Chief Information & Technology Officer

About the Role

The Chief Information and Technology Officer (CITO) provides strategic technology leadership for the business lines, playing an integral role in the growth and development of the bank through the digital delivery of exceptional client services. The CITO identifies investment opportunities, introduces innovation, and serves as a trusted advisor to leaders across the business. This role collaborates across teams to design and deliver innovative, efficient technology and digital solutions that enhance products, services, processes, customer experiences, and marketing channels.

The CITO leads a strong culture of service across all technology operations, delivering a secure, modern, and reliable employee technology experience aligned with F&M’s business needs. The role balances current expertise with future vision in leveraging data and technology to support business model design, transform operations for greater efficiency—including strategic use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation (RPA)—and implement emerging products and services that enhance the bank’s competitive advantage.

The CITO develops and executes a comprehensive technology roadmap for the bank’s infrastructure, cybersecurity posture, core banking platforms, and digital banking services, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and risk management guidelines. The role ensures the bank’s enterprise business strategy remains optimized in light of current and emerging digital realities, opportunities, and threats.

The CITO is accountable for optimizing technology across the entire bank, including infrastructure, cybersecurity, IT operations, business and enterprise applications (including core banking systems and digital banking platforms), data analytics, and information systems.

Objectives

• Develop and execute a multi-year technology strategy supporting national digital consumer and commercial banking.
• Run a world-class technology environment, ensuring critical business deliverables are met predictably and seamlessly.
• Deliver high-quality, innovative technology solutions and investment projects on time, within scope, and within IT operating and capital budgets.
• Accountable for operational cybersecurity execution, translating security strategy, regulatory expectations, and risk management into day-to-day protection of systems, data, and users.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leaders, enabling confident decisions about the application of information, data, and technology across the enterprise.
• Influence and build internal strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including the Board Technology Committee, Executive Management, HR, Marketing, and Business Unit Leaders.
• Ensure the enterprise develops the digital assets and talent capabilities needed to thrive long-term.
• Hold P&L or project ROI accountability for digital initiatives, where appropriate.
• Act as a champion and change agent in leading organizational changes to create and sustain enterprise digital capabilities, including replacing manual processes with technology-driven cost savings, revenue generation, and fraud detection/prevention.
• Ensure IT capabilities are delivered reliably, sustainably, cost-effectively, and securely.
• Ensure IT contributions are delivered with agility based on changing business objectives, goals, and strategies.
• Provide strategic direction and oversight for the design, development, operation, and support of IT systems and programs that fulfill business needs, including enterprise architecture, application management, security and risk management, and infrastructure and operations support.
• Ensure all relevant technology initiatives are fully integrated into the strategic planning process for resource allocation and execution.
• Develop and lead annual operational and capital expenditure plans for IT to align technology investments with the enterprise’s strategic objectives.
• Bring together customer-focused and technology-focused resources to elevate customer experiences.
• Enhance IT capabilities by leveraging internal and external resources.
• Direct the development of the IT sourcing strategy and provide executive oversight for strategic peer bank and fintech relationship development and management.
• Serve on enterprise planning and policy-making committees.
• Drive the development of enterprise technology standards, governance processes, and performance metrics to ensure IT delivers value.
• Manage risk through effective design, delivery, and management of information, data, and technology capabilities.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction for the IT leadership team and staff.
• Work closely with Human Resources to attract, retain, and develop top IT talent to build data and IT capabilities across the company.
• Promote and encourage F&M’s culture and values, fostering a highly engaged and productive work environment where employees feel comfortable speaking up about issues.
• Directly lead 5-8 supervisors or individual contributors, providing guidance, regular performance feedback, and development planning.

Requirements

• 10-15 years of experience as a senior technology leader with broad knowledge across different businesses.
• Financial services experience with FISERV software applications and Premier core system strongly preferred.
• 3-5 years managing a complex technology organization.
• Demonstrated ability to deliver product innovation and improved user experience.
• 5+ years managing enterprise-scale runtime applications with key business deliverables and service-level expectations.
• A strong internal network, enabling navigation of global technology and identification of existing solutions for the business.
• Expertise in industry innovation and strategic thinking to create business-led solutions.
• Knowledge of data analytics and data management tools and processes.
• Knowledge of software development management and outsourced development contracts.
• Strong project management skills and management of development, maintenance, and support teams.
• Up-to-date awareness of current and future IT security threats, vulnerabilities, and their potential impact on the bank’s digital and financial assets.
• Valid Driver’s License.
• Compliance with Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), Anti-Money Laundering Act (AML), Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC), and USA PATRIOT Act, including accurate completion of Currency Transaction Reports (CTR) when applicable, Customer Identification, Customer Due Diligence, and reporting of suspicious activities.

Leadership Competencies

• Managing Conflict: Listens well, diffuses conflict before it starts, finds solutions to problems constructively, and handles difficult people.
• Agility: Ability to respond to changing conditions quickly with mechanisms in place to manage, mitigate, and minimize disruption.
• Leading Change: Champions organizational change initiatives, assesses and adjusts to changing situations, and implements innovative solutions for organizational improvements.
• Leading People: Designs and implements strategies that maximize employee potential in meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals. Provides an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others to their full potential.