Chief Technology Officer

About the Role

The Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is the senior executive responsible for the strategic direction, governance, and operational execution of all technology functions across the enterprise. This includes cybersecurity, enterprise applications, infrastructure and hardware, IT operations, help desk, end-user support, artificial intelligence and data science, and the full portfolio of technology projects across all three brands. This role requires a leader who can operate at both the strategic and operational level—shaping long-term technology vision, including how artificial intelligence and machine learning are applied to create measurable business value, while ensuring day-to-day reliability of systems that directly impact store operations, customer experience, and revenue.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the company’s technology vision and roadmap in partnership with the leadership team, aligning with current and future business goals and objectives.
• Support and refine the product roadmap, including setting time frames and driving successful releases.
• Develop plans for new products and enhancements, including timelines, release schedules, and time-to-market strategies.
• Own the IT capital and operating budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources across infrastructure, applications, security, and support functions.
• Direct the full software development lifecycle, establishing and refining processes, setting short-term objectives, and assessing progress.
• Manage activities to ensure products are developed on schedule, within quality standards, and aligned with cost objectives and market demands.
• Promote high-quality products through robust quality assurance processes integrated into the development cycle.
• Ensure products and enhancements meet customer needs and improve workflow and user experience.
• Identify technology trends and evolving social behaviors that may impact business success.
• Evaluate and select appropriate technology platforms for delivering the company’s services.
• Establish governance processes for customer information privacy and regulatory compliance.
• Oversee acquisition, maintenance, and cost-effective management of technology, including internal infrastructure, systems, and client integration.
• Prepare department budgets and resource/infrastructure requirements.
• Direct management of engineers/developers (on-shore and off-shore), DBAs, QA staff, product management, infrastructure, and production support teams, as well as technology partners and vendors.
• Ensure high availability and resilience of systems supporting store operations, distribution centers, and corporate functions.
• Oversee technology asset lifecycle management, hardware refresh cycles, and vendor/OEM relationships.
• Drive standardization and operational efficiency across store-level technology deployments.
• Own enterprise-wide cybersecurity strategy, governance, and risk management, ensuring protection of customer data, payment systems (PCI compliance), and corporate assets.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements (PCI-DSS, state/federal privacy laws, data protection regulations).
• Establish incident response, disaster recovery, and business continuity plans; lead the organization through security incidents.
• Oversee security operations, vulnerability management, identity and access management, and third-party/vendor risk assessments.
• Own the enterprise AI strategy and roadmap, identifying and prioritizing high-value use cases across ecommerce, merchandising, marketing, supply chain, customer service, and store operations.
• Champion the adoption of AI across the technology team and the broader organization.
• Establish an AI governance framework covering responsible and ethical AI use, data privacy, model risk management, bias mitigation, and compliance with emerging AI regulations.
• Evaluate and select AI platforms, tools, and vendor/partner relationships to accelerate time-to-value while managing cost, security, and risk.
• Drive a culture of AI literacy and experimentation, including deploying internal AI tools to improve developer productivity, IT operations (AIOps), and enterprise efficiency.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of technology standards, industry trends, emerging technologies, and software development best practices.
• Define and communicate company values and standards for acquiring or developing systems, equipment, or software.
• Ensure internal technological processes and customer-facing services comply with community expectations and applicable laws for privacy, security, and social responsibility.
• Ensure technology standards and best practices are maintained across the organization.
• Resolve company technical problems in a timely and cost-effective manner.
• Develop, track, and control annual operating and capital budgets for purchasing, staffing, and operations.
• Collaborate with internal business owners to direct product and enhancement requirements gathering for software, platform, and web-based solutions.
• Work with designers (UX/UI), project managers, operations, and Product User Groups to achieve high-quality and useful products.
• Review and approve proposed development releases and manage the release process.
• Present new releases and plans, highlighting product enhancements to customers, potential clients, business partners, and at industry events.

Requirements

• BS/BA in computer science, engineering, or related major, or equivalent combination of education and experience. A graduate degree in one of these fields is a plus.
• Proven experience in multi-brand or multi-business-unit retail, or a comparable complex, distributed operating environment.
• Demonstrated success managing multi-million-dollar technology budgets and capital planning.
• Minimum of 15+ years of professional experience with at least 10 years’ experience managing tech teams.
• Keen business acumen and proven executive management abilities.
• Forthright and team-oriented, with the ability to collaborate effectively with both management and technical teams.
• Strong leadership and motivational skills to inspire the technology team.
• Knowledgeable in multiple software development methodologies and products.
• Strong understanding of information security vulnerabilities, disaster recovery, and risk management.
• Familiarity with consumer privacy and payments industry compliance requirements.
• Strong vendor management and negotiation skills, with the ability to build relationships, manage SLAs, and escalate issues as needed.

Pay

Pay range $300,000 - $350,000 a year. The pay range for this position starts as listed, but other factors such as education, location, meeting minimum job requirements, training, and experience will determine the final salary for potential new hires.