Here are four things to remember if you thinking of taking the next step up on your IT career path to become a tech leader

Are you ready to take charge and become a tech leader at work? It’s important to note that being at the top of the career ladder isn’t for everyone. In fact, it’s not something that comes naturally for most.

Having to make tough decisions, manage people (with all their quirks and sensitivities), and sometimes work completely on your own can be taxing. But, of course, the rewards are great too, generous salary, autonomy, career security and recognition.

If you’re ready to get on the fast track to leadership, there are a few things that you need to know.

There’s no direct path to the C-suite

Author, lecturer and motivational speaker Simon Sinek once said, “The best leaders are the best students”. To become a leader in the tech industry, you need to pay your dues. Most people will start in an entry-level role at the beginning of their career such as junior UX designer or junior developer. However, if your end goal is to get to management – or C-suite – level, you should be constantly thinking about the next strategic step to take.

A successful career path is one where you’re constantly upskilling and challenging yourself. In order to reach the top levels within a company, you’ll need relevant educational credentials, and around 10-15 years of experience.

Soft skills matter

No one arrives at the C-suite without having a wealth of experience under their belt. However, we are seeing a shift where companies actively seek senior people with highly developed soft skills too.

Researchers at Rice University and the University of Windsor studied 48 teams from five Canadian technology start-ups to identify the leadership skills that build a team’s capacity to take risks and bounce back from setbacks. Leaders who encourage employees to learn on the job, and those who are open to ideas for change are the ones who can best build team resilience and effectiveness.

Gender imbalance is alive and well

There are still more male leaders than female bosses in tech. According to the Government-funded growth network Tech Nation, nearly three million people, or 9 per cent of the UK workforce, are employed in the UK tech industry. Just 26 per cent of those are women.

Naturally, these numbers correlate to tech leadership too, with the IMF reporting that women represent less than 10 per cent of founders and members of executive boards within fintech firms.

Diversity matters across a business, and at the C-suite level, because wider experiences deliver greater perspective and creativity, and allow for an improved ability to produce positive changes which impact on employees and business processes.

New roles are emerging

As the tech industry grows and matures, so too do the job titles within it. Companies are not just looking for CEOs, COOs or CFOs anymore. In 2023, we’re seeing emerging titles becoming more popular.

Job advertisements for roles such as chief data officer, chief product officer, chief happiness officer, chief storytelling officer, chief inclusion officer, chief sustainability officer, and chief automation officer mean that there are more ways to get involved in a leadership role than ever.

3 great tech leader roles to check out now

If you’re ready to accelerate your leadership journey this year, the Information Age Job Board is a great place to start. It contains thousands of interesting open roles to choose from, such as the three below:

Chief Technology Officer, QUIBIM, UK

QUIBIM is a global leader in whole-body medical imaging analysis, meaning this chief technology officer could be a great move for someone with a background in biotech. The company’s headquarters are in Valencia, Spain, but this particular role is based in the UK. Duties and responsibilities include leading the strategy for QUIBIM’s technology platforms, managing the scale-up process for the company, developing new products, and leading a product-oriented technology team. You will need previous experience working as a CTO (at least seven years), an engineering degree, and in-depth knowledge of web systems architecture. You can apply online here.

Chief Financial Officer, Octopus Energy, London

This chief financial officer job is at Octopus Energy Ltd, now the fifth biggest power supplier in the UK. Following a prosperous 2022 where the company’s revenue doubled to $2.6 billion, this is a company showing strong growth. You will lead the company’s core finance functions––financial management and accounting, financial operations, financial risk, credit and underwriting, and pricing. They will also support the strategic finance team. You’ll need have experience managing large debt lines, planning and scaling teams, while creating strong processes, and a strong background in fintech or a financial services business. Get more information here to explore this role further.

Chief Technology Officer, Republic, Remote

If you’re looking for a C-level tech leader role that’s fully remote then this Chief Technology Officer job could be for you. Republic is a financial technology firm that allows everyone to invest in private markets. With more than 1.5 million users across 100 countries, you will join as the company’s first CTO, and will help to continue the growth trajectory, leading the technology strategy and operations, plus all the product development and innovation activities within the organisation. You’ll need 15-plus years of professional experience, a proven track record in building and leading high-performance product teams, and previous experience in a heavily regulated environment. Find out more about the job here.

Find all these jobs and more C-suite roles on the Information Age Job Board today

Pippa Hardy is a content creator and writer for Amply by Jobbio. She’s a work-from-home enthusiast who loves all things travel and tech. When she’s not writing up her next article, she’s usually hiking or spending a whole afternoon on Pinterest

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