Chief Technology Officer

Onsite Position – Operations Center – Horsham, PA Provide strategic and operational leadership across Firstrust Bank’s technology delivery and digital transformation functions. This role has a broad and intentional scope, encompassing four distinct functional pillars: a newly established Project Management & Governance (PMO) function, Digital Experience (data & integrations, platform development, and online banking), Network Operations & Reporting, and Systems Support. As a direct report to the Chief Operating Officer and a member of senior leadership, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) is accountable for keeping the technology infrastructure reliable, current, and secure, and for driving the digital transformation agenda. This position balances two equally important dimensions: operational – ensuring day‑to‑day technology delivery across an established, functioning team – and transformational – building new organizational capabilities, simplifying and improving the Bank’s technology solutions, and providing executive‑level accountability for platform programs. Central to both dimensions is building the institutional infrastructure for responsible AI adoption, from readiness (data foundation, vendor governance, and evaluation discipline) to deliberate, business‑value‑driven AI use at scale. Job Duties and Responsibilities Project Management & Governance Establish, staff, and lead the Bank’s new Project Management Office. Design and implement a governance model that aligns project prioritization across business units and technology teams. Oversee the end‑to‑end project lifecycle for all technology initiatives. Develop and maintain portfolio‑level reporting for the COO and executive leadership. Evaluate and develop a roadmap for the long‑term scope of the PMO, including its potential enterprise‑wide mandate. Digital Experience & Platform Strategy Provide executive oversight of the Digital Experience function and its three domains: Data & Integrations, Platform Development/Salesforce, and Online Banking. Drive value realization from the Bank’s most significant platform investments, ensuring adoption, integration, and measurable improvements in efficiency and customer experience. Oversee the maturation of data and integrations capabilities to support analytics, reporting, and AI evaluation. Lead digital transformation and process automation initiatives across customer‑facing and operational workflows. Identify, evaluate, and manage strategic FinTech partnerships in areas such as AI, payments, analytics, and platform experiences. Ensure online banking platforms remain competitive, stable, and compliant. AI Readiness & Business Value Develop and maintain the Bank’s AI readiness framework, including data quality standards and vendor evaluation criteria. Ensure data infrastructure meets governance requirements for responsible AI evaluation and use. Evaluate emerging AI capabilities from strategic vendor relationships, maintaining a clear log of evaluations and conclusions. Identify specific AI use cases that deliver measurable business value and oversee responsible deployment. Establish and maintain regulatory and risk governance for AI adoption, including model risk and third‑party oversight. Represent the Bank’s AI posture to the COO, Board, and examiners. Monitor the AI and emerging technology landscape, separating signal from noise for executive leadership. Technology Delivery – Network Operations, Reporting & Systems Support Maintain and strengthen the Bank’s technology infrastructure across network operations, systems reliability, reporting, and end‑user support. Ensure operations align with the Bank’s risk management expectations. Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency through automation and process improvement. Establish and maintain operational technology KPIs and management reporting. Strategic Leadership Serve as the Bank’s senior technology executive, partnering with the COO to develop and communicate the technology roadmap. Team Leadership & Organizational Development Recruit, develop, and retain leadership across four functional teams. Build organizational capacity within the PMO from the ground up. Develop a workforce strategy for technology, anticipating future skill needs. Execute departmental strategic plans and report progress to the COO. Stakeholder Engagement & Governance Ensure technology investment decisions are governed and aligned with business priorities. Engage vendors, technology partners, and FinTech organizations to evaluate and negotiate strategic relationships. Collaborate with Operational Risk, Compliance, Legal, and Finance to meet regulatory expectations and budgetary disciplines. Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across technology and business functions. Other Job Duties and Responsibilities Assist in the development of new business for Firstrust Bank. Direct customers to the appropriate person to establish business relationships. Other duties as assigned. Physical and Sensory Requirements Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Regular travel by motor vehicle, occasional air travel, and attendance at various venues. Possible lifting of files/materials up to 20 pounds. Operate a computer terminal. Potential On‑the‑Job Risks None identified. Education, Training and Experience Required Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field; advanced degree (MBA or equivalent) preferred. Minimum 15 years of progressive technology leadership experience, including at least 8 years in a senior role with direct accountability for technology strategy, delivery, and operational infrastructure in a regulated industry. Track record of leading digital transformation programs in a regulated environment with measurable, documented outcomes. Experience establishing, scaling, or leading a project governance or PMO function. Familiarity with major CRM, ERP, or industry‑specific platform ecosystems; Salesforce experience is a significant advantage. Practical engagement with AI and emerging technology, including governance, vendor assessment, or responsible AI adoption. Ability to lead and develop large, multi‑disciplinary technology teams. Strong executive communication skills and ability to translate complex technology topics for senior leadership. Preferred Experience in banking or financial services technology with familiarity of FDIC regulatory expectations. Experience evaluating, procuring, or managing FinTech partnerships in a banking context. Exposure to enterprise risk frameworks and cybersecurity coordination in a regulated environment. Experience leading technology organizations through significant change such as post‑acquisition integration or core system migration. Work Schedule In office 4 days per week and as needed. Firstrust Bank provides equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy), age, gender (including gender nonconformity and status as a transgender or transsexual individual), physical or mental disability, religion, national origin, genetics, marital status, veteran’s status, ancestry, citizenship, sexual orientation, or other characteristics protected by applicable law. This policy applies to all areas of employment, including, without limitation, recruitment, hiring, training and development, promotion, transfer, termination, compensation, benefits, and all other conditions and privileges of employment in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. #J-18808-Ljbffr Firstrust Bank