Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Farmer's Fridge - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Executive

Chicago, IL

Food Manufacturing

About the position

We are on a mission to make fresh, high-quality, and sustainably sourced food accessible to everyone. Through our tech-enabled manufacturing and distribution, we are committed to transforming the food system. As a company that values innovation, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making, we are looking for a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to lead our technology strategy and operations. The CIO will play a crucial role in scaling our technology infrastructure to support growth and drive operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Align technology initiatives with broader business goals, supporting operational excellence and customer satisfaction.
• Lead the assessment of 'buy vs. build' decisions, favoring external solutions while maintaining the capacity to build mission-critical systems in-house.
• Oversee the design and implementation of scalable IT infrastructure, ensuring that it meets both current and future business needs.
• Lead efforts to integrate various technology platforms, ensuring efficient data flows across departments such as manufacturing, supply chain, and customer service.
• Ensure data governance, security, and compliance across all business operations.
• Lead the selection and management of third-party technology vendors, ensuring that partnerships deliver long-term value.
• Oversee outsourcing initiatives, ensuring that they align with business objectives and deliver efficiency without compromising quality.
• Manage ongoing vendor relationships and performance, driving continuous improvement and cost-effectiveness.
• Drive change management efforts to ensure seamless technology adoption and minimal disruption to business operations.
• Champion collaboration across teams, ensuring that technology supports all business functions effectively.
• Develop and implement training programs to maximize user adoption of new systems.
• Collaborate with departments such as manufacturing and supply chain, sales and marketing, and customer service to ensure that technology solutions improve efficiency and performance.
• Lead technology projects that address specific business challenges and operational needs, ensuring they are delivered on time and within budget.
• Build and lead a high-performing IT team that is capable of executing the company's technology strategy.
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the technology team.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in senior technology leadership roles, ideally within tech-enabled manufacturing, food, CPG, or a related field.
• Proven success in leading complex, multi-domain business operations, with a strong track record of scaling technology teams.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to communicate and inspire team members from the production floor to the Board of Directors.
• Extensive experience with buy vs. build decisions, with a strong preference for leveraging third-party solutions while maintaining the ability to build critical internal systems.
• Expertise in systems integration, data infrastructure, and vendor management, including outsourcing and long-term vendor relationships.
• Track record of successfully managing organizational change to support the adoption of new technologies.
• Experience in food manufacturing, CPG, or fulfillment is preferred, with a deep understanding of how technology can drive operational excellence and growth.
• Familiarity with multi-department budget management, including managing large IT-related P&L.

Benefits

• Daily Farmer's Fridge meal and office snacks.
• Paid sabbatical program after four years of service.
• 401(k) plan that includes a company match with immediate vesting.