Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Who We Are

For nearly two decades, Escalon has optimized back-office processes for over 5,000 companies across various industries. Escalon delivers Essential Business Services via a tech-enabled platform, allowing owners and leaders to focus on core business functions. With approximately $55M in revenue and backed by New Harbor Capital since late 2022, Escalon is positioned for significant growth through organic expansion and strategic M&A.

Position Overview

The Chief Information Officer (CIO) serves as the senior-most technology executive, reporting directly to the CEO. This critical role owns the complete technology vision, strategy, and execution across Escalon. Responsibilities include internal platform development, third-party system management, enterprise IT infrastructure, information security, and technology operations.

The CIO will translate business objectives into technology capabilities that drive competitive advantage, operational efficiency, and client value, ensuring the security, reliability, and scalability of all technology systems.

This is a transformational leadership role focused on unifying Escalon's technology ecosystem under the "One Escalon Platform" vision, balancing strategic innovation with operational excellence across a $55M+ revenue base.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Technology Leadership

• Define and execute the enterprise-wide technology strategy aligned with business growth objectives, including organic expansion and M&A integration.
• Serve as a member of the executive leadership team, contributing to corporate strategy and long-term business planning.
• Drive the "One Escalon Platform" vision, creating a unified technology experience combining proprietary innovation with best-in-class third-party solutions.
• Establish technology governance frameworks balancing innovation velocity with risk management and compliance.
• Develop and manage the overall technology budget (internal development, third-party systems, and IT operations), ensuring optimal ROI and resource allocation.
• Lead technology due diligence and integration planning for mergers and acquisitions (M&A).

Internal Platform Development & Engineering

• Oversee all software engineering initiatives and internal platform development through the VP of Global Engineering.
• Direct the development of proprietary, differentiated capabilities, including:
  • Advanced data analytics and business intelligence engines.
  • Cross-system aggregation and unified data hub (single source of truth).
  • AI-driven predictive decision support and automation.
  • Core Escalon.ai platform capabilities.
• Ensure engineering teams follow modern software development practices, maintain high code quality, and deliver scalable, secure solutions.
• Drive innovation in cloud-native architecture (AWS), serverless solutions, and modern development frameworks (Node.js, Python, PHP).
• Foster a culture of engineering excellence, continuous learning, and technical innovation across global development teams.

Enterprise Architecture & Third-Party System Management

• Own the enterprise technology architecture enabling platform unification, scalability, and integration.
• Oversee the Enterprise Technology and Architecture Leader in delivering a cloud-first, COTS-first (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) ecosystem.
• Govern the selection, integration, and management of all third-party platforms and tools, including month-end close, planning and budgeting systems, compliance and automation utilities, bill payment, e-signature, workflow tools, and time tracking systems.
• Establish and enforce architectural standards, integration patterns (API-first, iPaaS), and vendor management practices.
• Drive rationalization of the technology portfolio to eliminate redundancy, reduce technical debt, and optimize licensing costs.
• Ensure seamless data flow across all systems through robust integration architecture and master data management.

Information Technology Operations

• Oversee all IT infrastructure, including cloud infrastructure (AWS), networks, systems, and end-user computing.
• Direct IT helpdesk operations, ensuring responsive and high-quality support for employees across US and India locations.
• Establish and monitor SLAs for all IT services, driving continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Lead IT asset management, procurement, and vendor relationships for hardware, software, and technology services.
• Ensure business continuity planning, disaster recovery capabilities, and system reliability across all technology platforms.
• Optimize IT operations for a distributed workforce (US-based remote and global delivery team in India).

Cybersecurity & Risk Management

• Own the enterprise cybersecurity strategy, ensuring protection of company and client data across all systems.
• Establish and maintain security governance frameworks, policies, and procedures aligned with industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, etc.) and industry-specific security requirements.
• Oversee identity and access management, security monitoring, incident response, and vulnerability management.
• Conduct regular security assessments and audits, remediating identified risks.
• Build and maintain a security-aware culture through training and awareness programs.
• Manage cyber insurance and coordinate with legal/compliance on security-related matters.

Voice of Customer & Platform Experience

• Champion a customer-centric technology approach, operationalizing Voice of Customer (VoC) feedback through NPS, CSAT, usage analytics, and support escalations.
• Translate customer insights into technology improvements that enhance platform reliability, usability, and value.
• Ensure platform evolution reduces client burden and avoids disruptive replatforming.
• Drive unified user experience across all platform capabilities and integrated tools.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing technology organization, including the VP of Global Engineering, software development teams, Enterprise Technology and Architecture Leader, IT Operations and Helpdesk teams, and Cybersecurity and compliance teams.
• Provide mentorship and career development for technology leaders.
• Foster collaboration across technology, product, delivery, sales, and support organizations.
• Establish clear accountability, KPIs, and performance metrics for all technology functions.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

Performance Management & Reporting

• Define and track KPIs for platform health, engineering velocity, integration performance, IT service delivery, security posture, and system uptime.
• Provide regular executive reporting on technology strategy progress, risks, and business impact.
• Ensure transparency in technology spend, project status, and resource utilization.
• Identify and mitigate technology-related business risks with clear mitigation plans.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Required Experience & Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
• 15+ years of progressive technology leadership experience, including at least 5 years in C-level or senior executive roles.
• Proven track record leading technology organizations in companies of similar size ($50M-$250M revenue range).
• Experience managing global teams, including offshore development and delivery.
• Demonstrated success in both platform/product development and enterprise IT operations.
• Strong background in B2B SaaS, technology-enabled services, or business process management.

Technical Expertise

• Deep understanding of enterprise architecture, cloud infrastructure (AWS strongly preferred), and modern software development.
• Hands-on experience with platform strategy, system integration, API architecture, and iPaaS solutions.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks, compliance requirements, and risk management.
• Experience with data architecture, analytics platforms, and AI/ML capabilities.
• Familiarity with IT service management best practices (ITIL or similar).
• Understanding of software engineering methodologies, DevOps, and agile practices.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic Vision: Ability to translate business strategy into technology capabilities and roadmaps.
• Executive Presence: Exceptional communication and presentation skills for board, executive, and cross-functional audiences.
• Change Leadership: Proven ability to drive organizational transformation and technology modernization.
• Financial Acumen: Experience managing multi-million dollar budgets with strong ROI orientation.
• Vendor Management: Skilled in negotiating and managing relationships with technology vendors and partners.
• Talent Development: Track record of building and developing high-performing technology teams.
• Business Partnership: Ability to collaborate effectively with non-technical executives and translate technical concepts.

Personal Attributes

• Ambitious and driven, yet humble and collaborative.
• Hands-on leader who isn't afraid to roll up sleeves when needed.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change in a growth environment.
• Balance of strategic thinking and operational execution.
• Customer-obsessed with focus on delivering business value.
• High integrity with strong ethical standards.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree (MBA or technical master's).
• Experience in private equity-backed companies.
• Background in professional services or B2B technology platforms.
• Prior experience with M&A technology integration.
• Industry certifications (e.g., CISSP, CISM, AWS Certified Solutions Architect).

What We Offer

Compensation

The base salary range for this position is $225,000 to $300,000, determined based on experience, skill set, and geographic location. This role may also include equity participation and performance-based incentives. We believe in pay equity and consider internal equity as part of our compensation philosophy.

Comprehensive Benefits (Available Day One)

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Life and Disability insurance (STD/LTD)
• 401K Retirement Plan
• Paid holidays
• Flexible PTO

Professional Environment

• Strategic executive role with direct CEO reporting relationship.
• Opportunity to shape technology strategy for a growth-stage company.
• Collaborative culture that values free exchange of ideas and respect for differences.
• Flexible work environment supporting work-life balance.
• Professional development and growth opportunities.
• Involvement in M&A strategy and execution.

About Escalon Values

If you share Escalon's values of free exchange of ideas, respect for differences, and a keen focus on well-being, we want to hear from you. At Escalon, we're building something special—a place where talented people can make a real impact while growing their careers.