Chief Technology Officer

MassChallenge; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

MassChallenge is seeking an accomplished CTO to lead technology strategy and execution for a global startup ecosystem. You will head engineering, product, and data, shaping a vision around data as an asset, platform as a product, and scalable automation.

This executive role reports to the CEO and requires strong collaboration with partners and the board. The position is hybrid in Boston with frequent presence, remote consideration possible for the right candidate.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in technology with at least 5 in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated track record of product leadership and technology transformation.
• Strong product instincts and experience with agile methodologies.
• A data-driven mindset: actionable data is essential.
• Experience leading teams through platform transitions and integrations.
• Comfortable in ambiguity and able to set direction.
• Clear communicator to the board and senior partners.
• Genuinely passionate about entrepreneurship and startups.
• Ability to wear multiple technical hats while delegating strategically.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a full member of the executive team, contributing to strategy, board reporting, and performance.
• Develop and execute a tech and data strategy aligned to MassChallenge's mission and revenue goals.
• Build strong relationships with your team: set goals, coach, and create high-performance teams.
• Translate organizational vision into a clear, actionable technology roadmap with priorities and metrics.
• Lead data governance and analytics across the organization.
• Oversee platform and product development for core platforms (accelerator, community, partner/mentor).
• Own build-vs-buy decisions and emphasize integration and data portability.
• Oversee infrastructure, security, and vendor relationships; collaborate with Finance and Operations.

Skills

Executive leadership

Technology strategy

AI governance

Data strategy

Platform development

Team leadership

Communication with board

Agile methodologies

Tools

HubSpot

Accelerate platform

Job description

Location: Boston, MA (remote considered for the right candidate with frequent Boston presence)

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Compensation: $180,000 – $200,000

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators working to solve massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, corporations, and communities to grow and transform businesses and economies. Our mission is big, our team gives 100% every day, and technology is central to how we scale our impact.

Position Summary

This is an executive leadership role for a technology leader who is equally comfortable setting strategy and getting close to the work. As CTO and a member of the executive team, you will own MassChallenge's technology vision and drive its execution across three pillars: data as a strategic asset, platform as a differentiated product, and automation that scales the organization. You will lead a talented technology team (engineering, product, and data) and be the voice of technology in every major organizational decision.

MassChallenge is in the middle of a deliberate shift. AI has given us the opportunity to use technology to enable our staff and our community in the startup ecosystem in ways that were not available even 6 months ago. You will lead that transformation.

Location

This role is hybrid and will be expected to work from the Boston office for at least two days per week, typically Tuesday and Thursday. Remote candidates may be considered for the right fit, provided they can be in Boston frequently.

What You'll Do

Leadership and Overall Technology Strategy

• Serve as a full member of the executive team, contributing to company strategy, board reporting, and organizational performance
• Develop and execute a technology and data strategy aligned to MassChallenge's mission and revenue goals
• Build strong relationships with your team: set clear goals, coach consistently, and create an environment where great work happens
• Translate organizational vision into an actionable technology roadmap with clear priorities, timelines, owners, and metrics
• Believe in iteration: one and done is not how we think

Data Strategy and Governance

• Make MassChallenge's 16+ years of startup and ecosystem data a strategic asset, for our internal stakeholders, partners, founders, and business development
• Establish a single source of truth across programs, alumni, and partner data in our data warehouse, integrated to tools such as our proprietary platform Accelerate and HubSpot
• Build data governance frameworks and analytics capabilities that inform decisions across the organization
• Work on deeper research projects with our partners at MIT, HBS, Univ. of Colorado, and others
• Define and guide responsible AI use for our employees and community
• Build automation capabilities that let MassChallenge grow revenue and impact without proportional headcount growth
• Champion AI adoption across staff to lift day-to-day productivity, from agentic workflows to assistants like Claude
• Help technical staff get more out of AI tools (coding, data analytics, infrastructure)
• Discover and execute data science projects driven with AI (matching, classifiers, evaluators, embeddings search, and more)

Platform and Product

• Lead product development for MassChallenge's core platforms, including the accelerator program platform, community platform, and partner and mentor experience layer
• Oversee the full product process from problem discovery through delivery, working closely with program, partnerships, marketing, and business development teams
• Own the build-vs-buy decision framework. Default to integration where tools are strong, build where MC has a genuine competitive advantage, with data portability and transparency as core values
• Drive the partner and founder experience: dashboards, reporting, engagement tools, and the connections that make the MassChallenge network valuable

Infrastructure and Vendor Management

• Ensure MC's technology infrastructure supports operational efficiency and global operations
• Oversee IT security, compliance, and vendor relationships, working closely with Finance and Operations
• Negotiate contracts and hold vendors accountable to performance

Who You Are & What You Bring

Education & Experience Requirements

• 10+ years in technology, with at least 5 in a senior leadership role
• Demonstrated track record of product leadership and technology transformation ideally in a mission-driven or startup-adjacent environment
• Strong product instincts and experience with agile methodologies
• A data-driven mindset: you believe actionable data is not an accident
• Experience leading teams through platform transitions and integrations
• Comfortable in ambiguity -- you can set direction without perfect information and adjust as you learn
• Clear communicator who can translate complex technical decisions for non-technical audiences including the board and senior partners
• Genuinely passionate about entrepreneurship and startups
• Ability to wear multiple technical hats but also delegate strategically to your staff

Who We Are

MassChallenge is the global network for innovators solving massive challenges. We connect startups, experts, governments, corporations, and communities, and we do it at scale. When you join MassChallenge, you join a team that is serious about its mission, moves fast, and holds itself accountable to impact.

Why You Should Join Us

The technology agenda at MassChallenge is at an inflection point. The foundation is in place, and the team is strong. What's needed is a leader who can think strategically about the needs of our business and our programs, execute with discipline, unlock the value in our data, and build a platform that makes MassChallenge indispensable to every partner, founder, and ecosystem player we work with. If that sounds like the right challenge, it is.

Our Core Values:

• Founder Mindset: Optimism, Tenacity, Love the Problem
• Connect & Collaborate: Empathy & Inclusion & Fun, Build Community, Connect the Dots
• Progress over Perfection: Build on experience, Fail Fast, Demonstrate Traction

Compensation

• MassChallenge offers competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment.
• Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and commensurate with skills and experience.
• For this position, the base salary range is $180,000 – $200,000.
• Internal equity considerations and the average salary of the peer range will be reviewed before making a final offer.

MassChallenge is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity. Applicants and employees are reviewed on their individual qualifications for a position. Under no circumstances will MassChallenge discriminate against qualified persons on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under applicable law.