What Is a Chief Technology Officer?

This category includes CTOs, who are becoming increasingly desirable in corporate leadership. Need to find top talent along one or both of these career paths? Finding staffing for the C-suite can be tough — and that’s especially true when you’re looking for a CIO or CTO with the https://globalcloudteam.com/ right expertise to guide your business into a high-tech future. If you want your organization to succeed, hiring both is crucial. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the roles are interchangeable. Similarly, you shouldn’t hire one and expect them to perform both roles.

Once in a managerial position, IT managers who want to work as CTOs must usually spend an additional five to seven years honing their leadership and business skills. While much of the CTO’s duties will focus on customer-centric technology initiatives, skills such as negotiation are also critical. A CTO can expect to manage vendors, meet the needs of external key stakeholders, and occasionally work with clients or customers directly. Technology is increasingly taking a front and center role in business, making technological disruption both a threat and opportunity for any organization – and they’re taking note.

Chief Technology Officer Salary and Job Outlook

Technology, applications, and cybersecurity are in a constant state of flux, and successful CTOs know they need to be adaptable to change and proactive in their strategy. Companies often hire candidates with a master’s in cybersecurity or similar IT degree to ensure they have the proper education and background for the position. When determining how to become a CTO, the first step is always education. As more and more companies embrace sophisticated technology, the position of CTO is growing in prominence.

The service leader CIO is all about making technology work for those who need it most. As technical C-suite roles have become increasingly commonplace in business, there is a common misconception in the difference between a Chief Technology Officer and a Chief Information Officer . These roles are not one in the same, and while there are parallels, there are a few significant differences between these two roles.

Who Will the CTO Manage? Positions Under Their Supervision

The title chief technology officer is a relatively new one, made popular in the dot-com boom of the 1990s. Its definition is incredibly fluid, as you would expect given the speed at which the IT industry is innovating, with the role meaning something different in every organization, never mind industry. CTOs may also handle customer experience, support, engagement and front-end content delivery.

what is a cto in business

In most cases, however, it’s the CTO who is charged with staying on top of emerging technologies that might be of value to the organization. Navigating this change requires a diversity of thought, and for business, that means new skills, experiences and potential. Yes, technology teams need a certain level of tech know-how, but more than ever, attitude is taking over from aptitude.

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These executives work with many people across various functions, and the ability to collaborate well is essential. “The role of the CTO continues to evolve,” says Craig Stephenson, managing director for the North America Technology Officers Practice at organizational what is the role of a cto consulting firm Korn Ferry. CTOs start out with bachelor’s degrees in a computer-science-related field. They often earn master’s degrees as well, again in computer sciences or mathematics fields—though more general MBAs are common as well.

what is a cto in business

A cloud-first strategy has its fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Return-to-office health and safety protocols and related software and data.

Chief Technology Officers Within a Company

A CTO, may additionally interact with a newer position, a Chief Security Officer , or more accurately referred to as Chief Information Security Officer. The role of a CSO in comparison to a CTO would be to protect the network from being penetrated which could lead to privacy and legal issues for the company. All executive positions relating to technology must collaborate within companies to have the best working infrastructure and will report to the CEO. At that time, the director of the laboratory was a corporate vice president who did not participate in the company’s corporate decisions. Instead, the technical director was the individual responsible for attracting new scientists, to do research, and to develop products.

  • The difference can be huge if the contract is written properly, in detail, and with care.
  • They are the external-facing officers responsible for sharing the company’s IT news and creating relationships that can grow it’s network.
  • Whereas organizations hire CTO consulting services for business growth, to get maximum profit and reputation.
  • An average day for the CTO can involve interactions with many of the other departments and executives.
  • Programs that reflect a technology-driven future will best prepare their participants.
  • A CTO should have the business knowledge necessary to align technology-related decisions with the organization’s goals.

Prior success raising product performance and sales through technology. More than other executive role, the responsibilities given to the CTO largely depend on the type of company. As has been written, CTO roles and responsibilities are not definable in a couple of lines.

The Infrastructure Manager CTO

Because the role is dynamic and responsibilities can vary depending on the type and size of the organization, industry, and other factors, there isn’t really such thing as typical day for a CTO. Some CTOs are also responsible for managing research and development initiatives and overseeing intellectual property at their organizations. Those who love all things IT will likely already have the knowledge needed to land a position with a company. You’ll also need to start small, learn the ropes and work your way up into a management position. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are approximately 482,000 computer and information systems managers in the U.S.

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