Responsibilities of a CTO

  • The CTO is a Board-level executive making a transformational impact with technology.
  • The CTO creates, supports, and delivers technology strategies to accelerate business growth.
  • The CTO may also be responsible for day-to-day operational management.

Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is a crucial position. They drive innovation, efficiency, and effectiveness across the business. They use technology – such as online or digital initiatives – to increase company value.

The CTO is responsible for technology, teams, and suppliers. They may oversee the development of custom software and apps. And a CTO is a communicator, representing technology initiatives to investors and other stakeholders when necessary.

How CTO Responsibilities Change with Company Growth

Some claim there are two types of CTOs: those who provide technical leadership and those who provide operational management. In reality, it is often more often a continuum, with the roles shifting depending upon the company and its business goals. 

But growth will definitely affect the responsibilities of a CTO. A few factors to consider when experiencing or planning for growth:

  • Vision and architecture. A CTO will need a bird’s-eye view of systems and processes. 
  • Security. A major concern as a business becomes a juicier target.
  • New technologies. Consider how the role of the CTO has shifted with cloud-based, mobile and automation technologies.
  • Staffing. Growth usually means more people!
  • Integration. This is especially acute when during a merger or acquisition.

Main responsibilities of a CTO in startup

In any business, the CTO ensures that the company’s technology supports its business goals. But of course, this will play out in different ways in an established company and in a startup. 

In a startup situation, the business may not even yet exist when the CTO gets involved. (He or she may be an investor.) The CTO will be crucial during the planning stages, evaluating the technical viability of the product and designing solutions to bring it to life.

Early in the life of a startup, the CTO will develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to attract investors or users. At the same time, the CTO will plan the technology architecture with a firm hand on security, integration and scalability.

As the product matures, the CTO ensures quality control and takes responsibility for building and supervising teams and IT operations.

“Freeman Clarke have always provided honest and clear advice, guidance and support to the senior team. Having someone completely independent and trusted who understands both the business and the technology has proved to be a significant business enabler.” – CEO, British Pathé.

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