The typical work week is about 40 hours per week, but in most cases, CIOs work more hours. The responsibilities of a CIO can vary based on industry, organization, size of the business, etc. But the core ones include the following:
- Defining an IT strategy to meet business objectives
- Setting clear goals for the IT leadership team and department
- Working with businesses and the executive team on the budget
- Planning, selecting and deploying IT systems to meet business needs and future growth
- Managing IT staffs, both employees and contractors, based on project needs
- Overseeing IT infrastructure and ensuring proper maintenance is done for optimal performance
- Managing IT costs and reducing risks to the business
- Developing IT policies, processes, and procedures
- Defining and implementing strong security policies/best practices to protect all IT systems from vulnerabilities and threats
- Ensuring mandatory compliance requirements
- Staying on top of new technology trends and making investment decisions to stay ahead of competition
- Building relations with software and hardware vendors, suppliers, service providers, etc.
- Meeting with other C-level executives, and the team reporting to the CIO
- Reporting on project status to board members.
Education and Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems or software engineering; other majors such as engineering or mathematics are also considered.
- Master’s degree in business administration or computer science is recommended for those considering management roles; or master’s degree in specialized roles like security can be an added advantage as well.
- Though not required, certifications are recommended to differentiate from other competitive contenders. Some popular certifications include the following:
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
Responsibilities and a Day in the Life
The typical work week is about 40 hours per week, but in most cases, CIOs work more hours. The responsibilities of a CIO can vary based on industry, organization, size of the business, etc. But the core ones include the following:
- Defining an IT strategy to meet business objectives
- Setting clear goals for the IT leadership team and department
- Working with businesses and the executive team on the budget
- Planning, selecting and deploying IT systems to meet business needs and future growth
- Managing IT staffs, both employees and contractors, based on project needs
- Overseeing IT infrastructure and ensuring proper maintenance is done for optimal performance
- Managing IT costs and reducing risks to the business
- Developing IT policies, processes, and procedures
- Defining and implementing strong security policies/best practices to protect all IT systems from vulnerabilities and threats
- Ensuring mandatory compliance requirements
- Staying on top of new technology trends and making investment decisions to stay ahead of competition
- Building relations with software and hardware vendors, suppliers, service providers, etc.
- Meeting with other C-level executives, and the team reporting to the CIO
- Reporting on project status to board members.
Other Necessary Skills
- Finance/budget skills
- Excellent organizational, leadership and team development skills
- Analytical and problem-solving skills
- Decision making skills
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Security and compliance knowledge
- Stay on top of latest technological trends
Career Progression
- Various positions in IT department (Consultant to Architect) –>
- IT Manager –>
- IT Director –>
- Vice President of IT –>
- Chief Information Officer (CIO)
Salary
Salary can vary based on the size of the organization, qualification, location, etc. Base salary is around $160K. As this role is a C-suite level role, it usually comes with other perks like bonus, stock grants, profit sharing, etc. and this could lead to a total compensation of $150K to $300K+.
Job Growth
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not separately track CIO jobs. This role is covered under ‘Computer and Information Systems Managers’. According to BLS, there were about
- 482K Computer and Information Systems Manager jobs in 2020
- Job outlook from 2020 to 2030 is 11% which higher than the average job growth.
- Employment change 53K (2020 to 30)
Summary
If you are someone who finds the following characteristics of this job appealing, you should aim for c-level roles in IT as your future career:
- Working with the executive team and reporting to board members
- Leading a large team of highly trained technology professionals
- Initiating and driving large IT projects by working with internal team members and contractors/service providers
- Adapting to constant changes in technology and staying on top of it
- Managing risks
