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Head of IT

What is a head of IT?

The head of IT is responsible for the IT division and is part of the business leadership team. Professionals in this role will work closely with the C-suite (the COO in particular) to ensure the business has the technical capabilities needed to reach success and drive growth.

Head of IT job description and responsibilities

The head of IT is responsible for business IT and IS services. They typically oversee professionals in IT systems and infrastructure, IT engineering and IT group team leadership.They routinely carry out GAP analysis on the business’ IT tech and team to ensure that there is adequate capability to reach future business goals.

Some daily duties include:

Optimising business IT processesMonitoring IT efficiencyAssessing, monitoring and upgrading business systems and processesLiaising with vendors and 3rd partiesIT security and governanceManaging and developing the business IT divisionStakeholder management

Head of IT job qualifications, skills and experience

To become head of IT, a professional should start with a degree in one of the following subjects (or similar):Computer ScienceInformation TechnologyInformation SystemsGood technical knowledge in the following areas may also be required:IT managementInfrastructure and applicationsData warehousing, architecture and networkingKnowledge of cloud platforms and technologiesA minimum of 5 years of IT service delivery experienceExperience with business operations platformsProfessionals in a HoIT role should also possess some of the following soft skills:Good leadership abilitiesNegotiation skillsAnalytical thinkingExcellent communication skillsStrategic thinking

Looking for a head of IT or a head of IT job?

Submit your CV or request talent now and our expert recruiters will be with you shortly.Robert Half can assist you with your head of IT staffing needs.
Salary for Head of IT
72000 - 89750
25th percentile
72000
The candidate has little or no prior experience in the position and is still developing relevant skills.
50th percentile
81500
The candidate has an average level of experience and has most of the necessary skills.
75th percentile
89750
The candidate has above-average experience, has most or all the necessary skills, and may have specialised qualifications.
Projected salaries for related positions Position title 25th percentile 50th percentile 75th percentile Chief Transformation Officer (CTRO) 128750 165500 202250 Chief Technology Officer (CTO) 120000 160500 201500 Chief Information Officer (CIO) 108000 150250 200000 Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) 96250 135250 161750 Chief Architect 95500 125750 145500 IT Director 81750 96000 116500 Enterprise Architect 82000 95250 113000 Solution Architect 78000 90000 106750 Data Architect 78250 89750 102250 Infrastructure Architect 71250 81000 96750 IT Manager 46250 54250 62750

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Your guide to negotiating salaries and offers

Our starting salary projections come from a detailed, multistep process that ensures our numbers accurately reflect the marketplace. They’re based on real compensation data for job seekers our recruiters have matched with companies across the country, in addition to 350,000 third-party vacancies data from Textkernel for independent validation. The Salary Guide From Robert Half is the original. We’ve been publishing salary forecasts since 1950, and our guide has served as a trusted source for employers, job seekers, industry associations, government and educational institutions, and national and local media.