Chief Technology Officer

Location:

Milan (Hybrid) or Hybrid within Italy
Salary:  €90,000 - €100,000 + Corporate Benefits

Employment Type:

Permanent

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced  Head of IT / CTO  to lead technology strategy, IT operations, and software engineering across a growing international business.

This role requires a strong combination of  technology leadership, budget ownership, vendor management, and people leadership , alongside a solid technical background in modern software development environments based on  Java, Open Source technologies, Cloud, and Microservices architectures .

The successful candidate will partner closely with executive leadership to drive the company's technology vision, ensure operational excellence, and support business growth through scalable and innovative technology solutions.

Key Responsibilities
Technology Leadership
Define and execute the company's IT and technology strategy aligned with business objectives.
Lead the evolution of enterprise architecture, cloud platforms, and software engineering practices.
Drive innovation and continuous improvement across applications, infrastructure, security, and operations.
Ensure scalability, reliability, and performance of business-critical systems.

IT Governance & Operations
Oversee IT operations, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and service delivery.
Establish governance frameworks, policies, and best practices.
Ensure compliance with security, regulatory, and operational requirements.
Implement KPIs, metrics, and reporting to monitor IT performance and business value.

Budget Management & Financial Planning
Own and manage the overall IT budget.
Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities.
Monitor IT spending and identify opportunities for optimization and cost efficiency.
Build business cases and investment proposals for strategic technology initiatives.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management
Manage relationships with international technology vendors, service providers, and strategic partners.
Negotiate contracts, service agreements, and commercial terms.
Ensure vendor performance aligns with agreed SLAs and business expectations.
Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and business stakeholders.

Engineering Leadership
Lead and mentor software engineering and technology teams.
Support recruitment, talent development, succession planning, and performance management.
Promote Agile methodologies, Dev Ops practices, and modern engineering standards.
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and technical excellence.

Required Experience
Essential
✅ Proven experience as a  CTO, Head of IT, IT Director, or senior technology leader
✅ Strong experience managing:
IT budgets and financial planning
Technology forecasting and investment roadmaps
International vendors and outsourcing partners
Cross-functional and geographically distributed teams

✅ Solid software engineering background with exposure to:
Java ecosystems
Open Source technologies
Microservices architectures
Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
APIs and distributed systems

✅ Experience leading technology transformation and modernization initiatives
✅ Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, including interaction with C-Level executives
✅ Experience in hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing technology teams
Preferred

Experience with in fast-growing digital businesses or technology-driven organizations.
Knowledge of modern Dev Ops and CI/CD practices.
Exposure to data platforms, AI initiatives, or digital transformation programmes.
Experience working in international and multicultural environments.

What We Offer
Competitive salary package (€90,000 - €100,000)
Company benefits package
Flexible working model (Milan hybrid or remote)
Opportunity to shape and execute the company's technology strategy
High visibility with executive leadership and significant impact on business growth
Dynamic, international, and innovation-driven environment

If you are a technology leader passionate about combining strategic vision, engineering excellence, and business impact, we would love to hear from you.