Fractional Chief Jobs (NOW HIRING)

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, build governance frameworks and ship 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• Enterprise data governance implementation: Microsoft Purview, Collibra.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 will consider for employment all qualified applicants including those with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

CTG is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CTG will assure equal opportunity and consideration to all applicants and employees in recruitment, selection, placement, training, benefits, compensation, promotion, transfer, and release of individuals without regard to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, age, disability, marital or veteran status, citizenship status, or any other discriminatory factors as required by law. CTG is fully committed to promoting employment opportunities for members of protected classes.