RAND to offer innovative research. IS also includes RAND's research software engineers, research programmers, and data scientists, all of whom work on research teams and help RAND research teams maximally leverage technology capabilities. In addition, this continual engagement should also lead to the development of ideas for new advanced research information technology solutions offering improved analytic capabilities that can be brought to the research community for more effective or efficient analysis.

Key responsibilities include:

• In collaboration with leaders across RAND, seeking to understand how their organizations operate, their priorities, and their requirements, develop, execute, and evolve an IT strategy that supports overall, division, and department priorities for research capabilities and operational efficiency.

• Driving the IS Team to continuously assess technology and cybersecurity solutions to ensure the organization is well-positioned for the future; lead the development of IT technology and capability roadmaps.

• Serves as the lead IS contact with the vice presidents of RAND research units to maintain awareness of research agendas to provide proactive management and delivery of capabilities.

• Ensure staff across RAND have the IT tools and environment to be productive and effective.

• Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of advanced research computing services, including high-performance computing and AI-based and other advanced applications.

• Develop and maintain AI-based tools, capabilities, and supporting infrastructure to advance research and improve operational efficiency.

• Manage the IT budget and ensure cost-effectiveness of technology investments.

• Oversee IT projects and initiatives, ensuring that they are delivered on time and within budget.

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with external IT vendors and service providers while also strategically managing spend to maximize cost-effectiveness of IT capabilities.

• Lead the IT department, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation; seek ongoing feedback to improve existing services.

• Staying aligned with best practices and standards as they evolve, and in partnership with the Chief Security Officer, ensure the security of all information systems and data and compliance with relevant regulations and standards.

• Oversee the development and implementation of RAND's IT architecture and computing infrastructure and ensure high reliability and resiliency.

• Working with the IS Leadership team and the Office of General Counsel, = review and update all relevant IS policies as needed.

• Hire, retain, and develop top information services talent

• Determine staffing needs and hires new staff.

• Guide the development of department staff, to include training and other developmental activities, to ensure effective career development and effective succession planning.

• Review performance of department staff.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in senior IT leadership roles, ideally encompassing IT operations, analytic application development and support, and data science

• Experience establishing organizational strategies and priorities in partnership with key stakeholders

• Broad knowledge of information technology operations and information security, familiarity with the latest computing capabilities available to enable analysis and for business operations, and deep IT knowledge to manage an IT workforce

• A track record of taking the initiative to prevent or solve problems and to seize new opportunities

• Experience managing an organization with a reputation for providing exceptional customer service

• Proven ability to lead and manage people in the organization to develop their skills and knowledge and achieve high organizational performance.

• Experience with IT budget and project management, including aligning resources with organizational priorities

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal abilities

• Knowledge of cybersecurity and data protection practices and regulatory requirements

Education Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required

• An advanced degree in business, computer science, data science, or a related field is a plus

• Extensive experience with classified operations is preferred

Experience

• 15+ years of progressively responsible IT experience including at least 10 years in management

• Experience working with a highly analytical knowledge-based workforce is preferred

• Experience in a research-oriented not-for-profit, research university, analytically oriented government agency, or technology services firm highly desirable

Security Clearance

Must meet eligibility requirements for access to U.S. government classified information.

Locations

Santa Monica, CA; Arlington, VA; and Pittsburgh, PA. This position offers a hybrid work arrangement.

Occasional travel within the U.S. is required.

Application Review

Review of applications will begin on January 9, 2025.

Salary Range: $370,000 - $490,000

RAND considers a variety of factors when formulating an offer, including but not limited to, the specific role and associated responsibilities; a candidate's work experience, education/training, skills, expertise; and internal equity.The salary range includes base pay plus RAND's sabbatic pay (which provides additional compensation above base pay when vacation is taken). In addition, RAND provides strong benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time-off and more.

Equal Opportunity Employer: race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability/vet