ABOUT NCAA:

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a 1,100-institutions membership-driven organization dedicated to safeguarding student-athlete well-being and equipping them with the skills to succeed on the playing field, in the classroom, and throughout life. Founded in 1906 on the principles of regulating the rules of college sport and protecting young athletes, the NCAA has grown to nearly half a million college athletes in 2022. These student-athletes make up 19,886 teams, and 90 championships in 24 sports across three divisions each year which has unanimously positioned the NCAA as the premier college sports organization in the United States.

Headquartered in beautiful quaint Indianapolis, Indiana, this midwestern city is generationally known for its fast cars and blockbuster events but has gained acclaim in recent years for its flourishing culinary and brewing scene and thriving cultural institutions. Favored activities include gondola rides on the canal which capture the city's diversity, mystique, and charm. Or strolling through the White River State Park which is situated across 267 acres and is a popular activity for family recreation and relaxation. As America's only cultural urban state park, this green space provides a unique blend of cultural attractions such as the Indianapolis Zoo, NCAA Hall of Champions, and premier outdoor concert venues.

The NCAA has stayed at the forefront of the changing trends and opportunities regarding health, safety, and gender equality. The NCAA has allocated several resources to the NCAA Sport Science Institute which opened back in 2013 with a mission to spearhead health and safety efforts for student-athletes. In 2014 the Association partnered with the Department of Defense to conduct the most comprehensive study in the history of concussion research, work that continues and is expanding the understanding of how to prevent mild traumatic brain injuries.

The Association also took a stand against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity after several states passed laws that permitted such discrimination in accordance with religious beliefs. In 2016, the Board of Governors announced new requirements for championship host cities that expanded protections against discrimination.

With sights set on the future of college athletics, the NCAA’s biggest priorities are modernizing rules surrounding student-athletes’ use of their name, image, and likeness. In June 2021, governance bodies in all three divisions adopted a uniform interim policy suspending NCAA name, image, and likeness rules for all incoming and current student-athletes in all sports. NCAA leaders are committed to continuing to work alongside Congress to adopt federal legislation to support student-athletes. 

NCAA CORE VALUES:

Leadership

• We actively listen and continually strive to provide vital solutions, counsel and advocacy for student-athletes and intercollegiate athletics.

Inclusion

• We seek and incorporate different perspectives and experiences to drive innovation and impact.

Communication

• We commit to an environment of openness to build trust and make timely decisions.

Collaboration

• We work together, based on mutual respect, to lead and serve our stakeholders.

Accountability

• We take ownership for our actions and results to add value every day.

NCAA MISSION & PRIORITIES:

Academics

• To get the most out of college, student-athletes must succeed on the court and in the classroom. The NCAA provides opportunities to learn, compete and grow on and off the field. The goal of the college experience is graduation, and college athletes are graduating at rates that are higher than ever.

Fairness

• With so much changing in college sports, rule changes are focused on improving the student-ath­lete experience. The NCAA is committed to providing a fair, inclusive and fulfilling environment for student-athletes and giving them a voice in the decision-making process.

Well-Being

• In 1906, the NCAA was founded to keep college athletes safe. The Association is still working hard to protect them physically and mentally. Through its Sport Science Institute, the NCAA provides recommendations and guidelines to ensure college athletes are getting the best care possible.

NCAA INCLUSION STATEMENT:

As a core value, the NCAA believes in and is committed to diversity, inclusion, and gender equity among its student-athletes, coaches, and administrators. They seek to establish and maintain an inclusive culture that fosters equitable participation for student-athletes and career opportunities for coaches and administrators from diverse backgrounds. Diversity and inclusion improve the learning environment for all student-athletes and enhance excellence within the Association.

The NCAA will provide or enable programming and education, which sustains foundations of a diverse and inclusive culture across dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to age, race, sex, class, creed, educational background, religion, gender identity, disability, gender expression, geographical location, income, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, and work experiences. Programming and education also will strive to support equitable laws and practices, increase opportunities for individuals from historically underrepresented groups to participate in intercollegiate athletics at all levels, and enhance hiring practices for all athletics personnel to facilitate more inclusive leadership in intercollegiate athletics.

POSITION:

This Vice President, Chief Technology Officer (the “CTO”) will partner with other senior leaders to integrate planning and service delivery while leading the ongoing commitment to support and promote the strategic use of technology to advance the overall mission of the NCAA and NCAA membership. This position is responsible for leading the development of the technology strategic plan for the Association, managing resources to accomplish the strategic initiatives identified by the plan, developing policies and procedures to support the plan, and providing the necessary technology tools to assist Association employees in providing fast, efficient, and quality service to the membership.

The CTO serves as the senior technology leader for the NCAA providing the vision and leadership for developing and implementing technology strategies and initiatives to minimize duplication of functions and maximize efficiencies. This position is responsible for anticipating and maintaining a vision for future technology needs and for recommending strategies, priorities, and projects that will best achieve the NCAA’s strategic goals and objectives.

The CTO will evaluate opportunities for the implementation of emerging technology to drive innovation in the areas of fan engagement, social media, streaming and internal systems. The CTO will be instrumental in developing the shared technical vision, design, and operation of the technical and product roadmap. They will establish scalable architectures, engineering processes, and best practices for shared services across the NCAA’s ecosystem. The ideal candidate is a tried and tested leader and will serve as a champion for the further immersion of technology across the entirety of the organization through the optimization of the current operation with an eye towards continued innovation.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

• Develop the Association’s technology strategic planning process and develop and implement a strategic information technology plan.

• Allocate and manage the Association’s technology resources to ensure that resources are aligned with the technology plan and staff are fully developed.

• Develop and implement the technical roadmaps in line with company vision and strategy.

• Develop and implement new technologies that yield greater efficiency and effectiveness of current operations with an eye towards building technology infrastructure and capabilities for the future state of the NCAA.

• Provide effective and efficient information access to various constituent groups that meet their individual information or business needs.

• Promote the use of business performance management techniques and performance improvement processes to drive greater productivity and efficiency throughout the national office.

• Ensure key accountability measures and metrics are in place to identify successes, failures, drive new projects and manage key technology assets and functions.

• Maintain an effective technology organization and a positive working environment for technology employees that promotes personal interactions and feedback, creative problem solving, and delivers technology applications that add business value.

• Pursue a deep understanding of user and customer needs through a partnership-driven, proactive approach; serve as a champion for the Technology team.

• Communicate the Association’s strategic technology directions and initiatives to the executive leadership team, staff and membership, and collaborate with stakeholders to source input to ensure the plan is accomplishing its strategic purposes.

• Effectively develop, mentor, motivate and lead technology and project management teams across a variety of functional roles.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven experience as a technology leader, with strategic ownership of technical and engineering direction;

• Experience in a multi-stakeholder or membership services environment preferred, but not required;

• Proven understanding of broad technology trends and the ability to align innovation with business goals;

• Demonstrated success in business planning and budget oversight;

• Proven track record of developing a high-performing team;

• Demonstrated passion for customer needs and experience in building a relationship with them;

• Experience interpreting customer technical needs and market trends along with cutting-edge technologies to satisfy stakeholders;

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment;

• Experience leading deep technical product plans and aligning business strategy and technology delivery;

• Experience serving as a change agent and a strategic thinker that drives meaningful transformation;

• Proven track record of clear communication and proactive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders;

• BSc/BA in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field; MBA or other relevant graduate degree is a plus.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Effective Communication - Can exchange ideas, thoughts, opinions, knowledge, and data so that the message is understood with clarity and purpose.

• Strategic Partnering - Develops networks and builds alliances; collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.

• Executive Presence - Has the ability to inspire others to be assertive in their roles through the consistent demonstration of confidence and clear leadership, has self-awareness and the ability to present oneself in a disciplined yet engaging manner.

• External Awareness - Understands and keeps up to date on local, national, and international policies and trends that impact the association and shapes stakeholders’ views; is aware of the association’s impact on the external environment.

• Stakeholder Focus - Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders, gets first-hand stakeholder information and uses it for improvements in products and services, acts with stakeholders in mind, establishes and maintains effective relationships with stakeholders and gains their trust and respect through honesty, integrity, authenticity, and inclusivity.