CTO for a Fintech Startup by a large retail group

Hrim is an innovation company with a vision to create and power meaningful action across the globe. The organisation delivers its innovation through its Ideation, Design & Build Services. Hrim’s ideation service materialises visions of leaders and companies into standout concepts. The design and build service propels concepts into tangible reality in the form of ventures, initiatives, services etc.

Job Description:

As the Build Lead specialising in Technology at Hrim, paralleling the role of a Head of Technology in a technology startup, your role is critical in translating innovative concepts into real-world technological solutions. This position requires a unique combination of technical mastery, strategic foresight, and leadership skills to take 0-1 build to success. You will be at the helm of developing and executing technology projects from their nascent stages to full-fledged operational status.

In this key role, you will oversee the entire lifecycle of our technology initiatives, spearheading it from concept asset development to market launch. Your responsibilities will be multifaceted, encompassing strategic planning and hands-on management of the technology ventures. Your leadership will be instrumental in evolving the concepts into fully operational, market-ready technologies. 

Key Responsibilities

Project Development from 0 to 1:

• Lead the development of new technology projects at Hrim from conception (0) to launch (1).
• Utilize coding and technical expertise to create robust, scalable assets for the projects
• Oversee the entire project lifecycle, ensuring that technical objectives and timelines are met.

Technical Leadership and Team Management:

• Spearhead  technical build of the concepts and lead the associated team on the project
• Manage resource allocation, project scheduling, and workflow to optimize team performance.

Technology Strategy and Innovation:

• Stay abreast of emerging technologies and industry trends to inform innovation at Hrim
• Collaborate with cross-functional team members to ensure technology alignment with business goals.

Quality Assurance and Best Practices:

• Ensure the highest quality of code and implementation of best practices in software development.
• Conduct code reviews and oversee testing procedures to ensure reliability and efficiency of applications.
• Address technical issues and challenges promptly, ensuring minimal impact on project timelines.

Requirements & Qualifications

Educational Background:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field. Advanced degrees or certifications in technology-related disciplines are a plus.

Technical Expertise:

• Proficiency in one or more programming languages such as Python, Java, C++, JavaScript, or similar, with a strong understanding of software development principles.
• Demonstrated experience with full-stack development, including both front-end and back-end technologies.
• Knowledge of database management and experience with SQL or NoSQL databases.
• Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) and understanding of scalable architecture design.

Experience in Project Development:

• 5 years of experience in technology development, with a significant portion dedicated to building projects from concept (0) to launch (1).
• Demonstrated ability to lead technology projects and oversee all stages of development, from ideation to deployment.
• Proven track record in delivering complex software projects on time and within budget.

Leadership and Team Management:

• Strong leadership skills with experience managing and mentoring a team of software developers and engineers.
• Ability to foster a collaborative environment and demonstrate innovation and creativity. 
• Experience in resource planning, project scheduling, and agile methodologies.

Problem-Solving and Innovation:

• Excellent problem-solving skills with a focus on innovative solutions and continuous improvement.
• Ability to anticipate challenges and proactively address potential issues in the development process.
• A knack for translating complex technical concepts into practical, real-world applications.

Communication and Collaboration:

• Strong communication skills, capable of effectively articulating technical concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams, including product managers, designers, and business analysts.
• Ability to clearly document and present project progress and outcomes.

Adaptability and Continuous Learning:

• Commitment to staying up-to-date with emerging technologies and industry trends.
• Willingness to adapt and learn new programming languages or technologies as required by project needs.
• Enthusiasm for tackling new challenges and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment.

1. Key Accountabilities

1. Skills Required for the role

• The CTO will set company’s technological vision and lead its execution.
• Responsible to build and scale an online B2B / B2C platform from the scratch
• Build a solid technical team across Software development, Architecture & design, Dev Ops / Infrastructure.

• Min 5 years of experience must have headed a full journey experience of scaling up software product & technology from scratch within a B2C or B2B environment during zero to one phase of the startup
• Proven ability to work in the intersection of technology and business to drive revenue growth. Must have experience of working in a start-up during zero to one phase along with Founder/s or at a Founder/s minus 1 level.
• Proven experience of building and leading engineering teams that have scaled along the journey.
• Must have experience managing teams across Software development, Architecture & design, Dev Ops / Infrastructure
• Candidate must have nuanced understanding of trade-offs among features, risks and costs.

Role Description

Location - Bangalore / Remote/WFH

This is an equity-only role.

We are looking for a young but mature mindset with highly skilled Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to provide sound technical leadership in all aspects of the business. This person will be added as a Co-founder in the Team.

CTO should be able to take technical decision and having a Strategic thinking mindset with strong business acumen. We expect you to be well-versed in current technological trends and familiar with a variety of business concepts.

You will work directly with the CEO and will act as both a technology and business expert, making decisions that will impact the current and future operations of the company. If you are self-motivated, emotionally strong, enjoy challenges and have a never give-up approach, we’d like to meet you.

CTO / Co- Founder Responsibilities

Lead the technology division with new-age technologies and processes

Build on the vision for the organization by technology

Identify new opportunities and develop products and processes in line with cutting edge technologies

Deploy, develop and implement solutions in a cost-efficient manner

Experience in building scalable products, platforms, and modern technologies

Experienced on the internet/ e-commerce industry, B2B platforms, start-up setups is a plus

Hands-on experience in digital initiatives, big data, mobile apps, AI & ML, analytics, and business intelligence solutions

Ability to convert data into usable modern technology-driven solutions

Experience or knowledge on AWS server side is required

Requirements

B.E / B.tech / Masters Degree in computer science or related field.

6+ years of working in a technological role is preferable but not mandatory

Experience working in an early-stage tech start-up will be a plus

A strong product sense and can build engaging tech for customers

Ability to conduct technological analyses and research

Deep knowledge of full-stack modern development practices (node.js, angular, java javascript, AWS, DS, react, etc.) Can work / learn and work on AI/ML

Have a proven understanding of best engineering practices for the full software development life cycle (SDLC), including coding standards, code review, source control, build, test, deploy, and operations

Experience in project management to ensure timely deliverables

Strong communication skills with the ability to present the technology vision confidently in a way that motivates others both internally and externally

About First Principles

We are a Tech Holding Company and our portfolio companies generate millions in revenue. What is unique about FirstPrinciples is that most of our companies remain controlled and majority owned by First Principles and its team members rather than by external investors. We are proud that our product engineering team builds world class products from India. https://firstprinciples.io/">https://firstprinciples.io/

About this Role

As we scale and build our organisation, we would like to add an individual to our core Technical Leadership who can scale our key products and projects and help us build and foster relationships with Enterprise clients.

We are looking for an experienced Technology Leader to join our fast growing organisation to help us with driving Technical Strategy, Approach and oversee the Implementation for internal and external products. You should be someone who loves Engineering, have amazing debugging skills and slay problems with technology. 

In this role, you will undertake Technical / Solution Architecture and should also be able to help team with Engineering and coding wherever required. That includes, working along with the team, writing code, doing R&D or POCs, ensuring we follow modern industry standards and building beautiful high performing Software and Applications and thus delivering a better solution and product. You will also help FP build strong relationships with clients and technical leadership on the client side.

You would be required to have a minimum of 10+ years of experience with a mix of Engineering, DevOps, Infrastructure, Cyber - Network Security, Enterprise Application Maintenance, Database Management along with Project, Client and People Management skills which are necessary to lead the team and be their voice. You should be a leader and not just a manager who loves delegating things to the off-shore team, but rather someone who would not hesitate to take over Git-Pull and start writing code and show ‘here is how it’s done’ and amaze everyone with your expertise! :-) 

Because this is a Senior role, you would also be involved working with the Product/Project Manager and will be responsible for the delivery and output.

Tech Stack [High-Level]: We are JavaScript focused i.e. we work in ReactJS, NodeJS, AngularJS, TypeForm, TypeScript, Redis. On the server side, we work with AWS/GCP/DO. Database: MySQL, PostgreS and MongoDb. API: REST and GraphQL API. We also have a strong DevOps stack - including Kubernetes(K8), Dockers and CI/CD automation. 

Interview Process: 

• 60 min Discovery Call
• 15 mins introduction and what you bring to the table (We love people who say, “We build the damn table”) 
• 15 min understanding your experience and background
• 15 min on why you want to join our team and your expectations, future plans
• 15 min Q&A
  
  
• 60-90 min Technical Interview  (May be more than 1)
• Technical Call
  
  
• 45-60 min Final Call
• 15 min discussion on results 
• 15 min CTC expectations / negotiations 
• 15 min closure
• 15 min buffer