Chief Information Officer (CIO)

The Chief Information Officer needs to be able to provide leadership to unify the team on the technology requirements. One of the main duties of a CIO is to develop and direct the company’s overall IT strategy in all aspects of IT management and operations. The CIO is responsible for approving all major system hardware and software decisions. The CIO needs to have a financial background due to his or her fiscal involvement and all matters that relate to IT. Successful CIOs have the ability to translate the business objectives of the CEO into IT initiatives that offer value to the organization. He or she should have a BS degree in computer science, information systems and more often than not, will need a master’s degree. The CIO candidate should have at least 10 years of IT managerial experience and some companies will require more. IT salaries for CIOs in the United States rose 3.1% from 2006 to 2007. The salary range for a CIO is $120,000 to $200,000.