Fractional Chief Information Officer (CIO)

CTG is seeking an exceptional senior technology leader to serve as Fractional Chief Information Officer for our client during a critical period of transformation. This is an embedded executive role — positioned within the leadership team, accountable for outcomes, and operating at the organization's pace.

This is a 6-month contract role.

Candidates should be located in Buffalo, NY or Rochester, NY

This role is designed for someone who combines deep technical architecture expertise in data, cloud, and AI with the executive presence, communication skills, and leadership judgment of a seasoned CIO. An ideal candidate will operate comfortably in the boardroom, built governance frameworks and shipped production pipelines.

This role has a significant AI initiative underway (Project DELTA), a distributed data estate requiring governance, and multiple active workstreams in motion.

A senior technology leadership transition creates an immediate need for continuity. This role fills that gap — ensuring no momentum is lost while establishing the data and AI architecture foundation required for the organization's next phase of growth.

The Fractional CIO operates across six interconnected domains. You are the single point of executive accountability for all of them — not a subject matter expert brought in for one lane, but a leader who holds the whole picture.

The ideal candidate demonstrates senior-level capability across each of the following. Depth in Data, AI, and Governance is essential. Leadership and executive communication are equally non-negotiable

What we are looking for:

Data Architecture & Governance:

• Hands-on experience designing enterprise data governance frameworks, data lineage models, metadata catalogs, and quality management systems across complex, distributed environments. Direct experience with platforms such as Microsoft Purview, Collibra, Informatica IDMC, Ataccama, or equivalent.

Cloud & Modern Data Platforms:

• Deep expertise across cloud data platforms — Azure (Synapse, Data Factory, Databricks, Fabric), AWS, or equivalent. Experience architecting lakehouse and medallion architectures. Hands-on with Snowflake, Databricks, or modern warehouse platforms at scale.

AI & Machine Learning Enablement:

• Practical experience enabling AI and ML programs — defining data foundations, governing model deployment, and delivering measurable outcomes across internal, operational, and customer-facing use cases. Familiarity with AI risk and governance frameworks.

Security & Access Control:

• Strong background in enterprise data security — RBAC, ABAC, PBAC, least-privilege design, and compliance posture management. Experience with tools such as SailPoint, Immuta, OneTrust, or equivalent. Ability to embed security into data and AI architectures.

Execution & Delivery Leadership:

• Proven record of delivering high-visibility, high-complexity technology programs at speed. Comfortable managing distributed workstreams, resolving cross-functional dependencies, and maintaining momentum under leadership transitions.

Executive Communication:

• Exceptional ability to translate complex technical architecture into clear executive narrative. Experience presenting to boards, CXO teams, and non-technical stakeholders. Equally fluent in boardroom and sprint room.

CIO / Senior Leadership Experience:             

• Prior experience in a CIO, VP of Technology, Head of Data, or equivalent executive role — either full-time or fractional. Demonstrated ability to own technology strategy, manage vendor relationships, and lead technology organizations.

 Technical Qualifications:

While this is an executive leadership role, the Fractional CIO must be deeply technical. The following qualifications reflect the hands-on architecture and engineering capability required to earn credibility with the clients technical teams and make sound technology decisions independently.

Data & Governance Platforms

• Enterprise data governance implementation: Microsoft Purview, Collibra.

Informatica IDMC/Axon, Ataccama, or Alation

• Data quality management and metadata cataloging at enterprise scale
• Data lineage definition and enforcement across multi-source environments
• Experience governing distributed data estates — on-premise and cloud hybrid

Cloud & Data Engineering

• Azure platform depth: Synapse, Data Factory, Databricks, Microsoft Fabric, Azure SQL
• Lakehouse and medallion architecture design and implementation
• Snowflake or equivalent cloud data warehouse at scale
• Data ingestion pipeline design: batch, CDC, streaming, and event-driven patterns
• Python, PySpark, SQL — hands-on proficiency for architecture validation and technical oversight
• DBT, Airflow, or equivalent orchestration platform experience

AI & Machine Learning

• Practical AI/ML program enablement — data readiness, feature engineering, pipeline architecture
• AI governance framework design: model documentation, risk assessment, deployment controls
• Familiarity with Azure ML, Databricks ML, or equivalent ML platforms
• Experience governing customer-facing AI deployments with compliance and explainability requirements

Security & Access

• RBAC, ABAC, and Policy-Based Access Control design across multi-tenant enterprise environments
• Data masking, encryption, and PII/NPI control implementation
• Security tooling: SailPoint, Immuta, OneTrust, Splunk, or equivalent
• Cloud IAM governance: Azure RBAC, AWS IAM, or Google Cloud IAM
• Audit trail design and compliance reporting infrastructure

Visualization & Reporting

• Power BI or Fabric — advanced dashboard design and enterprise deployment
• Executive-level reporting architecture and data storytelling

Excellent verbal and written English communication skills and the ability to interact professionally with a diverse group are required.

CTG does not accept unsolicited resumes from headhunters, recruitment agencies, or fee based recruitment services for this role.

To Apply: To be considered, please apply directly to this requisition using the link provided. Kindly forward this to any other interested parties. Thank you!