Chief IT Officer

The Chief IT Officer (CITO) is the organization’s most senior technology executive, responsible for unifying enterprise IT operations and AI-driven innovation under one strategic mandate. The CITO owns the full technology stack — from infrastructure, cybersecurity, and communication systems to AI agents, automation pipelines, and LLM-powered products — ensuring all platforms are secure, scalable, and future-ready. Reporting directly to the CEO, this role drives organization-wide digital transformation across the SAP, IT, and Digital departments. Key Responsibilities IT Infrastructure, Security & Operations * Infrastructure, Connectivity & Device Management • Architect and manage enterprise LAN/WAN, cloud platforms, VPNs, wireless networks, and all end-user hardware (computers, mobile devices, scanners, peripherals). • Ensure 99.99% uptime across offices, plants, and remote environments with proactive lifecycle management. • Oversee communication and collaboration platforms: email (Outlook/Exchange/Gmail), MS Teams, Slack, Zoom, and VoIP/IP telephony. Cybersecurity, Physical Security & Compliance • Define and enforce cybersecurity policies: endpoint protection, firewalls, intrusion prevention, access control, and data protection compliance. • Conduct regular IT security audits and manage physical security systems including CCTV and access control. • Establish AI governance and data privacy standards, ensuring all technology deployments meet regulatory and ethical requirements. IT Support, Asset & Vendor Management • Lead a centralized helpdesk with structured ticketing, SLA monitoring, and root-cause analysis; drive support automation for faster resolution. • Oversee full IT asset lifecycle — procurement, tracking, utilization, and retirement — with real-time inventory and periodic audits. • Manage all technology vendors (infrastructure, cloud, cybersecurity, AI platforms); negotiate contracts and monitor SLA performance. Artificial Intelligence, Automation & Digital Products * AI Agents, Automation & LLM Solutions • Design and deploy intelligent agents, copilots, chatbots, workflow automation assistants, and RAG pipelines. • Fine-tune, prompt-engineer, and continuously optimize LLM solutions; manage vector databases and embeddings (Pinecone, Weaviate, FAISS, Chroma). • Automate document understanding using OCR, NLP, and large language models. ERP/Enterprise AI Integration & Predictive Analytics • Integrate AI/ML capabilities with ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, NetSuite) to streamline operations. • Build predictive analytics models supporting finance, procurement, and sales; develop dashboards and SaaS platforms for business intelligence. • Lead or oversee Odoo implementation projects including module configuration, customisation, data migration, and user adoption across departments. AI Product Development & Cloud Deployment • Build scalable backend APIs (FastAPI/Flask/Node.js) and modern frontends (React/Next.js/Vue.js) for AI-enabled products. • Deploy, monitor, and maintain AI solutions on cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) with DevOps best practices (Docker, CI/CD, Kubernetes). • Track model performance and drive continuous improvement based on production feedback. Strategy, Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration * Technology Roadmap & Executive Reporting • Define and maintain a unified technology roadmap spanning IT infrastructure and AI/automation initiatives, aligned with organizational growth. • Provide regular executive reporting on infrastructure performance, AI project status, risk posture, and digital transformation milestones. Team Building & Cross-Departmental Enablement • Build and lead a high-performing team of network engineers, system administrators, cybersecurity specialists, AI/ML engineers, and DevOps professionals. • Define KPIs, career development plans, and role structures to foster a high-performance technology culture. • Collaborate with SAP, IT, and Digital departments to enable seamless ERP operations, access management, and innovation initiatives.

Skills & Competencies Functional Skills • Enterprise networking (LAN/WAN, VPN, cloud) • Cybersecurity governance & compliance • Communication & collaboration platforms • IT asset & device lifecycle management • IT support systems & SLA management • Vendor negotiation & contract management • SAP / ERP infrastructure support (incl. Odoo) Behavioral Competencies • Python (advanced); TensorFlow, PyTorch, LangChain • LLM APIs: OpenAI, Hugging Face, Anthropic • RAG pipelines & vector databases (Pinecone, FAISS, Weaviate) • OCR / Document AI tools • Backend: FastAPI / Flask / Node.js • Frontend: React.js / Next.js / TypeScript • Cloud: AWS / Azure / GCP | DevOps: Docker, CI/CD, Kubernetes • Databases: PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB Qualifications & Experience Education Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field. Experience 12+ years of progressive experience in IT operations and/or AI/ML, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role. Proven expertise in enterprise networking, cybersecurity, cloud infrastructure, and AI/ML product development. Demonstrated experience delivering AI-powered applications and automation solutions at scale. Familiarity with: • SAP, Odoo and ERP infrastructure requirements • Multi-agent systems • Voice AI • Computer Vision • Advanced Prompt Engineering • UI/UX sensibility for AI products. Certifications CISSP, AWS/Azure Architect, ITIL 4, SAP Technology Associate, AWS/Azure AI Specialty