The Chief Technology Officer or CTO is known as one of the most important and impacting executives in an organization.
The CTO works with all facets of the business and has cross functional responsibilities for IT and Management as well as external partners in making sure that the information technology infrastructure and digital property is fully operational. The Chief Technology Officer is the chief of an IT department and is in charge of advising corporate senior management about the need for timely updates in IT.
The Chief Technology Officer must be able to do the following task in their job function:
- The Chief Technology Officer with a team of Information Technology decision makers, are responsible for building the IT framework, policy and safeguards of a business unit. As a CTO you will be in charge of setting up the IT guidelines in structural management for the entire IT infrastructure which involve computers, peripheral devices, telecommunications, servers, internet and all data centers.
- The Chief Technology Officer ensures that the IT vision is synchronized with the company business directive and is the primary decision maker in ensuring that the technology standards of the company will be able to provide its technical requirements. The CTO makes sure that all telecommunications and technology in a business is functioning for optimal workforce productivity.
Skills that Chief Technology Officer should posses:
- The Chief Technology Officer is expected to have leadership skills, demonstrating the importance of good decision making and strategic discipline through example.
- An extensive knowledge of Information Technology is required, with a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science or Engineering is a minimal educational qualification. Other organizations will require a Masters Degree in a similar field.
- Managerial skills are necessary to succeed in this job; the CTO must possess excellent communication skills and knowledge of coaching and performance measurement to ensure that the IT organization is at par with departmental KPIs.
Work Related Expectations:
- Chief Technology Officers work with both internal and external clients and are expected to maintain relationships through professionalism at all times, keeping the interests of the organization a priority.
- The Chief Technology Officer will work closely with a team of IT professionals and is expected to allocate specific roles to each member of the team for both hardware and software subdivides.