What To Look for When Hiring a Fractional CTO
If you’re on the search for a chief technology officer (CTO) for your nonprofit organization (NPO), it might make the most sense to hire a fractional CTO. Through fractional executive services, you can hire an experienced, part-time CTO to meet your needs when technological leadership is necessary. Not only will they provide the same skills and expertise as a full-time CTO, but fractional CTO services can also help keep your budget on track while boosting productivity and outcomes.
If your NPO is struggling to navigate technology and constituent interaction, then looking for a fractional CTO might be a priority. At Computers in Ministry, we offer fractional CTO services so you can get the expertise you need. But what should you look for in a CTO, and where can you find an experienced executive?
What Does a CTO Do?
A chief technology officer is an executive who maintains innovation and technology development within an organization. Typically a CTO is outward-facing, focusing on using technology to assist constituents, like the software they use to offer donations or interact with your nonprofit. A CTO may serve in various ways, including strategic planning, customer relations, and infrastructure management. Additionally, the CTO designs initiatives to increase revenue through technology. Part of this is done by conducting cost-benefit and return-on-investment analyses on services offered to constituents.
Hiring a fractional CTO gives you access to services such as research and evaluation, performance monitoring, and team development on a part-time or as-needed basis. CIM offers fractional CTO services for your nonprofit so you can get the expertise without the costs.
What To Look for In a CTO?
Searching for the right fractional chief technology officer can be difficult if you’re unfamiliar with their duties. Choosing the right or wrong CTO directly impact the way constituents interact with your nonprofit. With that in mind, you want someone that knows what they’re doing and that comes with experience and expertise, but also other skills that make them a great leader. Sourcing a fractional CTO can be different than a full-time CTO, but you should look for the same qualities. Here are five chief technology officer qualifications you should look for:
Executive Experience
One essential part of effective leadership for a CTO is previous experience as an executive. Understanding the challenges a nonprofits face through different phases of development and outreach are important for the CTO to succeed in their new role and deliver real value. With the right experience, the CTO can guide your NPO through any situations, like CRM or donation issues, that might arise.
With clear communication comes capable leadership, and the CTO is responsible for the technology (IT/Engineering) management and team members. This will ensure your team is working productively and creating the best possible product for your constituents. Having a solidstrong team will also make sure your nonprofit is running smoothly.
Technological Expertise
Because technology that impacts constituents is the main focus of a CTO, they should be familiar with and have a deep understanding of how it works. Not only that, but knowing how it affects the NPO and constituents is essential. Without this insight, your organization might not have as much success with R&D and outreach.
Strong Communication
Without efficient and effective communication, a nonprofit cannot function well. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are especially important for CTOs since they are in charge of teams and technological developments. A CTO should have communication skills to work with executives and team members alike.
Constituent and Service Focused
One of the main focuses a CTO should have is the service you offer and how it affects your organization’s constituents. The right CTO will be able to allocate resources in a way that best suits the needs of your constituents through strong online service offerings like a donation platform. Being personable and creating a good culture should also be a trait found in a CTO.
How Do I Find a CTO?
Hiring a fractional CTO through a service gives you an executive with expertise in technology for just a fraction of the price. There are several organizations that offer these services for you to take advantage of what a fractional CTO can offer. But if you’re looking for the best place to find a CTO for a nonprofit, CIM is a nonprofit built for nonprofits. Our fractional executive CTO services will be tailored specifically for your NPO. Here are a few things we offer in our packages:
- Roadmap development
- Leadership and management
- Contract negotiations
- Capital allocation and budgeting
At CIM, we believe technology should serve your mission. Visit our website today to learn more about what we can offer your organization.