[Job File] The Chief Digital Officer, for a successful digital transition

In 2019, the CDO (Chief Digital Officer) was present in 90% of CAC 40 companies.

And with good reason, this professional is still the best placed to deal with the following issues: how do we deal with the digital transformation of the economy, the development of new technologies and changing consumer habits? How do you avoid the phenomenon of the uberisation of the market and remain competitive?

It's hardly surprising, then, that the recruitment of a Chief Digital Officer is a sign of a company's maturity in its digital transformation process, even if his or her profile is of interest to an increasingly wide range of organisations.

But who exactly is the CDO? How do you become one, or recruit this talent for digitalising businesses?

Find out in our job description, along with a toolkit to help you work in the best possible conditions.

Job description :

See all software Project Management

What is a Digital Manager, or Chief Digital Officer?

CDO, for Chief Digital Officer, stands for digital director, or digital strategy director.

In France, the CDO is more commonly known as the Director of Digital Transformation , and often works within general management to ensure that digital technology serves the company's overall strategy.

Sometimes compared to the Chief Information Officer (CIO), the CDO is in fact the CIO's partner: as a facilitator of digital transformation, the CDO relies on the technical skills of the CIO, who :

• maintains the infrastructure in good operational condition
• ensures the security and compliance of applications
• collects user feedback on IT tools and processes.

Nor should the Chief Digital Officer be confused with the Chief Data Officer, who shares the same initials... but who is responsible for the company's information capital, i.e. the collection, accessibility and storage of all its data.

Of course, not all of these jobs can be found in every company's organisation chart. Some job descriptions are hybrids, particularly in smaller organisations.

Chief Digital Officer job description

You are now going to understand what the CDO does and why he or she is referred to as a "5-legged sheep" or a "rare pearl".

The role of the CDO

[The Chief Digital Officer] prepares and manages the organisational, functional and technological changes brought about by digital technology.

Studyrama

The aim of the CDO is therefore to:

• accelerate the company's growth by adopting new digital practices ;
• guarantee the company's digital transformation to adapt to changes in the market, whether in terms of its offering (developing e-commerce, for example) or its internal organisation (setting up a digital workplace);
• to transform the company and unite the teams around its 'reform' projects.

The Chief Digital Officer therefore :

• helps management to make the right decisions, particularly when it comes to choosing the next investments ;
• works closely with all the company's departments and draws on the expertise already in place, to ensure intelligent, cross-functional project management.

Diagnostic mission

The Chief Digital Officer begins by taking stock of the company, how it operates, how it is used and what its objectives are, in order to :

• identify its strengths and weaknesses,
• assess its digital maturity and that of its employees,
• study the feasibility and profitability of the digital projects envisaged,
• assess the needs of each department,
• take stock of tools,
• map existing processes.

Monitoring

At the same time, he/she monitors :

• digital trends and innovations in their sector of activity, particularly among competitors
• studies into the impact of new technologies on processes, organisations, products or services.

Advice and definition of the digital strategy

Following these two stages, it recommends :

• areas for improvement in the company's practices, from production flows to work organisation,
• a digital action plan in consultation with marketing, the IT department, product managers and the Chief Technology Officer in particular,
• the introduction of tools to support these objectives,
• a roadmap with priority stages and projects,
• a budget, its distribution and a timetable for the implementation of actions.

Support and steering

With the approval of management, the Chief Digital Officer is responsible for :

• rolling out projects internally and coordinating the various teams
• training and coaching each team leader to ensure that they fully understand the issues, are optimally involved and that change is managed smoothly.

Reporting

Of course, in order to analyse the performance of the actions implemented, he/she is also responsible for :

• defining the performance indicators (KPIs) to be monitored,
• monitoring and recording good practice and any obstacles encountered,
• producing reports for senior management.

This video from SupDigit@l sums up the scope of the CDO's responsibilities perfectly:

What skills are required?

The Chief Digital Officer is faced with the challenge of anticipating the market, but also of transforming the company internally. He therefore has both strategic and managerial skills. They are simultaneously influencers, coaches and decision-makers.

Ideally, they have a solid knowledge of the sector in which they work.

As they aim to integrate new technologies with existing tools and methods, taking into account all the company's issues, whether commercial, marketing, financial, HR or logistical, they are :

• technophile
• charismatic
• ambitious
• versatile
• curious
• diplomatic,
• pedagogue,
• good communicator,
• attentive to needs.

You will also be proficient in :

• digital monitoring techniques,
• cross-functional project management,
• the various marketing levers:
  • social media
  • monetisation,
  • e-reputation,
  • user experience
  • employer brand, etc,
• business issues (budget, economic model, etc.),
• English language skills.

How much does a Chief Digital Officer earn?

Remuneration varies widely from one organisation to another.

According to Michael Page, an executive recruitment consultancy, the salary range is between €70,000 and €150,000 gross per annum, i.e. a monthly salary of between €5,833 gross and €12,500 gross.

Other sources put the figure at €200,000, or even €250,000 for more senior profiles in large groups.

What are the career prospects?

Reporting to the marketing department or general management, the CDO can progress to the position of strategy director and become a member of the management committee.

Some observers believe that the position of CDO is a good springboard for filling the CEO's chair later on.

How do you become Chief Digital Officer?

The Chief Digital Officer generally has a BAC+5 (MBA, Master's degree, etc.), following training at an engineering school (École Centrale, for example):

• engineering (École Centrale, for example),
• business (HEC, ESCP, etc.),
• computer science.

In short, the profiles are very varied. But several trends seem to be emerging:

• CDOs have completed their studies with a specialisation in web marketing,
• they have solid experience in digital, or even in consulting,
• internal promotions, for example from CIO to CDO, are legion, as Gilles Babinet, former Chairman of the Conseil National du Numérique, explains in a video from the MOOC Culture Digitale :

Specific courses are also emerging, such as the Specialised Masters in Digital Transformation, Marketing & Strategy at EM Lyon Business School.

To find out more: profiles of two CDOs

Interview with Maud Bailly, Chief Digital Officer of the Accor group (hotels), on Les Echos Business :

Extract: "We need to accelerate the way we produce, deliver, test and learn. [...] and at the same time, (there is) a need for meaning, so that in this high-speed digital world, people and companies can stay on course".

Interview with the Chief Digital Officer of Toupargel (distribution):

Digital must serve the company's strategy; it is not an end in itself.

Jérôme Dalidet, CDO chez Toupargel

The CDO's toolbox

To carry out their tasks, Chief Digital Officers use software to :

• organise and plan the various tasks involved in their digital projects in an agile way ;
• encourage collaboration and internal communication;
• collect, use, analyse and monitor marketing data and KPIs;
• model business processes, to develop the company's operational and functional efficiency.

Business Process Management software

🔧 Example: Iterop

Project management software

🔧 Example: Bubble Plan

Collaboration software

🔧 Examples:

• BeeShake (idea and innovation management),
• Elium (knowledge management),
• Talkspirit (digital workplace).

Marketing software

From marketing intelligence to marketing automation, thanks to artificial intelligence, this type of tool helps the CDO in :

• data collection
• data analysis
• monitoring KPIs
• recommending tools to optimise acquisition campaigns, for example.

🔧 The CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) can share part of his toolbox with the CDO.

See all software Project Management

Ready to become or recruit a CDO?

The job description and scope of the tasks vary greatly depending on the organisation and its digital maturity.

Whatever the case, the challenge facing the Chief Digital Officer is a major one.

As well as ensuring the company's long-term viability and accelerating its growth in the face of the market's pure players, there is a real dimension to the role, which involves supporting the company's workforce, sometimes even transforming its business lines.

Recruiters, be ready to embrace change and ensure that all executive managers are involved and partner the CDO in his or her missions.

CDOs, arm yourselves with patience: changing the corporate culture in favour of innovation may seem obvious, but you will first need to get the support and commitment of your teams if you are to successfully complete your project.