Chief Technology Officer (CTO) - Remote

Placements24; Pretoria; Remote; ZAR 3,000,000 - 5,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity package based on performance

Comprehensive health insurance

Retirement savings plan

Remote-first culture

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a visionary Chief Technology Officer to lead technology strategy for a fast-growing FinTech startup. This remote-first role drives architecture, security, and platform scaling while guiding distributed engineering teams and collaborating with executives on product strategy.

The ideal candidate has 15+ years in software leadership, including 5+ years as CTO/VP Eng, with deep cloud, microservices, and DevOps experience. Remote-friendly, high-impact leadership awaits.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of software leadership, with 5+ years as CTO/VP Eng.
• Proven ability to scale engineering in a remote-first setup.
• Strong cloud, microservices, DevOps, and security expertise.
• Experience in FinTech and data management is highly desirable.
• Strategic thinker with exceptional leadership and communication.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the technology vision, strategy, and roadmap.
• Lead engineering, product, and IT operations teams.
• Oversee architecture, development, deployment, and maintenance.
• Ensure security, scalability, reliability, and performance.
• Manage budget, resources, and vendor relationships.
• Recruit, retain, and develop top engineering talent.
• Collaborate with executives on product strategy and growth.
• Establish coding standards and QA practices.

Skills

Visionary leadership

Strategic thinking

Remote team leadership

Communication

Hiring & mentoring

Cloud architecture

Microservices

DevOps practices

Security best practices

Education

Master's or Ph.D. in Computer Science / Engineering or related field

Tools

AWS / Azure / GCP

Microservices architecture

CI/CD & DevOps tooling

Cybersecurity fundamentals

Job description

About the Role

Our client, an innovative and fast-growing FinTech startup, is seeking a visionary Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to join their fully remote team. This is a critical executive role responsible for setting the technological vision, strategy, and roadmap for the company. The CTO will lead all aspects of technology development, infrastructure, cybersecurity, and IT operations. This is a remote-first position, offering the flexibility to work from anywhere, but requiring strong self-discipline and proactive communication. The successful candidate will be instrumental in scaling our client\'s platform, driving technological innovation, and ensuring the security and reliability of our systems. The role demands a leader capable of managing distributed teams and fostering a collaborative, high-performance engineering culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and execute the company\'s overall technology vision, strategy, and roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives.
• Lead and manage all engineering, product development, and IT operations teams, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
• Oversee the architecture, development, deployment, and maintenance of the company\'s software platform and infrastructure.
• Ensure the security, scalability, reliability, and performance of all technology systems.
• Manage the technology budget, resource allocation, and vendor relationships effectively.
• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends, identifying opportunities for competitive advantage.
• Lead the recruitment, retention, and professional development of top engineering talent.
• Collaborate with other executives to drive product strategy and business growth.
• Establish and enforce robust coding standards, development processes, and quality assurance practices.
• Serve as the primary technical spokesperson for the company, internally and externally.

Requirements

• Master\'s or Ph.D. in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in software engineering and technology leadership roles, with at least 5 years in a CTO or VP of Engineering position.
• Proven experience leading and scaling engineering teams in a remote-first environment.
• Deep understanding of modern software architecture, cloud computing (AWS, Azure, GCP), microservices, and DevOps practices.
• Experience in FinTech, cybersecurity, and data management is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of agile development methodologies and product management.
• Excellent strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams.
• Experience managing significant technology budgets and vendor contracts.
• Proven ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

Benefits

Our client offers a highly competitive compensation package, including a top-tier salary, significant performance-based equity, and comprehensive benefits. This includes premium health, dental, and vision insurance, a generous retirement savings plan, and a flexible spending