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# Chief Technology Officer with a Digital Agency – Austin, TX


Role Overview for Chief Technology Officer with a Digital Agency – Austin, TX
JRG Partners is proud to partner with a premier, award-winning digital agency in the heart of Austin, Texas, in their search for a visionary Chief Technology Officer (CTO). This is a pivotal executive leadership role for a dynamic and rapidly growing organization that sits at the intersection of creativity and technology. Our client is renowned for delivering cutting-edge digital experiences, web applications, and marketing solutions for a diverse portfolio of Fortune 500 companies and disruptive startups. As the CTO, you will be the driving force behind the agency’s technological vision, strategy, and execution. You will be responsible for building, leading, and mentoring a world-class engineering team, while ensuring the agency remains at the forefront of technological innovation.
This is not just a management position; it’s a role for a strategic thinker and a hands-on leader who is passionate about technology’s power to solve complex business problems for clients. You will be the senior-most technology expert within the agency, reporting directly to the CEO and collaborating closely with other C-suite executives to align technological initiatives with overarching business goals. Your leadership will directly impact the quality of work, the efficiency of operations, and the agency’s competitive edge in a fast-evolving digital landscape.
The ideal candidate will possess a rare blend of deep technical expertise, exceptional leadership skills, and a strong business acumen, specifically within a client-services or agency environment. You will be instrumental in shaping the future of the agency, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence, and ensuring the delivery of scalable, robust, and forward-thinking technical solutions that exceed client expectations and drive tangible results. This role offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact in a vibrant, creative, and collaborative environment located in one of the world’s most exciting tech hubs.
Key Responsibilities of Chief Technology Officer with a Digital Agency – Austin, TX
As the Chief Technology Officer, you will have a broad range of responsibilities spanning strategic planning, team leadership, technical architecture, and client engagement. Your primary objective is to ensure the company’s technology strategy serves its business strategy.
Strategic & Technical Vision

Develop and articulate the company’s long-term technology vision and strategic roadmap, ensuring alignment with business objectives and client needs.
Lead the evaluation, selection, and implementation of technologies, platforms, and tools that will enhance the agency’s capabilities and service offerings.
Champion research and development (R&D) initiatives, exploring emerging technologies and their potential application for client projects and internal efficiency.
Stay at the forefront of the industry by researching and implementing the latest trends in artificial intelligence and machine learning to deliver groundbreaking solutions for our clients.
Establish and enforce technical standards, best practices, and processes across all engineering disciplines, including software development, QA, DevOps, and IT security.
Act as a key thought leader, representing the agency at industry conferences, in publications, and during high-stakes client pitches.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

Lead, manage, and scale a high-performing, multi-disciplinary engineering team, including front-end, back-end, mobile, and QA engineers.
Foster a positive, inclusive, and innovative engineering culture that promotes collaboration, continuous learning, and a commitment to excellence.
Mentor and develop technical leaders within the team, providing guidance on career growth, technical skills, and leadership development.
Implement effective performance management systems, conduct regular performance reviews, and manage resource allocation to ensure projects are staffed appropriately.
Oversee the recruitment and hiring process for all technology roles, ensuring the agency attracts and retains top-tier talent.

Execution & Operations

Oversee the architecture, design, and development of all client-facing digital products, including websites, mobile applications, and complex software platforms.
Ensure all technical solutions are scalable, secure, reliable, and maintainable, adhering to the highest quality standards.
Champion and refine Agile development methodologies to optimize project delivery, improve team velocity, and enhance predictability.
Manage the agency’s cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS, Azure, GCP), overseeing DevOps practices to ensure efficient deployment, monitoring, and scaling.
Develop and manage the technology department’s budget, including vendor relationships, software licensing, and infrastructure costs.
Establish a robust cybersecurity framework to protect company and client data, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA).

Requirements for the Chief Technology Officer with a Digital Agency – Austin, TX
We are seeking a seasoned technology leader with a proven track record of success in a fast-paced, client-focused environment. The ideal candidate will meet the following qualifications:
Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
15+ years of progressive experience in software engineering and technology.
7+ years in a senior leadership role (e.g., VP of Engineering, Director of Technology, CTO) with significant team management responsibilities.
Direct experience working within a digital agency, professional services firm, or a similar client-facing technology environment is essential.
Demonstrated experience architecting and delivering large-scale, complex web and mobile applications from concept to launch.
Expertise in modern technology stacks, including but not limited to JavaScript frameworks (React, Vue, Angular), server-side languages (Node.js, Python, PHP), and databases (SQL, NoSQL).
Deep understanding of cloud computing platforms (AWS preferred), CI/CD pipelines, and DevOps principles.
Proven ability to lead, inspire, and mentor a diverse team of engineers, fostering a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.
Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including C-level executives and clients.
Strong business acumen with experience in budgeting, strategic planning, and vendor management.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree or MBA is highly desirable.
Experience with Content Management Systems (e.g., Contentful, Adobe Experience Manager) and e-commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify Plus, Magento).
Familiarity with MarTech and AdTech stacks, and data analytics platforms.
Experience managing globally distributed or remote engineering teams.
A history of public speaking, authoring technical articles, or contributing to open-source projects.

Benefits & Perks Offered
Our client believes in investing in their people and offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your professional and personal well-being. This includes:

Highly competitive executive salary and performance-based bonus structure.
Significant equity/stock options package.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance with generous employer contributions.
401(k) retirement plan with a strong company match.
Flexible and generous paid time off (PTO) policy, plus company holidays.
Hybrid work model with a beautiful, modern office in Austin and the flexibility for remote work.
Annual professional development stipend for conferences, certifications, and continued learning.
A dedicated wellness stipend for gym memberships, fitness classes, or mental health resources.
The latest technology and hardware to ensure you have the best tools for the job.
A vibrant, collaborative, and creative company culture with regular team events and outings.

How to Apply
This is a retained search exclusively managed by JRG Partners. If you are a visionary technology leader with a passion for building great products and great teams, we want to hear from you. To apply for this exciting opportunity, please submit your resume and a cover letter outlining your relevant experience and leadership philosophy. To learn more about how JRG Partners connects top technology talent with leading companies, we invite you to visit our Technology Recruiting practice area page. We look forward to reviewing your application and discussing how you can shape the future of this innovative digital agency.