Part Time Cio Jobs
As the demands on IT teams continue to rise and technology becomes an integral part of most businesses, organizations are bringing on board C-level executives with expertise in information management. These IT leaders are tasked with overseeing the development, operation and security of computer systems and data to ensure that an organization meets its goals. They also collaborate with other executive leaders to create strategies for the company’s future.
These professionals are known as chief information officers, or CIOs. A full-time CIO has broad responsibilities that include budgeting and implementing IT projects, as well as explaining those projects to the board of directors or other executives at the company. Typically, they have a bachelor’s degree in IT, computer science, computer information systems or management information systems. They may also have a master’s degree in information security or cybersecurity.
A CIO is a top management position with one of the highest salaries in an IT department. It takes a significant amount of experience to reach the role, and it requires a lot of leadership skills to keep an organization on track as it moves into its future. Some organizations hire a contract CIO for specific initiatives, such as managing the company through a merger or acquisition. Others bring in a temporary CIO to help them through major technology upgrades.
Best Part Time Cio Jobs
One of the best part time CIO jobs is working for an IT consulting firm that matches technology executives with clients on a project basis. This type of professional helps enterprises manage their IT departments and improve business performance through IT strategy implementation and technology roadmap development, says Peter Kirkwood, senior manager at management consulting firm Zinnov.
The company he works for, a hedge fund in Midtown Manhattan, often brings on a fractional CIO for projects that require an extensive IT investment. These projects could include IT-related operations such as enhancing or automating business processes, increasing security, reducing IT infrastructure costs and upgrading software.
He has also worked with companies that have a full-time CIO, but need an additional executive to handle large IT projects, such as a system upgrade. This is where he has found that his skill set is valuable, because the full-time CIO is already juggling many projects.
However, the work is not for everyone. The tempo of the work can be demanding, and it can be difficult to build relationships with employees, he says. He also points out that a contract CIO must work to avoid conflict of interest issues because he or she may be serving multiple entities simultaneously. That can lead to a potential lack of independence in advice that he or she offers an enterprise. This is a challenge that some contract CIOs must be aware of as they navigate this growing niche in the IT sector. But, for those with the right mix of education, ambition and leadership skills, the work can be rewarding.