Chief Technology Officer

Thompson Holdings, Inc.; Mobile (AL); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Job summary

Thompson Holdings Inc. in Mobile, AL seeks a Chief Technology Officer to lead the technology strategy across the holding company and subsidiaries, shaping a unified roadmap and governance.

You will drive enterprise digital solutions, AI initiatives, data governance, and technology M&A integration, partnering with executive leadership to enable scalable, technology-enabled growth while maintaining operational autonomy of subsidiaries.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive technology leadership, including senior executive roles
• Experience in professional services, AEC, engineering, or related industries or demonstrated transformation leadership in these sectors
• Experience with managing software development organizations and delivering technology-enabled solutions
• Proven track record in technology-driven M&A integration and post-acquisition rationalization
• Familiarity with ESOP or employee-owned cultures is a meaningful plus
• Hands-on technology leadership with execution capability across a multi-subsidiary enterprise

Responsibilities

• Develop and own a unified technology roadmap across Thompson Holdings and subsidiaries
• Evaluate third-party technology solutions and enterprise digital platforms
• Establish enterprise data governance, security, and data fabric across the organization
• Lead AI, automation, and digital transformation initiatives with scalable impact
• Drive technology adoption and governance across corporate services
• Lead technology M&A assessment and post-acquisition integration
• Act as a bridge between subsidiaries and enterprise IT leadership to balance autonomy with shared infrastructure
• Represent technology vision to clients, partners, and industry groups

Skills

Technology leadership

Strategic planning

AI/ML leadership

Data governance

Enterprise IT governance

M&A technology

Tools

Sourcetoad capabilities

Windows infrastructure

Apple/Linux environments

Cloud infrastructure

Job description

Thompson Holdings Inc. is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) holding company headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. Thompson Holdings is the parent company of four subsidiaries:

Thompson Holdings Inc. - Mobile, AL

Full-Time

• Reports to CEO

ABOUT THOMPSON HOLDINGS

Thompson Holdings Inc. is a 100% employee-owned (ESOP) holding company headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. Thompson Holdings is the parent company of four subsidiaries:

Thompson Engineering

Engineering Multi-disciplined civil/structural/environmental engineering firm established in 1953

Watermark Design Group

Architectural and interior design firm serving the Gulf Coast and Southeast

Thompson Consulting Services

Full-service emergency response, disaster planning/recovery, and grant management

Sourcetoad

Tampa-based software development, AI, automation, and technology consulting firm (acquired Jan 2026)

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a newly created enterprise-wide role. The CTO will serve as an executive-level technology leader for Thompson Holdings, working alongside the executive leadership team to set and advance technology strategy across the holding company and all subsidiaries. This position will include evaluating third- party technology solutions, developing enterprise digital solutions, and creating a data strategy and practical governance model across the organization. While the CTO may leverage Sourcetoad's software, AI, automation, and technology consulting capabilities, this is one component of a broader enterprise technology strategy in an enterprise wide capacity The CTO will build a cohesive technology strategy and position Thompson as a differentiated, technology-enabled competitor in the AEC, disaster recovery, and professional services markets. The CTO will also be tasked with innovating and streamlining process-based tasks for Corporate services including HR, Safety, Legal, IT, Finance, and Communication as Thompson continues to scale. The CTO will have a keen understanding of digital innovation, enterprise data governance, digital solutions delivery, and corporate governance and will serve in a strategic, cross-functional position that requires equal parts vision, credibility, and hands‑on execution of technology-enabled solutions.

WHAT YOU'LL DRIVE

Enterprise-Wide Technology Strategy Across the Portfolio

• Work with all companies to develop and own a unified technology roadmap
• Evaluate and prioritize technology capabilities across the enterprise, including Sourcetoad's custom software, AI, automation, and systems modernization expertise can create the highest ROI across all companies
• Establish technology governance: standards, platforms, and decision frameworks that allow subsidiaries to remain operationally autonomous while benefiting from shared infrastructure
• Partner with enterprise IT leadership to develop technology roadmaps that balance innovation with operational reliability and risk management
• Create and lead the enterprise data strategy, including development of a scalable data fabric that connects business, operational, financial, project, client, and other data sources across the enterprise while respecting each company's operational needs.
• Establish enterprise data governance practices, including data ownership, stewardship, quality, access, security, integration standards, and decision rights needed to support reporting, automation, AI, and digital solutions

Enterprise Innovation, Digital Solutions & Sourcetoad Capability Integration

• Serve as the executive-level technology bridge across Thompson Holdings and all subsidiaries
• Drive enterprise adoption of technology-enabled tools and solutions, including Sourcetoad-built products where appropriate, from automated debris management systems for disaster recovery to digital project delivery tools for engineering and shared corporate services
• Lead the design, prioritization, and delivery of enterprise digital solutions that improve project delivery, field operations, disaster recovery workflows, corporate services, client experience, and management visibility

AI & Emerging Technology Leadership

• Define how AI and machine learning are applied responsibly across the enterprise - prioritizing genuine business impact, operational improvement, and scalable adoption over experimentation
• Partner with subsidiaries to build, evaluate, and scale AI-enabled solutions
• Keep Thompson ahead of the technology curve in industries (AEC, disaster recovery) that are mid-transformation
• Lead and Manage technology driven projects from inception to implementation
• Align emerging technologies, AI solutions, software development efforts, digital transformation projects, and data fabric initiatives with corporate cybersecurity, compliance, data governance, and infrastructure standards across the enterprise

Market Differentiation & Client Value

• Help package and position Thompson's combined engineering + software + AI capabilities and technology tools as a competitive differentiator in the market
• Partner with subsidiary leaders and business development teams to identify and pursue technology-enabled service opportunities
• Represent Thompson's technology vision by partnering with subsidiaries to support clients, partners, and industry associations

Change Management & Technology Adoption

• Lead technology adoption across a workforce that ranges from software engineers to field-based disaster recovery professionals
• Work within a heterogeneous technology environment: Windows-based enterprise infrastructure across three subsidiaries, Apple/Linux environments at Sourcetoad
• Build trust with subsidiary leaders and employee-owners so technology is viewed as an enterprise-wide enabler, not an imposition

Technology M&A Support

• Advise on future acquisitions from a technology perspective: assess tech maturity, identify integration risks, and evaluate strategic fit
• Lead technology integration for new subsidiaries post-acquisition

WHO YOU ARE

Experience

• 15+ years of progressive technology leadership, including 5+ years in a senior technology executive role (CTO, VP Technology, or equivalent)
• Background in professional services, AEC, engineering, construction, consulting, or government services - or demonstrated experience leading technology transformation in these industries
• Experience managing or closely partnering with software development organizations; sufficient technical depth to earn the respect of engineers
• Proven track record managing technological solutions across multiple business units or entities
• Experience with technology-driven M&A: integration planning, due diligence, or post-acquisition rationalization
• Familiarity with ESOP, employee-owned, or mission-driven organizational cultures is a meaningful plus
• Experience with Management of employees and hands on technology driven solution implementation.

Capabilities

• Strategic thinker who can translate technology vision into tangible business outcomes
• Credible with two very different audiences: enterprise-minded operational leaders and software-native engineering teams
• Strong change management skills; comfortable engaging busy professionals in environments of various technological maturity
• Working knowledge of AI/ML applications, modern software development practices, and cloud infrastructure - not necessarily a practitioner, but informed enough to lead
• Demonstrated ability to shape enterprise data strategy, data governance, and digital solutions roadmaps that turn fragmented systems and data sources into scalable business capabilities
• Practical, ROI-focused mindset consistent with an employee-owned, growth-oriented business

What We're Not Looking For

• A pure enterprise IT / infrastructure leader (that is a CIO function, not this role)
• A startup or Silicon Valley background without services-industry grounding or exposure
• A visionary without execution muscle - Thompson Holdings is a builder culture and is looking for a hands on technology leader who can manage and stay on task with project implementation.
• Someone who wants to standardize everything on day one; subsidiaries retain meaningful operational autonomy

STRUCTURE & REPORTING

Reports to: CEO, Thompson Holdings Inc.

Peer relationships: Subsidiary Leaders (Thompson Engineering, Watermark, Thompson Consulting, Sourcetoad)

Key working relationships: Enterprise wide - including subsidiary leaders, corporate services, enterprise IT, and Sourcetoad leadership as a strategic technology partner.

Location: Flexible / Remote-friendly; Mobile, AL headquarters; Tampa, FL (Sourcetoad HQ) and Southeast travel expected

Employee ownership: Participation in the Thompson Holdings ESOP - every employee earns shares as the company grows