Chief Technology Officer

The Chief Technology Officer is a member of the Executive Leadership Team responsible for aligning technology strategy with the Association's business objectives, lending operations, member experience, and long-term growth initiatives. The CTO bridges technology and business strategies to ensure technology investments deliver operational efficiency, customer value, and sustainable organizational success.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Participates in the development and implementation of Association direction, long and short-term strategies
• Develops and communicates IT strategies and related plans to executive team, staff, partners, customers, and stakeholders.
• Develops business case justifications and cost/benefit analyses for technology risk-based spending and initiatives.
• Provides strategic oversight for application development, systems integration, and enterprise technology solutions.
• Maintains a clear, current view of the Association’s applications and technology assets, and make deliberate, risk-informed decisions about what to invest in, sustain, modernize, or retire.

Technology Solutions & Systems Development

• Ensures technology strategies support loan growth, customer service excellence, operational efficiency, and long-term organizational success.
• Advances the organization's use of automation, analytics, and emerging technologies to create business value.
• Connecting technology choices to business goals, and knowing when to build, buy or partner for solutions.
• Defines and communicates organizational plans for acquiring, implementing, and operating new systems, equipment, software, and other technologies.
• Directs technology vendor relationships, service providers, contract negotiations, and strategic technology partnerships.

Compliance and Audit

• Develops, implements, maintains, and oversees technology policies, procedures, and governance practices, ensuring technology solutions, architecture, and systems support regulatory compliance, enterprise security requirements, and organizational risk management objectives
• Partners with auditors, regulators, and examiners to support audits, examinations, and compliance reviews and remediates findings in a timely manner.

Leadership & Team Development

• Develops, coaches, and mentors IT team members to build organizational capability, succession readiness, and high-performance outcomes.
• Communicates executive and Board decisions by providing clear direction, context, and expectations to direct reports, ensuring alignment and effective execution of priorities throughout the department.
• Establishes performance expectations and accountability measures that support company goals and employee development within the IT team.

Minimum Qualifying Characteristics:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Engineering or related field
• Master's degree in Business Administration, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field preferred
• 7 years of experience in technology leadership experience, including enterprise technology strategy, digital transformation, systems development, and technology operations within a financial services or lending environment or an equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to perform the essential functions of the job
• CISSP, CISM, CISA, CGEIT preferred
• Expert knowledge of technology strategy, enterprise architecture, systems development, digital transformation, and emerging technologies.
• Strong knowledge of lending systems, loan origination platforms, workflow automation, business intelligence solutions, enterprise applications, and data management practices.
• Strong knowledge of financial institution operations, regulatory requirements, and technology solutions supporting lending and customer service functions.
• Knowledge of data analytics, artificial intelligence, automation technologies, cloud platforms, and technology governance frameworks.
• Skill in identifying opportunities for innovation, automation, digital transformation, and technology-enabled growth.
• Exceptional communication, sufficient to effectively collaborate with and communicate complex topics with boards, executives, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Strong leadership capability with the ability to build and develop high-performing teams.
•  Ability to lead organizational change and foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Skill in creating and maintaining technology governance frameworks, policies, and procedures.

This position is full time, working approximately 40 hours a week, and is benefits eligible. Occasional travel may be required to sufficiently support other locations within territory.

Farm Credit of Southern Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to diversity in the workplace and offers a great work environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

The following information is disclosed in compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act. Similar positions applied for outside of Colorado will not necessarily receive the same compensation.

Salary Range: $180,000 -$230,000.

This range is a good-faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of this posting. Actual salaries could vary and may be above or below the range as permitted by Colorado Equal Pay Transparency Rule 4.1.2. Variation is based on various factors including but not limited to location, qualifications, experience, operational needs and other considerations permitted by law. In compliance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a potential new employee’s salary history will not be used in compensation decisions. In addition, benefits for this position include medical, dental, vision and life insurance, 401k, tax advantage accounts, paid vacation, sick leave and parental leave. 

Organizational Information

At Farm Credit of Southern Colorado, we believe in creating a culture where teammates enjoy coming to work and feel included. We live this every day by enacting our FIRST principles, Fun , Integrity , Respect , Service , and Trust . Our commitment to our employees has earned Farm Credit of Southern Colorado recognition by the Colorado Springs Gazette a Best Place to Work for the past 6 years.

As one of the Farm Credit System’s associations, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado is a robust organization serving its member/owners in 31 counties throughout Southern Colorado. With over $1.8 billion in assets, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado’s approximately 125 staff members bring strength to its shareholders and communities. Farm Credit of Southern Colorado is a member-owned cooperative that provides a wide range of financial products and risk management services for agricultural producers, agribusinesses, land owners and rural homeowners.

FINAL DATE FOR APPLICATION: Until the position is filled.