CooperDouglas is partnering with a publicly traded, global leader in the franchise sector. The organization operates a fast-growing portfolio of consumer brands, each with distinct digital platforms and physical locations across North America and international markets. The company is scaling rapidly through innovation, member engagement, and operational excellence to support hundreds of franchise partners worldwide. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, responsible for setting the company’s technology vision and ensuring operational excellence across all brands. This role oversees enterprise IT strategy, digital platforms, cybersecurity, data analytics, and governance, driving both innovation and reliability within a complex, multi-brand environment. The successful candidate will balance forward-looking transformation with disciplined execution and compliance.
Key Responsibilities
- Partner with the CEO, CFO, and brand presidents to translate business goals into an actionable technology roadmap.
- Lead enterprise-wide digital enablement initiatives to support franchise growth, consumer engagement, and operational efficiency.
- Define clear technology investment priorities with measurable business impact.
- Oversee daily operations of IT systems across corporate offices, brand networks, and franchisee environments.
- Ensure high levels of system uptime, performance, and customer support through disciplined service management and business continuity planning.
- Modernize legacy environments while ensuring dependable operation during transition phases.
- Guide the architecture and lifecycle of mission-critical platforms, including POS, CRM, e-commerce, and mobile solutions.
- Promote cross-brand technology alignment while respecting each brand’s unique business model.
- Partner with franchise operators to deploy scalable, user-friendly studio technologies worldwide.
- Develop a robust enterprise data strategy that provides timely and trusted business intelligence.
- Leverage predictive analytics and AI to optimize marketing, pricing, operations, and consumer experiences.
- Embed strong data governance and compliance standards into enterprise processes.
- Own the strategy for cybersecurity, risk management, and data privacy protection across the organization.
- Maintain SOX, PCI, and related regulatory compliance standards consistent with public company requirements.
- Collaborate with Legal, Finance, and Audit teams to support readiness, reporting, and board oversight.
- Build and lead a high-performing IT organization encompassing infrastructure, applications, security, and analytics.
- Promote a collaborative, service-oriented culture that supports business agility and continuous improvement.
- Develop succession planning and career growth frameworks for key technical leaders.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or Engineering; MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.
- 15+ years of progressive technology leadership experience, including executive-level roles.
- Proven success supporting multi-unit, consumer, retail, or franchise operations at scale.
- Expertise in IT operations, enterprise applications, cybersecurity, and data-driven transformation.
- Strong grasp of public company governance, audits, and risk management standards.
- Excellent executive presence, communication, and board interaction capabilities.
Compensation & Benefits
Competitive base salary: $350,000–$485,000 + bonus and a comprehensive benefits package including health, retirement, and executive perks
Onsite: Irvine
