Leadership Roles in Digital Transformations

When looking at who is ultimately responsible for the success of any digital transformation, it is paramount that the CIO have a leading role in the process. As the head of the IT department and the primary decision maker for technology use, the CIO must align the organization for the transformation and ensure that all business initiatives and challenges are being addressed.

CIO

The CIO is also in charge of setting a visionary strategy, end-to-end technology and customer experience, while having a deep understanding of delivery, integration, and technology change management. Without the CIO, a digital transformation has little potential to be successful.

CFO

The CFO also plays an important role in any digital transformation, but it is a more subsidiary one. The CFO is responsible for obtaining and managing the financial resources needed to make the transformation happen, and this includes setting the budget, allocating financial resources to different parts of the project, and making sure that all investments are fiscally wise. Furthermore, the CFO is there to ensure that the return on investment for all projects is within the established, acceptable parameters.

COO

The COO is responsible for the operational side of the transformation and making sure it runs smoothly and efficiently. The COO is tasked with overseeing the project, setting up workflows and processes, tracking progress and compliance, managing the team, and ensuring that the transformation is conducted in an orderly fashion so that its outcomes are within acceptable parameters.

Program Manager

Last, but not least, is the program manager. This is typically the person that might work for the CIO or has been assigned to lead the overall transformation. The program manager is responsible for leading projects, understanding business process, and understanding how technology works and how to use it to make the transformation a success. He or she also needs to have a comprehensive understanding of organizational change management and be able to bridge the gap between the technology team and the business users.

Simply put, the CIO is ultimately responsible for the success of any digital transformation, but they are not alone in their effort. The CFO, COO, and Program Manager

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