IT Chief of Staff

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Job Summary

We are seeking a seasoned and technically credible Information Technology Chief of Staff to serve as the CTO's strategic partner and operational right hand. This leader will bridge the gap between technology strategy and organizational execution, combining the rigor of a Chief of Staff with the technical depth to engage credibly with IT / Product senior leadership, as well as executive leadership in our business organizations. The role owns the technology organization's operating cadence, cross-functional alignment, and executive communications, while remaining credible enough to engage directly on architecture, vendor, and platform decisions.

This leader will be instrumental in scaling the technology organization's people, processes, and governance as Stellus Rx grows, stepping into interim leadership of engineering or IT teams when needed and representing the CTO in high-stakes decisions, board materials, and enterprise planning discussions.

Accountabilities

• Strategic Execution & Operating Cadence: Accountable for the technology organization's operating rhythm — staff meetings, quarterly planning, budget cycles, and OKR tracking. Own the process by which strategic priorities are translated into measurable execution plans. Ensure follow-through on commitments made in technology leadership forums.
• Technical Governance & Architecture Oversight: Accountable for providing a credible second technical voice on architecture decisions, platform investments, and vendor evaluations. Own the technology governance framework covering security posture, compliance, and technical debt prioritization. Ensure major technical decisions are vetted, documented, and aligned with enterprise standards.
• Executive Communication & Board Reporting: Accountable for preparing board materials, executive briefings, and technology updates on behalf of the CTO. Own the narrative that translates technical investment into business and clinical value. Ensure communications are accurate, timely, and appropriately calibrated for the audience.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Accountable for the technology organization's relationships with Finance, HR, Legal, Product, and Clinical Operations. Own the resolution of cross-functional dependencies and conflicts that affect technology delivery. Ensure commitments made across departments are tracked to completion.
• Interim & Delegated Leadership: Accountable for stepping into interim leadership of engineering or IT teams during transitions, leaves, or hiring gaps. Own decision-making authority delegated by the CTO in their absence. Ensure continuity of leadership and decision velocity across the technology organization.
• Budget & Vendor Stewardship: Accountable for the technology budget discipline and accuracy against forecast. Own vendor negotiations, contract renewals, and procurement decisions of material scale. Ensure technology spend is defensible, optimized, and aligned with organizational priorities.
• Organizational Design & Talent Development: Accountable for workforce planning, hiring strategy, and organizational design across the technology function. Own the build-out of management processes including performance reviews, promotion cycles, and career ladders. Ensure the technology organization is structured and staffed to deliver at scale.
• Security, Risk & Compliance Partnership: Accountable for partnering with the VP, Information Security and compliance leadership to ensure technology practices meet HIPAA and other applicable regulatory requirements. Own visibility into enterprise risk as it pertains to infrastructure, data, and third-party technology. Ensure risk and compliance considerations are embedded in technology decision-making.
• Program & Initiative Execution: Accountable for driving cross-functional technology initiatives from inception to completion. Own the portfolio of major programs, ensuring prioritization reflects business impact and resourcing reality. Ensure initiatives are delivered on time, on budget, and to the intended outcome.
• Confidential & Sensitive Matters: Accountable for handling confidential matters — personnel issues, vendor disputes, and executive-level decisions — with discretion and sound judgment. Own the CTO's trust as a proxy in sensitive discussions. Ensure discretion is maintained without compromising organizational transparency where appropriate.
• Mentorship & Leadership Development: Accountable for mentoring senior engineers and managers within the technology organization. Own the development of the next generation of technical leaders. Ensure a culture of accountability, technical rigor, and continuous improvement.
• Strategic Advisory to the CTO: Accountable for serving as the CTO's trusted strategic partner, providing candid counsel on organizational, technical, and political matters. Own the synthesis of information the CTO needs to make timely, well-informed decisions. Ensure the CTO's time and attention are focused on the highest-leverage priorities.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Operating Rhythm & Execution: Lead the technology leadership team's operating cadence, including staff meetings, offsites, quarterly planning, and OKR reviews. Establish and maintain the mechanisms by which strategic priorities are tracked to execution. Partner with functional leads to ensure cross-team dependencies are surfaced and resolved early.
• Technical Oversight & Architecture: Own a working technical understanding of the organization's architecture, infrastructure, and platform investments sufficient to engage credibly in design reviews. Establish and maintain governance processes for technical debt, security posture, and infrastructure standards. Partner with engineering leadership to evaluate major architecture proposals and vendor platforms.
• Executive & Board Communication: Lead the preparation of board materials, executive updates, and technology briefings on behalf of the CTO. Establish clear, consistent narratives that connect technology investment to business outcomes. Represent the CTO in meetings and decisions when the CTO is unavailable.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Own the relationship between the technology organization and Finance, HR, Legal, Product, and Clinical Operations. Establish clear escalation paths for cross-functional issues affecting technology delivery. Partner with department leaders to align technology roadmaps with broader organizational priorities.
• Interim Leadership & Continuity: Lead engineering or IT teams on an interim basis during leadership transitions, leaves, or hiring gaps. Establish continuity plans that minimize disruption during organizational change. Partner with HR and the CTO on succession planning for key technology leadership roles.
• Budget & Vendor Management: Own the technology budget, tracking spend against forecast and identifying cost optimization opportunities. Lead or support vendor negotiations, contract renewals, and procurement decisions. Establish disciplined, value-driven investment decision frameworks for the technology organization.
• Organizational Design & Talent: Lead workforce planning, hiring strategy, and organizational design for the technology function. Establish and scale management processes including performance reviews, promotion cycles, and career ladders. Mentor senior engineers and managers, building the organization's leadership bench.
• Governance, Risk & Compliance: Lead technology governance processes covering security posture, data privacy, and regulatory compliance, including HIPAA. Partner with the VP, Information Security and compliance leadership to ensure technology practices are auditable and defensible. Establish clear accountability for risk management across the technology organization.
• Strategic Partnership to the CTO: Serve as the CTO's principal strategic partner and sounding board on organizational, technical, and business matters. Lead the synthesis and prioritization of information and decisions requiring the CTO's attention. Represent the technology organization in enterprise strategy and planning discussions.

Minimum Qualifications and Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in technology roles, with at least 3-5 years in a chief of staff, director, or deputy CTO capacity
• Strong technical background in software engineering, infrastructure, or architecture sufficient to engage credibly with senior engineers and architects
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, vendor relationships, and cross-functional programs at scale
• Proven track record building or scaling organizational processes, including performance management, hiring, and career development frameworks
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing executive and board-level materials
• Experience partnering with security, compliance, or risk functions, ideally within a regulated industry such as healthcare
• Familiarity with cloud infrastructure (AWS/Azure/GCP), modern software delivery practices, and enterprise architecture principles
• Demonstrated ability to operate with significant autonomy, discretion, and sound judgment on sensitive matters
• Experience working directly with C-suite executives and boards
• Deep expertise in the healthcare industry strongly preferred; advanced degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field, MBA a plus