Chief Technology Officer

Application Deadline: 26 November 2025

Department: Executive Board

Location: Manchester

Description

About CTIJoin 150+ strategists and specialists who refuse to settle, creating bold digital experiences for ambitious brands since 2004. We're a full-service digital agency delivering strategic consultancy, web development, and digital marketing to drive demand online. Using over two decades of industry experience, we provide next-gen solutions as part of lasting partnerships with hundreds of clients from Chester Zoo and Zip World to Balfour Beatty and Mind.

What makes us different

• We break new ground. You'll work on innovative projects using the latest technologies before they hit the mainstream. We celebrate calculated risks and learn fast from every experiment.
• We get stuck in together. Genuine collaboration across all departments. Your ideas matter here, regardless of your role or how long you've been with us.
• We stay curious. Continuous learning is essential. You'll have dedicated time and budget for development, working alongside industry experts who are genuinely invested in your success.
• We own it. Full accountability and autonomy over your work means you'll build client relationships, see real-world impact, and be recognised when you go the extra mile.
  

You'll be joining a leadership team that's all about accelerated growth, innovation, and defining the technical future of the agency. This isn't just about managing technology; it's about leading the technical charge for a dynamic, mid-sized agency that’s fully backing AI adoption and digital transformation to achieve ambitious commercial targets.

You will oversee and empower a diverse and multi-faceted technology function that is the engine of CTI. This includes core engineering stacks in Drupal/PHP, .NET/Umbraco, and Commerce (Shopify, Magento, BigCommerce). Your mission is to cultivate a culture of technical excellence, inject the discipline needed for high-quality delivery, and empower our technical leaders to build world-class digital solutions for our clients.

What you’ll be doing

As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at CTI Digital, you will be the driving force behind our technology strategy, technical authority, and engineering culture. Your primary goal is to reshape delivery, drive innovation, and align our technical capability with our ambitious commercial targets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Define and Deliver the Tech Strategy: Lead all technology functions, crafting a forward-looking strategy that is tightly aligned with our commercial goals and growth trajectory.
• Be the Technical Authority: Provide hands-on credibility and deep technical insight across architecture, core stacks (PHP/Drupal, .NET, Commerce), and implementation decisions. This is not a hands-off role.
• Drive Innovation & AI: Champion the acceleration of AI, LLMs, automation, and data analytics across CTI’s services and client solutions to break new ground.
• Reshape Delivery Culture: Implement agile processes, and establish the project discipline and efficiency needed to deliver faster and smarter.
• Lead & Empower Technical Leaders: Manage and mentor your direct reports (Head of QA, Head of Infrastructure, Technical Architects), providing the support and freedom needed to excel.
• Optimise Performance and Costs: Take charge of contractor selection, cost control, and supplier relationships to ensure maximum value and operational efficiency.
• Visible Leadership: Act as a visible, inspiring member of the leadership team, confidently engaging with board members, clients, and technical teams.
  
  

What experience you need to be successful

To thrive as our CTO, you’ll need a mix of technical depth, commercial acumen, and a fearless attitude towards driving innovation.

Key qualities include:

• Proven Executive Leadership: Experience as a CTO, Technical Director, or Head of Engineering, ideally within a large-scale digital agency or consultancy environment.
• Deep Technical Credibility: You must have a strong background in writing code and leading architecture, with a solid grasp of our core platforms: PHP/Drupal, .NET/Umbraco, and modern Commerce (Magento, Shopify, BigCommerce).
• Innovation Mindset: A genuine passion for AI, LLMs, and data-driven transformation, with a track record of identifying and scaling new technologies.
• Cultural Change Agent: Demonstrated ability to manage and restructure development culture, driving a move toward efficiency, accountability, and strong engineering discipline.
• Process & Delivery Expertise: Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies and modern engineering practices, with experience embedding processes like a Business Analyst function.
• Commercial & Stakeholder Acumen: Excellent communication skills, able to articulate technical strategy to board members and clients, linking technology to business outcomes and growth.

What sets you apart:

• Experience as a Chief Technology & Innovation Officer (CTIO).
• A background in scaling AI adoption within a mid-sized business.
• A track record of empowering leaders and teams to take ownership of delivery.

We're challenging the 'Gender Confidence Gap,' which suggests that individuals will only apply for a job if they meet 100% of the criteria. Some of our best hires didn’t check every box in the role description, so if you were about to rule yourself out, we still encourage you to apply! Learn more about our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion on our careers site.

What's in it for you?

28 days annual leave, in addition to the bank holidays
Hybrid-working - we’re in the office twice a week
Workplace nursery scheme
Health cash plan
Cycle-to-work scheme
Flexible working hours
Employee well-being and mental health programme
Relaxed working environments - office dogs welcome!
Company socials and lots of fun!