Assistant Vice President, Digital Strategy & IT Governance

Location: Villanova

Posting Number: S

Position Title:

Assistant Vice President, Digital Strategy & IT Governance Position Type:
Staff

Location:

Villanova, PA Recruitment Type:
Internal/External Applicants

Work Schedule:

full-time/12-months Avg Hours Week Department: 711-UTS - Senior Management Team

Position Summary:

Why work at Villanova?

* Join a mission-driven organization. Since Villanova University's founding in 1842, we have been inspired by the values of truth, unity, and love, and are a community dedicated to service to others.

* Villanova has been included among the nation's best colleges and universities. VU's inclusion again in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" rankings is another indication of the University's continued prominence and forward momentum.

* Villanova's most precious asset is our people. As an employee, you will receive a holistic benefits package, generous paid time off, a competitive retirement savings plan, flexible work options, wellness programs including gym membership, professional development, tuition assistance, and more.

Reporting to the Vice President for Information Technologies and Chief Information Officer, the Assistant Vice President (AVP) for Digital Strategy & IT Governance provides strategic and operational leadership for enterprise digital strategy execution, IT governance, enterprise architecture coordination, portfolio and program management, and institutional technology alignment.

This role serves as an enterprise integrator, ensuring that strategic initiatives, governance processes, and operational priorities are aligned, coordinated, and executed effectively across University Technology Services (UTS) and the broader University.

The AVP is responsible for designing and operationalizing enterprise IT governance frameworks, overseeing the Project Management Office (PMO) and institutional technology portfolio, and ensuring disciplined execution of strategic technology investments. The position strengthens collaboration across infrastructure, enterprise applications, data & analytics, cybersecurity, and academic technology teams to reduce silos and drive measurable institutional value.

Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect, and can contribute to the University's mission and values.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning

* Partner with the CIO to define, implement, and monitor the University IT strategic plan.

* Design and evolve enterprise IT governance structures, standards, and decision-making frameworks.

* Align enterprise architecture and technology roadmaps with institutional priorities and long-term business capabilities.

* Guide strategic evaluation and prioritization of major enterprise systems, platforms, and digital investments.

* Assess emerging technologies (e.g., cloud, AI, data platforms) to inform long-range institutional planning.

* Support enterprise transformation initiatives, including ERP modernization and data strategy advancement.

Operational Excellence

* Oversee the Project Management Office (PMO) and enterprise portfolio management practices.

* Execute enterprise IT governance processes, including initiative intake, evaluation, sequencing, decision gates, and resource allocation cycles.

* Lead recurring portfolio review processes and ensure disciplined project lifecycle management.

* Establish and monitor enterprise performance metrics aligned to strategic plan execution and operational effectiveness.

* Provide executive oversight of program and project controls, including scope management, risk mitigation, financial stewardship, and cross-functional dependency coordination.

* Ensure compliance with institutional IT policies, standards, and regulatory requirements in collaboration with Information Security and other stakeholders.

* Provide transparent reporting and executive visibility into portfolio health, risks, and value realization.

* Oversee institutional technology acquisition workflows in collaboration with Procurement and Legal to ensure governance alignment and fiscal responsibility.

* Provide leadership in…