Chief Information Officer - Banking & Financial Services

Vaco is actively seeking a Chief Information Officer for a direct-hire opportunity with a respected financial services organization in Memphis.

This is a unique opportunity to join a traditional core banking organization with a focus on organic growth within the Fintech and Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) space.


Position Summary

The Chief Information Officer will lead the technology strategy and execution for a regional banking operation with a multitude of national strategic financial partnerships.

This role will ensure alignment with business goals, regulatory requirements, and industry trends. The executive will oversee the development and implementation of innovative digital initiatives, cybersecurity strategies, and IT infrastructure, continuing to drive the bank's transformation into a leading player in digital banking and financial services sector.


Key Responsibilities:

• Technology Strategy & Roadmap: Develop and execute the bank's technology strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives, regulatory requirements, and emerging industry trends.

• Digital Banking & Customer-Facing Platforms: Lead the bank's digital initiatives to enhance digital banking services, including online and mobile platforms, payment solutions, and customer-facing technologies. Drive operational process improvements to streamline service delivery.

• Cybersecurity & Compliance: Oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive cybersecurity and recovery measures to protect the bank's data, infrastructure, and systems. Ensure compliance with relevant regulations and industry standards (e.g., GDPR, PCI DSS, PSD2).

• Emerging Technologies: Stay abreast of emerging technologies like AI, blockchain, and fintech innovations. Evaluate their potential to drive innovation and maintain the bank's competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving financial services landscape.

• IT Governance & Infrastructure: Ensure the bank's IT infrastructure is secure, compliant with industry regulations, and scalable to meet business demands. Establish and enforce IT governance frameworks to ensure operational continuity, data integrity, and disaster recovery capabilities.

• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing IT team. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement across all technology departments, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.

• Vendor & Stakeholder Management: Manage both vendor and business partner relationships with third-party technology providers and consultants to ensure the timely and cost-effective delivery of services.

• Digital Transformation & Innovation: Spearhead the bank's digital transformation efforts, including the migration to cloud platforms, API-driven architectures, and the adoption of advanced data analytics capabilities. Ensure technology infrastructure supports the complexity of the bank's business model, including real-time banking and financial product delivery.
  

Qualifications:

• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in technology leadership roles, with at least 5 years in a senior IT executive position (e.g., CIO, CTO, etc) within the financial services or fintech industry.

• Industry Expertise: Deep understanding of Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS), open banking frameworks, digital banking platforms, and the regulatory environment affecting financial institutions.

• Digital Transformation Leadership: Proven experience leading large-scale digital transformation initiatives in the financial services industry, particularly in BaaS or fintech-driven strategies.

• Technical Expertise: Strong knowledge of cloud computing, API architecture, microservices, and other critical technologies essential to modern banking systems.

• Cybersecurity Knowledge: Expertise in managing cybersecurity frameworks and ensuring compliance with financial industry standards such as PCI DSS, GDPR, and PSD2.
  
  

Additional Details

• Employment Type: Direct-Hire
• Location: Memphis, TN
• Start Date: Immediate
• Total Compensation: $300k - $400k based on skills and experience