Description of a Chief Information Officer

Chief information officers plan and coordinate a company's overall technological direction

Chief information officers are highly-placed, well-paid executive officers in major
corporations. They help plan and coordinate overall technological direction and are answerable to the chief executive officer and board of directors. Chief information officers provide their organizations with the vision and tools to use information technology in a highly-competitive market.

Education Requirements

The general educational requirements depend on the type of organization or corporation. Most will have a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, or a specific educational background in computer or information technology. Some chief information officers may not have a college degree, but are promoted from within due to work-related experience.

Job Duties

Chief information officers are responsible for planning and coordinating their company's technological direction. They employ information technology workers and computer specialists to implement information technology-related projects. They propose budgets for projects and make decisions on personnel, staff training and equipment purchasing. Chief information officers review the output of their departments and establish administrative policies. In large corporations, they are expected to prepare and submit reports to executive boards. Some companies require extensive travel to other corporate sites.

Advancement

Chief information officers may rise within their own corporations to higher executive positions. They could even become chief operating officers or chief executive officers, as well as members of the board of directors in their firm and other firms. They may start their own businesses or consulting firms.

Employment Outlook

Little change in employment will occur from 2008 to 2018, according to the United States Board of Labor and Statistics. Projected employment of top executives will vary due to industry and rate of growth or decline. There is keen competition for these positions, and many are filled from within. Corporate mergers will result in some job loss.

Earnings

The median annual wage for general and operations managers was $91,570 in May 2008, according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. Earnings will vary due to the specific responsibilities of chief information officers. The middle 50 percent of executive managers ranged from $62,900 to $137,020.The median annual wages for general and operations managers in computer systems design and related services was $133,140. Some top executives earn more than $1 million annually, though this varies by size and type of industry and responsibility level. The total compensation for many executives includes stock options and other benefits.

References

• bls.gov: Top Executives