Chief Technology Officer

CTO (m/f/d) — Target Architecture for the Utility Industry's Ecosystem of Choice

Our company develops ERP software for the energy and water utility industry. By 2029, we aim to be the ecosystem of choice for the utility industry – and that is, first and foremost, a technical challenge.

Short Profile

For this challenge, we are looking for a CTO (m/f/d) with a direct reporting line to the Executive Board, who sets the target architecture for this ecosystem, makes the decisive technology bets, and works hands‐on at the critical points with a small, high‐calibre core team.

Your Role

You are the central technological voice of our company – sparring partner to the Executive Board, architecture owner of our ecosystem, and a magnet for our strongest technology talent. You report directly to the Executive Board.

You lead a small, high‐calibre core team (typically lead architects, platform engineers, technology strategists). Operational leadership of our development units sits with our VP R&D, with whom you collaborate closely as an equal peer. You shape engineering through architecture, standards, argumentation, and personal credibility – not through hierarchy.

This is a technically deep, board‐level role with ownership – not a pure management, pure research, or VP Engineering position.

Your Responsibilities 1. Target Architecture and Technology Strategy

• Ownership of the overarching technology strategy and target architecture of our company, aligned with the 2029 vision of "ecosystem of choice"
• Platform, API, integration, and data architecture – the technical foundations on which the ecosystem scales
• Architecture principles, technology radar, and standards for security, data protection, and regulatory requirements
• Build‐vs‐buy and partner decisions with clear economic reasoning towards the Executive Board
• Close alignment with the VP R&D so that architecture and delivery interlock seamlessly

2. Deep Technical Work with a Small Core Team

• Leading a small core team on the most strategically important technology topics
• Hands‐on work where it matters – architecture reviews, prototypes, proofs of concept for critical technology bets (cloud‐native, agentic systems, data platform)
• Technical advisory and enablement for the development units without disciplinary authority
• Attracting, retaining, and developing senior technology talent – this role is also a talent anchor

3. Technological External Presence and Innovation Leadership

• Technical credibility with customers, partners, and within the competitive landscape of the utility industry
• Foresight on relevant technology topics: cloud, AI/agentic systems, data platforms, security, and regulatory developments (e.g. market communication, NIS2, smart meter rollout)
• Anchoring smart technology decisions that create differentiation – not technology for technology's sake
• Representation of our company in technical bodies, with key customers, and within the Harris Computer Group

What You Bring Must‐haves

• Substantial experience as a CTO, Chief Architect, Head of Architecture, Distinguished Engineer, or in a comparable role at a credible software/SaaS company
• Demonstrable ownership of architecture for large, long‐lived software systems, ideally in ERP, industry platforms, or other regulated domains
• Depth in AWS and a strong open‐source orientation, API/platform architecture, data architecture, and security
• Strategic thinking at board level, combined with the willingness to work in code, at the whiteboard, and in architecture reviews
• Substantial engagement with current technology topics: cloud‐native, platform engineering, GenAI/agentic systems, modern data architectures
• Senior personality: leading without hierarchy, through argumentation and credibility; able to build consensus, yet decisive
• Experience working with executive boards, supervisory boards, and group structures
• Experience working partnership‐style with a VP R&D or equivalent engineering lead – that is, impact through influence, not through reporting lines
• Fluent in English (business proficiency)

We are looking for neither a pure manager nor a pure researcher. We are looking for a technologist with executive‐level competence and an executive candidate who still builds architectures themselves.

Nice‐to‐have

• Experience in the energy or water utility industry, market communication (GPKE, GeLi Gas, WiM), or other regulated industries
• Experience with platform and ecosystem strategies (APIs, marketplaces, partner integrations, ISV programs)
• Depth in the AWS stack (e.g. EKS, Aurora, EventBridge, Bedrock, IAM) and in the open‐source ecosystem (Kubernetes, PostgreSQL, Kafka, Terraform, observability stack)
• Experience with M&A integrations, carve‐outs, or group/parent‐company contexts
• Experience building technical communities and recruiting senior tech talent