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IT Leadership

CTO

Defines the technology vision and strategy of the organisation.

Experience level: ExpertCoding level: MediumTechnical difficulty: 60/100

Defines the technology vision and strategy of the organisation.

Entry

Expert

Coding

Medium

Key skills

Technology visionStrategyStakeholder managementInnovation

Common progression

  1. IT Director
  2. CTO
  3. CIO
  4. CEO
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Career overview

The CTO defines the technology vision and strategy of the organisation: innovation, architecture, platforms, R&D and technology partnerships. They align technology with business strategy and represent technology to the board. The role leads to CIO, VP Technology or CEO.

Main responsibilities

  • Define the technology vision and strategy
  • Define strategy and steer long-term direction
  • Coordinate the technical work of the team
  • Mentor junior team members and review their work
  • Manage budget, scope and risks
  • Align stakeholders and report progress
  • Prioritise work and manage competing demands
  • Structure work, resources and governance
  • Ensure delivery of products and programs
  • Keep technical documentation up to date

Technical skills

Technology vision95%
Strategy95%
Innovation90%
Architecture85%
Stakeholder management95%
Budget90%
Team development88%
Mentoring85%

Technologies

Power BIExcelPlanviewJiraConfluenceTeamsSharePointPowerPointM365AWSAzureGCPKubernetesTerraformServiceNowSlackNotionJira Align

Education level

Education requirements vary depending on the company, country and experience. Professional experience, certifications and technical skills can sometimes compensate for formal education.

High School / Bac

Less common

Bac+2 (2-year degree)

Less common

Bac+3 (Bachelor)

Less common

Bac+5 (Master / Engineering)

Common entry point

Experience & coding level

Experience level

Entry LevelJuniorIntermediateSeniorExpert

Coding level

No codingLowMediumHighVery High
Technical difficulty60%

Useful certifications

Certifications are never mandatory. They are one way among others to prove a skill.

  • TOGAF 9 Certified
  • SAFe Program Consultant
  • CISM

Where can this career take you?

Multiple paths are possible. Click a role to open its profile.

Direct progression

CTOCIO

Possible branches

VP TechnologyCEO
Where Can Your IT Career Take You?

Where can you go next?

Realistic next career moves, with compatibility and a transition roadmap for each.

CIOHigh

Overlap: 62% · Difficulty: Easy

Skills to learn: IT leadership, Governance, Digital transformation

View roadmap
VP TechnologyHigh

Overlap: 100% · Difficulty: Easy

View roadmap

Where can you go from here?

A typical progression built from real career relationships. Click any role to open its profile.

  1. IT Director
  2. CTO
  3. CIO
  4. CEO
Soft skills
  • Strategic thinking
  • Leadership
  • Clear communication
  • Stakeholder management
  • Decisiveness
  • Mentoring
  • Big-picture thinking
Common previous careers

Roles that frequently lead into this career.

IT DirectorHigh

Overlap: 61% · Difficulty: Medium

Skills to learn: Technology vision, Innovation, Architecture

View roadmap
VP TechnologyHigh

Overlap: 97% · Difficulty: Easy

View roadmap
Enterprise ArchitectMedium

Overlap: 48% · Difficulty: Medium

Skills to learn: Technology vision, Innovation, Budget

View roadmap
Head of IT Operations
Cloud ArchitectLow

Overlap: 23% · Difficulty: Hard

Skills to learn: Technology vision, Strategy, Innovation

View roadmap
Multi-Cloud Architect

Related resources

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Next step

The path to CIO

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Ready to explore your next step?

A documented transition from this role to the next.

CTOCIO

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