What To Consider When Hiring A Chief Technology Officer

But it’s not all about keeping the lights on, you’re expected to generate revenue and promote growth for the company. The products and services you create need to be sold to and used by clients, this means working with other departments. You need a complete understanding of how business works, it’s not enough to just be great with technology, you must appreciate and understand sales, marketing, HR, support and finance to name a few. You need to understand how each department can help your team and also the company as a whole. It’s like playing chess, aligning the pieces into the correct position in order to succeed. Those who choose this career path typically start out in a programming or software development role.

  • A CTO of a startup will need to lead exceedingly diverse initiatives.
  • For example, Jenny Peng told us about her transition from CIO to CTO at Aptean.
  • They also monitor these standards and practices, making adjustments based on changing circumstances or company activities.
  • As executive roles go it’s pretty new, becoming more common over the last 10–15 years as technology requirements have increased.
  • Like any effective marketing tool, the final purpose of the job description is to have qualified readers take the next step in your hiring process.
  • Built In Seattle is the online community for Seattle startups and tech companies.
  • Technology Research and Development is a very important responsibility for a Chief Technology Officer in a company.

According to McKinsey, every company needs one if it wants to adapt, innovate, and thrive. Read on to indulge that inner strategist and get planning the next big step in your career. The average salary for a CTO with 7+ years of experience is $226,000. The average additional cash compensation for a CTO in Seattle is $69,286. CTO salaries are based on responses gathered by Built In from anonymous CTO employees in Seattle. Keep up with the latest advice and insights from CIOs and IT leaders.

Job Description For A Vice President Of Information Technology

Large companies tend to prefer candidates with an MBA or a master’s degree and previous experience in a technical role. Chief technology officers, or CTOs, are responsible for driving innovation and keeping the business ahead of the technology curve. This role requires continuous learning, technical know-how and extensive experience in IT management or a related field. The introduction of the CTO job description is where you provide an overview of the company. Write about how your company serves its customers, what makes it stand out, and its overall values and culture. The intro also serves as a place to market your company to candidates, so make the most of these three or four sentences by highlighting any industry awards your company has received, industry leadership positions, and customer recognitions.

what does chief technology officer do

Talk to executives and department heads in other areas of the business to better understand what tech challenges are coming down the track. If your industry is expected to be impacted by the switch to 5G, you’ll likely need a CTO with additional skills related to change management. If you work in online commerce, your CTO will need to demonstrate strategic thinking to develop user experience .

If you find a job that meets your needs, ask the company’s management how they see this role. For example, they may need to implement new technologies in a way that will reduce the time to market for products or services. Therefore, they must possess strong decision-making and problem-solving skills, as well as a good understanding of the business as a whole. As a CTO, you will support various departments within an organization, including the research and development team, sales teams, technical teams and so on.

Chief Technology Officer Lead Education And Training

While CIOs and IT leaders traditionally reported up through finance, that has become less common. This is also often a signal to job-hunting CIOs of a progressive organization, recruiters say. « In short, » Kelly adds, « today’s IT leaders need to be culturally competent as much as they are technically competent. » Technology Research and Development is a very important responsibility for a Chief Technology Officer in a company. Technology thrives on innovation and every year there are lots of new trends in the tech world. It’s the responsibility of the CTO to keep an eye on these trends and watch the external market to provide the best competitive advantage to their company.

what does chief technology officer do

Job Description In the modern workplace, it is imperative that technology works both effectively and reliably. Computer and information systems managers play a vital role in the implementation of technology within their organizations. They do everything from helping to construct a business plan to overseeing network security to directing Internet operations. Computer and information systems managers plan, coordinate, and direct research and facilitate the computer-related activities of firms.

How Much Does A Cto Chief Technology Officer Make In Seattle?

But it’s also important to bear in mind that a traditional education does not always mean the candidate is right. Indeed, you could be missing out on quality executives from marginalized racial, socioeconomic, or neurodivergent backgrounds who may not have had access to tertiary-level education. Particularly in tech fields, this has become a sign of a valuable, committed, and creative mindset.

what does chief technology officer do

They organize and present press conferences to highlight new technologies or products offered by their organizations and manage negative publicity related to the company’s technologies. Additionally, many serve as liaisons between customers and their organizations, reviewing customer concerns and integrating them into future development projects. A/E/C executives access six figure construction jobs , architect jobs, civil engineering job and facility manager jobs. Salaries for chief technology officers can vary widely based on industry, a company’s size, and the CTO’s level of experience.

What Do You Need To Be A Cto?

I can count on one hand the amount of people I’ve met at CTO networking events that are not white men. Approx 18% of CTOs world wide are women, this simply isn’t good enough. The best teams I’ve had around me had a diverse mix of people and I’ve needed that balance to challenge me and hold me accountable.

For example, Jack Clare serves as chief information and strategy officer for Dunkin’ Brands. Similarly, James Swanson serves as SVP/CIO and head of digital transformation for Bayer Crop Science. While on the CIO career path, you should also prioritize caring for your what does chief technology officer do professional network, advises Deborah Gelch, CIO of Curry College. « If you don’t have a robust network of IT professionals with every aspect of the IT skill set, develop that team now. These colleagues will be your future hires, consultants, and vendors, » she says.

For example, organizations bring a CTO on board during or immediately following digital transformation. This process sees the wholesale digitization or update of business processes and may change the way a company is organized. It requires the oversight of a professional who can plan and execute such a process, in addition to identifying whether a technological solution is appropriate, cost-effective, and helps the organization meet its goals in the long run.

Gain Relevant Work And Industry Experience

As they gain experience, they move up the ranks into a senior role, such as chief information officer . Those who excel in their roles and continue their education climb the career ladder and may be promoted as CTOs. A key part of the candidate experience includes education to some extent. For a CTO, this might be a bachelor’s degree in a tech field or certifications in ethical hacking and networking.

Prior experience as a senior engineering leader overseeing architecture and engineering for enterprise-wide technology platforms and leading SaaS technology platforms. Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, information systems or related field (master’s degree preferred). Strong communication with ability to convey technical topics in easy-to-understand business terms and work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and external partners. The CTO is part of the executive team, so anyone interested in the role probably understands the need to be flexible when it comes to work hours. Also, depending on the types of projects that the company undertakes, the CTO may need to work during early mornings, evenings, or weekends to oversee IT projects that would interrupt business during normal operating hours. Facilitate the development and implementation of disaster recovery and IT security failure plans.

Many technology specialists return to school because they’re lacking the business skills they need to advance professionally. Consider leadership opportunities on special teams and projects as they arise. A four-year degree in a computer science-related field will lay the technical foundation for becoming a CTO and give you that critical entry into a preferred industry or field. While much of the CTO’s duties will focus on customer-centric technology initiatives, skills such as negotiation are also critical.

Even though I’ve worked in technology for nearly 20 years I’m still learning. In fact if I didn’t keep learning new things I’d be bored, it’s one of the reasons why I love being a CTO. Building the team around you and seeing everyone getting excited about a product release or major milestone is worth all the stress and effort. There’s no quick solution, it’s hard work and effort like most things. You have to have the drive to become a CTO as with any Chief level position.

How To Become A Cto With An Online Mba

From this role eventually emerged that of the Chief Technology Officer , in the 1980’s. When hiring for any executive role, you’re benefiting from not just candidates’ skills but also their professional experiences. You’ll likely find many candidates share skill sets that would be advantageous to the role, but each will be distinguished by his or her own achievements. An EMBA lets professionals develop their leadership skills beyond what an MBA will offer.

How To Become A Chief Technology Officer

The main role of the CTO is to manage the technical aspects of a company and ensure that they provide the maximum benefit. However, this role also has managerial aspects where the CTO has to manage and supervise the entire IT department so business skills are a must. The ability to use technological know-how to further the business objectives is a very important part of this. Andra Picincu is a digital marketing consultant with over 10 years of experience.

With some attention to the whole candidate, you can identify a valuable contributor to your company’s trajectory. Leidos is a Fortune 500® technology, engineering, and science solutions and services leader working to solve the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, civil, and health markets. The company’s 43,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $13.7 billion for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. The range of responsibilities and roles a CTO may fulfill demands an array of hard and soft skills.

Technology is becoming more and more important for all companies, no matter what sector they are in. In today’s times, when companies need software for daily use and cybersecurity for protecting their information, then by default it pushes a focus on technology whether that’s the company’s primary job or not. A company may be a financial firm, a media house, or even an entertainment firm (like Netflix!) but technology is still extremely important. The Path to Becoming A Chief Technology Officer – Read more about the technical and interpersonal skills an IT expert needs to become a successful and effective chief technology officer. This profession is relatively new and continues to grow in popularity. The responsibilities of a CTO depend on the industry and vary from one organization to the next – and so do the professional and educational requirements.

The CTO does not traditionally look after internal operations or procedures, that’s usually the responsibility of the Chief Information Officer, but it does happen and I’ve performed that role as well as the CTO previously. Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. In contrast, a CTO typically retains extensive experience and a proven track-record. A CTO of a startup will need to lead exceedingly diverse initiatives.

Many businesses see those initiatives – often centered around improved customer experience – as vital to their very survival. The CIO investigates how the organization can use its technological prowess, speed, and customer service to outperform rivals. This typically involves both building a digital platform and adjusting the organization’s operating model. It lasts one year and can teach you the skills needed to succeed in a managerial role. The curriculum includes courses in IT governance and maintenance, advanced business analytics, cybersecurity, data management and more.

However, the Bureau of Labor Statistics provides estimates for executive salaries that provide a general guideline. According to the BLS, the median chief executive salary as of May 2016 was $181,210, with the top earners making over $208,000 and the lowest-earning 10 percent making $69,780. It’s also worth noting that many chief technology officers receive non-cash compensation including benefit plans and ownership stakes in their companies. Additionally, chief technology officers closely manage the financial aspects of technology development and implementation by managing operating and capital budgets.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, computer and information system management occupations are growing by about 12 percent annually (that’s twice the average growth rate for all occupations). https://globalcloudteam.com/ This category includes CTOs, who are becoming increasingly desirable in corporate leadership. We’re looking for a Director of Engineering to join our Engineering Productivity team!

(Their estimates are based on salaries submitted anonymously to the site.) Of course, most CIO compensation packages come in much higher than that, including stock, bonuses, and other perks. The average CIO earns additional cash compensation of $38,863 a year, according to Glassdoor’s data. Some parts will be more natural that others, in time it’ll become second nature. Great CTOs constantly ask questions, they seek to understand rather than instantly provide a solution. Learn from other CTOs, never be the cleverest person in the room, get out of your comfort zone, make mistakes, own them and learn from them. A qualification in IT such as a degree or professional accreditations.

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