Chief Information Officer

Columbia Forest Products is looking for a Chief Information Officer (CIO) located in Greensboro, North Carolina. This is an opportunity to be an employee owner for the premier North American supplier of decorative hardwood veneer and plywood. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) is a vice president level executive responsible for the strategic planning, development, and management of the company's information technology (IT) infrastructure. The CIO ensures that our IT strategy aligns with CFP's business objectives, supports efficient operations, and enhances the company's ability to compete in the marketplace. This role involves leading the implementation of new technologies, managing IT budgets, leading the IT team, and ensuring data security and compliance. This position reports directly to CEO.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic IT Leadership:

• 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 our digital transformation initiatives.

• IT Infrastructure Management:

• Oversee the design, deployment, and management of IT systems and infrastructure to ensure optimal performance, security, and reliability.

• Ensure the IT infrastructure supports current operations and future growth.

• Team Leadership and Development:

• Lead, mentor, and manage the IT team, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement focused on the Columbia Way.

• Directs, leads, and engages employee owners to relentlessly improve performance in our safety, quality, productivity, customer delivery, and costs. The focus is to get our processes right so the end results will come with time.

• Demonstrates, expects, and models the principles of the Columbia Way including: continuous improvement, getting our boots on to go and see, respect for each other, teamwork/engagement, problem solving, self-initiative in learning, and discipline in our execution and our foundational values of customer service, integrity, family, and sharing the success.

• Leads efforts in hiring, training, development, and performance management of IT staff.

• Cybersecurity and Compliance:

• Ensure robust cybersecurity measures are in place to protect company data and systems.

• Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards.

• IT Budget and Resource Management:

• Develop and manage the IT budget, ensuring cost-effective allocation of resources.

• Oversee the selection and management of IT vendors and service providers.

• Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery:

• Develop and implement business continuity and disaster recovery plans to ensure the company can respond to and recover from disruptions.

• Stakeholder Collaboration:

• Collaborate with other senior executives to identify and prioritize IT projects that support business goals.

• Communicate the value and impact of IT initiatives.

• Digital Transformation:

• Drive digital transformation efforts to improve business processes, decision-making, and customer experiences.

• Implement technologies that provide accurate and efficient information flow and presentation.

Qualifications:

• Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or a related field. Master's degree or MBA preferred.

• Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in IT leadership roles, with a proven track record of managing IT strategy and operations in a complex organization.

• Experience in digital transformation and implementing innovative technologies.

• Skills:

• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills.

• Excellent leadership and team management abilities.

• In-depth knowledge of IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, and data management.

• Strong financial acumen and budget management skills.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

• Key Competencies:

• Hungry: desires continuous improvement as a way of working and being

• Problem Solver: uses 5 whys & 8 step problem solving method to drive learning and improvement

• Team Player: Understands need for strong team dynamics and pulls team together to get things done

• Humble: Willing to Learn, be coachable and has a willingness to be curious

• Organized: can multi-task and manage multiple projects

• Respect for Team Members - emotionally intelligent, ability to listen and work with diversity in/of people

• Willing to "go and see" for problem solving, learning, and improvement (not lead from an office-go to the gemba)

• Manage within the tension of conflicting goals (i.e. able to prioritize)

• Effective communicator: able to effectively present information to individuals, small groups, and large groups

• Bought into LEAN principles as the way of doing business: safety focus, waste reduction, champions of standard work, pull systems, learning & performance thru problem solving, customer focus

Work Environment:

• This position is based in an office environment but will require occasional travel to our plant locations or industry events.

Columbia Forest Products is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees that thrives on diverse thinking and initiatives.