Applications have closed
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is Canada’s only polytechnic university, proudly serving the South Fraser region for more than 40 years. With campuses in Surrey, Richmond, Langley, and Cloverdale, KPU is deeply connected to the communities it serves and to the diverse cultures, backgrounds, and lived experiences of its students. Through academic excellence, applied learning, innovation, and strong industry and community partnerships, KPU prepares students for meaningful futures.
As an open-access university, KPU is powered by the people who live and work here. We believe every employee plays a meaningful role in supporting student learning and success. We are honoured to carry the name of the Kwantlen First Nation and are committed to equity, inclusion, reconciliation, and respectful relationships. As one of BC’s Top Employers, KPU is dedicated to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and engaged workplace where employees feel valued, connected to purpose, and empowered to make an impact.
We invite you to explore your next career opportunity at KPU and discover how your work can contribute to a university where thought truly meets action.
Competition ID: 4609
Internal Closing Date: June 5, 2026
External Closing Date: June 5, 2026
# of Openings: 1
- Salary Information:
16 – Administrative Salary Grid – $134,660 to $206,478
Employment Type: Permanent Full Time
Workplace Type: Hybrid
Travel Frequency: Occasional travel between campuses is required.
Employee Group: Administration/Management
Days of Work (BCGEU):
Hours of Work (BCGEU):
Hours per Week (BCGEU):
The Opportunity: Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)
Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and forward-thinking Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead enterprise-wide technology strategy, innovation, and digital transformation during an exciting period of institutional growth and momentum.
Reporting to the Vice President, Administration, the CIO is KPU’s most senior technology leader, responsible for aligning technology with the university’s academic and administrative priorities. This role provides leadership across all aspects of the IT portfolio, including enterprise systems, cybersecurity, infrastructure, data management, and emerging technologies—ensuring secure, reliable, and high-performing technology services across a dynamic multi-campus institution.
This is an opportunity for a visionary leader to build upon the strong foundation already established within KPU’s Information Technology division and continue advancing the university’s technology landscape in thoughtful, innovative, and sustainable ways. The CIO will play a key role in shaping the future of digital transformation at KPU, including the exploration and integration of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), while balancing innovation with operational realities, resource considerations, and institutional priorities.
As a key member of the senior leadership team, the CIO works closely with executive leadership, academic and administrative partner departments, and the Board of Governors—translating complex technical concepts, risks, and opportunities into clear, strategic insight and actionable direction. This role requires a highly collaborative leader who can build strong relationships across the university and effectively partner with diverse key parties to advance shared institutional goals.
At KPU, we are committed to accessible, applied, and inclusive education. The CIO plays a critical role in enabling this mission—ensuring our digital ecosystem supports teaching, learning, research, service excellence, and operational effectiveness across the university community.
Who We Are Looking For
We are seeking a collaborative, people-centered, and strategic technology leader with a proven ability to lead large-scale IT operations and transformation in complex environments.
The successful candidate will bring a Master’s degree in Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, along with significant senior leadership experience (typically 15+ years) across both industry and public sector settings. Experience in post-secondary education and unionized environments is considered an asset.
You are a strong and thoughtful leader who values relationship-building, collaboration, and team development. You recognize the importance of fostering an environment where employees feel respected, supported, and empowered to contribute. You bring an authentic appreciation for teams with deep institutional knowledge and understand how to lead in a way that celebrates people, builds trust, and creates stability through periods of change and growth.
You are excited by the opportunities that digital transformation and emerging technologies can bring to an organization and have demonstrated experience advancing innovation in practical, sustainable, and strategic ways. You understand how to balance visionary thinking with operational realities, fiscal responsibility, risk management, and institutional priorities.
You demonstrate the ability to:
- Lead enterprise technology strategy and digital transformation by developing and executing multi-year IT plans aligned with institutional priorities, driving innovation, modernizing systems and infrastructure, and advancing the thoughtful adoption of emerging technologies, including AI
- Build strong collaborative partnerships across the organization by working closely with academic and administrative leaders, partner departments, and external organizations to advance shared priorities and support institutional success
- Lead and support high-performing teams by fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, continuous improvement, and service excellence while mentoring and empowering employees through change
- Strengthen cybersecurity, risk management, and compliance by overseeing robust frameworks for data security, incident response, business continuity, and regulatory compliance, while advising leadership on emerging risks and mitigation strategies
- Deliver operational excellence in IT services through strategic planning, budgeting, prioritization, and continuous improvement, ensuring reliable, sustainable, and cost-effective technology solutions
- Lead organizational change effectively by guiding complex initiatives with a calm, thoughtful, and solutions-focused approach that builds trust and engagement across diverse key parties
- Communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively by translating technology risks, opportunities, and strategies into actionable insights for non-technical audiences, executive leadership, and governance bodies
You bring deep expertise across enterprise systems, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data management, along with strong capabilities in vendor management, strategic sourcing, and IT governance.
You are an effective communicator, collaborative partner, and trusted advisor who can build confidence and strong working relationships across all levels of the university community.
Salary Information
The above compensation range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. Typically, initial salary placement is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum. This represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and approximately halfway of the salary range for a job with consideration given to internal equity.
Want to know more?
Application Process
To apply for this opportunity, please submit your cover letter and resume as one document via KPU’s Career Centre.
Total Rewards
As a part of our total rewards offerings, KPU also offers extended health and dental benefits, healthcare spending account, generous vacation package, defined pension plan, parenthood top-up, sick leave, long-term disability, life insurance, professional development days, tuition waiver, inhouse training & development, inter-campus transportation, and more!
Note: Eligibility requirements apply, benefits may vary depending on the employee group the position belongs to and whether the position offered is temporary or part-time.
Visit https://www.kpu.ca/hr for more information on KPU’s workplace, culture and total rewards.
Note to Applicants
Kwantlen Polytechnic University welcomes and encourages applications from equity deserving groups and diverse experiences including, but not limited to, Indigenous people, racialized people, people with disabilities, and members of the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community.
If there are any barriers that you are experiencing or an accommodation that we can provide to support you through the application process, please reach out to us at talentacquisition@kpu.ca.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of employees, students, and the general public, and upholding the reputation and integrity of the University. For this reason, final applicants will be asked to undergo a background check.
We thank all applicants for their interest in employment with KPU. Only candidates who are legally eligible to work in Canada will be considered; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
C1IO
