CIO (Chief Information Officer)

CIO (Chief Information Officer), it is used an acronym CIO, and it is used alternatively instead of the term IT Director (synonymous with ICT Director). The designation CIO is especially used in American English; in British English, the same position is referred to as IT Director. Both above expressions are used in other countries.

CIO is one of the top managers in the organization, it is a person responsible for the field of informatics. CIO’s task is the responsibility for operational management and development of informatics in the organization, aligning organization objectives and their support with the information and information and communication technologies. CIO’s responsibility is planning the development of information and communication technologies, monitoring and balancing the needs of the organization and ICT trends, conducting the cost analyses of the ICT, security and risk management in the field of informatics and the overall balancing of the information management of the organization.

Likewise other managers, CIO’s managerial challenge is to plan, lead, organize, decision making and control the people, processes and information in the field of informatics. CIO may delegate a part of his authority and responsibility to other top managers or managers of lower levels.

Along with the CIO, the top management usually consists of:

• Director General, also uses the acronym CEO (Chief Executive Officer)
• Chief Financial Officer, also uses the acronym CFO (Chief Financial Officer)
• Chief Operations Officer, also uses the acronym COO (Chief Operations Officer)
• Personnel Director, also uses the acronym CHRO (Chief Human Resources Officer)
• Sales Director, also uses the acronym CSO (Chief Sales Officer)

As for the CIO, the same as any other manager must meet the appropriate level of managerial skills and can act in more managerial roles.

For the description of the scope of responsibilities and competences of the CIO, it is also used a model the CIO Wheel, that was described in the Clinger-Cohen Act in 1996 and it describes the CIO‘s competences in ten areas:

• Policy - policy, rules
• Strategic planning
• Performance & Result based – Performance and result orientation
• Process Improvement
• Capital Planning & Investment – Investment planning
• Leadership management
• Technology Assessment – Evaluation of technologies (ICT)
• Security
• Architectures
• Acquisition – Purchase and resources

Source: Clinger-Cohen Act