Chief Technology Officers oversee a full range of digital strategies, support technology across the organization and drive the growth of strategic plans. They support the transformation of core business models, systems and policies. Chief Technology Officers usually have impressive track records of helping organizations successfully transform services, products and capabilities, according to PayScale.
General Executive
Chief Technology Officers may be general executives who lead technology functions across the entire enterprise. They often focus on centralization, standardization and modernization. Chief Technology Officers may explore market trends, anticipate how they may change the industry and drive preparatory activities. They may monitor technology changes and advancements to discover better ways to save money, increase efficiency, streamline operations and gain competitive advantages. Chief Technology Officers may select and implement suitable technology that will integrate internal operations, optimize strategic benefits and drive business segment alignments. Chief Technology Officers often participate in the development of the company’s vision, policies and long-term objectives.
Product Innovation
Chief Technology Officers who work in IT companies may be in charge of global expansion, market intelligence and product innovation. They may lead technology management teams to develop product solutions, manage all stages of the product life cycle and communicate with internal and external clients. These Chief Technology Officers may be responsible for product planning, release and continuous enhancement activities. They may be charged with accelerating team productivity, elevating talent capabilities, delivering product priorities, developing growth strategies and creating development initiatives. Chief Technology Officers who deal with product innovation may set the direction of the company by defining technical strategies that best support business and customer needs.
Education Management
Those who work in education management will be members of senior teams who develop forward-thinking strategies that support the organization’s mission. They continuously benchmark capabilities in relation to rapidly changing conditions and markets. They rely on research, networking and case studies of leading edge technologies. Chief Technology Officers who work in education management may serve as the spokesperson to outside parties, board meetings and news conferences. They might provide technology solutions that support data capture, business objectives, decision-making, content management and technology integration. They may use rapid prototyping tools to modify solutions and continuous delivery models for operational enhancements.
Health Care Administration
Chief Technology Officers who are employed by health care organizations will be responsible for all technical aspects of multiple locations. They will manage technological resources, attain strategic IT goals and establish the company’s technical vision. They may lead technological developments, envision strategic directions and forecast future growth. These Chief Technology Officer will work in a consultative fashion with departmental leaders to improve operational efficiency, staff performance, program effectiveness and patient safety. They are subject matter experts for health care platforms, so they must track, analyze and monitor technology performance metrics. They may conduct research on leading technologies to make determinations on the ROI, success and probability of implementation.
Related Resource: What Careers are in Corporate Strategy?
Chief Technology Officers who travel overseas to corporate branches may oversee system design, capacity planning and system architecture designs. Chief Technology Officers who specialize in quality control may be adept at developing and supporting systems that collect, analyze and use data for monitoring and continuous improvement activities.
