Chief Information Officer
What the work is
Plans, organises, directs, controls and coordinates the ICT strategies, plans and operations of an organisation to ensure the ICT infrastructure supports the organisation's overall operations and priorities.
Would you enjoy the work?
These are the main tasks in the official description. Mark how each one sounds to you.
- Analyses information needs and specifies technology to meet those needs
- Formulates and directs ICT strategies, and aligns ICT strategies with business objectives
- Oversees ICT infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and security
- Assesses suitability of current ICT and data systems and processes, and oversees upgrades and maintenance
- Evaluates and manages risks related to ICT infrastructure, data security and other related areas
- Establishes business continuity and disaster recovery plans to minimise the impact and duration of disruptions to operations and ICT resources
Try it
A simulation and a case study from this kind of work, set in the technology and security leadership team of a fictional regional credit union. They are fictional.
The kind of days you could have
Good days
- A security exercise goes badly in practice, so it goes well when it matters
- You get the board to understand a technology risk without a single piece of jargon
- A system upgrade lands quietly, with no complaints from anyone
Hard days
- A serious alert comes in at 2am and you have to decide how loud to be
- Asked to promise the organisation is completely secure, which nobody can honestly do
- Choosing which important project waits because the budget cannot cover everything
Written by Career Calling as a general guide. Real roles vary by employer and place.
Work a mission
Step into a simulated workplace in this field, with a brief from your manager.
Description and tasks: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Occupation Standard Classification for Australia, 2024, Version 1.0 (opens another site), occupation 113131, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. The skill guide above is our plain English summary.