Chief Technology Officer (CTO)

Student Agencies, Inc.; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Part time

Job summary

A higher education firm in Ithaca seeks a Chief Technology Officer to establish a technical vision aligned with business strategy. The role involves overseeing enterprise technology initiatives, managing digital platforms, and executing risk management strategies. Ideal candidates have experience in SaaS integrations, business intelligence, and cybersecurity. This part-time position requires proven leadership and communication skills, fostering innovation and growth within the organization.

Qualifications

• Experience implementing enterprise-grade SaaS integrations for small-to-medium enterprises.
• Track record of cybersecurity improvements and digital risk management.
• Proficiency in building business intelligence solutions (dashboard creation, financial & operational analytics).
• Strong communication and project management skills.
• Ability to balance strategic technology initiatives with operational troubleshooting.
• Commitment to learning and innovating within fast-moving technological landscapes.

Responsibilities

• Develop unified data dashboards using Zoho, QuickBooks, and Shopify.
• Maintain seamless operations across digital platforms.
• Manage public-facing and internal web systems for optimized SEO.
• Identify emerging technologies and propose scalable solutions.
• Provide technological updates to the SAI Board of Directors.
• Ensure effective training for new managers on tech platforms.

Skills

Innovation

Digital

Communication

Growth strategies

Entrepreneurial mindset

Business development

Leadership

Collaboration

Time management

Technology

Analytics

Tools

Zoho

QuickBooks

Shopify

Salesforce

Dashlane

Job description

Eligibility

This Job is Only Open to Current Cornell Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Undergrads

Purpose

The Chief Technology Officer is responsible for establishing and executing a technical vision that aligns with Student Agencies’ business strategy and organizational goals, leveraging our integrated digital ecosystem to inform planning and decision-making. Following several successful digital transformations (including a major migration of a CRM, Shopify e-commerce transition, significant tech stack cost reductions, and cybersecurity risk audits), Student Agencies is looking for a candidate with demonstrated experience driving cross-platform optimization and building data-driven decision-making infrastructure from the ground up.

Reporting and Time Commitment

The CTO reports directly to the President and sits on SAI’s executive team. The CTO participates in weekly executive and general team meetings and ensures operational continuity and long-term tech scalability. Hourly requirement: part-time (15-20 hours per week) during the academic year and full-time (35-40 hours per week) during the summer.

Main Responsibilities

• Business Intelligence & Analytics: Continue development of unified data dashboards, leveraging platforms such as Zoho, QuickBooks, and Shopify, enabling real-time reporting across SAI’s $4MM portfolio.
• Build on existing cybersecurity and risk management protocols to ensure data integrity and secure business operations.

• Technology Leadership & Continuity: Maintain seamless operations across SAI’s integrated digital stack (QuickBooks, Movegistics, AppFolio, Shopify, Salesforce, RingCentral, Confluence, Slack, Dashlane). Develop and document robust transition strategies, ensuring annual manager turnover does not disrupt operational performance.

• Web & Digital Strategy: Manage SAI’s public-facing and internal web systems, ensuring optimized SEO, reliability, and analytics integration. Provide hands-on support for web content updates, troubleshooting, and platform optimization.

• Innovation & Modernization: Identify emerging technologies relevant to small-enterprise student-run businesses and propose scalable, cost-effective implementations. Research, compare, and implement new solutions to improve operations, efficiency, and decision-making.

• Board Communication: Provide regular updates to the SAI Board of Directors on technology initiatives, capital expenditures, and risk management strategies. Prepare and present CapEx proposals and project reports as needed.

• Training & Knowledge Transfer: Ensure effective training for new managers on all platforms, procedures, and analytics tools. Maintain and improve documentation for all technology systems and processes.

Necessary Skills & Attributes

• Experience implementing enterprise-grade SaaS integrations for small-to-medium enterprises.
• Track record of cybersecurity improvements and digital risk management.
• Proficiency in building business intelligence solutions (dashboard creation, financial & operational analytics).
• Strong communication and project management skills.
• Ability to balance strategic technology initiatives with on-the-ground operational troubleshooting.
• Commitment to learning and innovating within fast-moving technological landscapes.

What We’re Looking For

We are seeking a candidate with proven experience leading enterprise technology initiatives, particularly in environments similar to Student Agencies’ unique multi-business structure. Preferred qualifications include demonstrated success in:

• Overseeing cross-platform SaaS integrations, including Zoho, Shopify, QuickBooks, Salesforce, Dashlane, and related tools.
• Designing and implementing business intelligence dashboards that directly influence organizational decision-making.
• Executing cybersecurity risk management and operational continuity strategies in fast-paced, high-turnover environments.
• Managing complex website ecosystems and optimizing SEO and analytics performance.

A strong understanding of Student Agencies’ existing digital ecosystem and the ability to build on current initiatives to drive future innovation is highly valued. While the role offers significant freedom, candidates who have already shown an ability to deliver strategic tech initiatives and ensure smooth organizational transitions will be considered ideal for this position.

Skills: innovation, digital, communication, growth strategies, entrepreneurial mindset, business development, leadership, collaboration, time management, technology, analytics

Seniority level

• Entry level

Employment type

• Part-time

Job function

• Information Technology

Industries

• Higher Education

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