Austin, TX | PE-Backed SaaS | Executive Leadership Role
The Opportunity
We are retained by a private equity–backed, high-growth SaaS company in Austin to appoint a Chief Information Officer (CIO). This is a build-and-scale leadership role for a commercially minded technology executive who has operated at pace in mid-to-large SaaS environments and understands how to leverage AI, ML, and data platforms to drive valuation, efficiency, and product differentiation.
This role will sit at the executive table and work directly with the CEO, PE sponsors, and board to modernize platforms, professionalize enterprise systems, and accelerate growth ahead of future liquidity events.
What You’ll Own
- Full accountability for enterprise technology, data, AI/ML, and internal systems across a scaling SaaS organization
- Design and execute a technology roadmap aligned to PE value creation plans (margin expansion, scalability, automation, revenue acceleration)
- Lead and scale software engineering, data science, machine learning, analytics, and IT teams
- Drive practical adoption of AI and ML across product, operations, customer experience, and internal workflows
- Partner tightly with Product and Engineering leadership to ensure platforms are secure, scalable, and revenue-ready
- Oversee cloud infrastructure, architecture modernization, vendor rationalization, and cost optimization
- Establish strong cybersecurity, data governance, and compliance frameworks suitable for enterprise customers
- Support M&A diligence and post-acquisition integration as required
- Build a high-performance leadership team capable of operating at PE speed and scrutiny
What PE & the Board Are Looking For
- 12+ years in senior technology leadership roles (CIO, CTO, VP Engineering, VP Technology)
- Demonstrated experience scaling SaaS platforms in mid-to-large organizations
- Strong software engineering foundation with credibility at architecture and execution level
- Proven leadership of AI, ML, and data science initiatives delivering real business outcomes
- Experience operating in PE-backed, high-growth, or transformation environments
- Deep understanding of cloud-native SaaS infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP)
- Ability to operate commercially — linking technology decisions to EBITDA, growth, and valuation
- Executive presence with experience presenting to boards, investors, and senior stakeholders
Why This Role Stands Out
- Direct impact on value creation and exit readiness
- High-visibility executive role with PE sponsors and board access
- Opportunity to shape and scale a modern AI-enabled SaaS technology stack
- Competitive executive compensation with performance-linked upside
- Austin-based leadership role in a top-tier U.S. SaaS market
Recruiter Note
This role is not for career IT leaders focused solely on maintenance or infrastructure. We are targeting builders, scalers, and transformation leaders who have operated under PE expectations and can move quickly while maintaining enterprise-grade standards.
