Chief Information Officer

Columbia Forest Products - Greensboro, NC

Full-time - Executive

Greensboro, NC

Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods

About the position

Columbia Forest Products is seeking a Chief Information Officer (CIO) to join our team in Greensboro, North Carolina. This is a pivotal role for a vice president level executive who will be responsible for the development and execution of our Digital Transformation Strategy, ensuring that our IT strategy aligns with business objectives and enhances our competitive edge in the marketplace. The CIO will oversee the implementation of new technologies, manage IT budgets, lead the IT team, and ensure data security and compliance. This position reports directly to the CEO. The CIO will play a crucial role in strategic IT leadership by developing and implementing a comprehensive IT strategy that aligns with the company's goals. This includes identifying opportunities for technology-driven innovation and preparing the organization for future technological advancements and challenges, particularly in relation to our digital transformation initiatives. The role also involves overseeing the design, deployment, and management of IT systems and infrastructure to ensure optimal performance, security, and reliability, while supporting current operations and future growth. In addition to IT infrastructure management, the CIO will lead and develop the IT team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement. This includes hiring, training, and performance management of IT staff, while demonstrating and modeling the principles of the Columbia Way, which emphasizes continuous improvement, teamwork, and respect for each other. The CIO will also ensure robust cybersecurity measures are in place to protect company data and systems, while ensuring compliance with relevant laws and industry standards. The role requires the development and management of the IT budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources, and overseeing the selection and management of IT vendors and service providers. The CIO will also be responsible for developing and implementing business continuity and disaster recovery plans to ensure the company can respond to and recover from disruptions. Collaboration with other senior executives to identify and prioritize IT projects that support business goals is essential, as is communicating the value and impact of IT initiatives. Finally, the CIO will drive digital transformation efforts to improve business processes, decision-making, and customer experiences, implementing technologies that facilitate accurate and efficient information flow and presentation.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive IT strategy that aligns with CFP's business goals and objectives.
• Identify opportunities for technology-driven innovation and improvement.
• Prepare the organization for future technological advancements and challenges, including digital transformation initiatives.
• Oversee the design, deployment, and management of IT systems and infrastructure to ensure optimal performance, security, and reliability.
• Direct, lead, and engage employee owners to improve performance in safety, quality, productivity, customer delivery, and costs.
• Lead, mentor, and manage the IT team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Ensure robust cybersecurity measures are in place to protect company data and systems.
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.
• Develop and manage the IT budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources.
• Oversee the selection and management of IT vendors and service providers.
• Develop and implement business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
• Collaborate with other senior executives to identify and prioritize IT projects that support business goals.
• Communicate the value and impact of IT initiatives.
• Drive digital transformation efforts to improve business processes, decision-making, and customer experiences.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Master's degree or MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in IT leadership with 10 years in executive leadership roles.
• Proven track record of managing IT strategy and operations in a complex organization.
• Strong financial acumen demonstrated through P&L responsibilities.
• Extensive implementation experience with ETE Enterprise Solutions.

Nice-to-haves

• Visionary
• Collaborative Influence
• Exceptional Communicator
• Humble: Willing to Learn and be coachable
• Respect for Team Members - emotionally intelligent, ability to listen and work with diversity
• Willing to 'go and see' for problem solving, learning, and improvement
• Ability to manage within the tension of conflicting goals
• Bought into LEAN principles as the way of doing business.