Life Pharmacy - Chief Technology Officer CIO - Retail Domain

Key Responsibilities

Technology Strategy & Leadership

• Define and execute the companys technology vision, strategy, and roadmap in alignment with long-term business objectives.
• Collaborate directly with the CEO and C-level leaders to ensure technology supports core business functions (e.g., retail operations, supply chain, merchandising etc).
  
  

• Oversee selection, integration, and optimization of modern Point of Sale (POS) systems.
• Ensure seamless integration between POS and other retail systems (inventory, CRM, loyalty programs).
• Drive innovation in in-store technologies, including mobile POS, kiosks, payment systems, and clienteling tools.
• Monitor performance and reliability of POS systems, ensuring minimal downtime and strong user experience.
  
  

• Lead development and ongoing enhancement of e-commerce platforms (e.g., Shopify, Magento, Salesforce Commerce Cloud).
• Enable true omnichannel capabilities and real-time inventory visibility.
• Collaborate with marketing and sales to optimize digital customer journeys and personalization.
  
  

• Lead implementation and optimization of core systems such as:
• POS systems, ERP platforms
• Inventory & WMS solutions for real-time visibility
• Loyalty programs, CRM, and clienteling tools
• Ensure high availability and scalability of systems across all retail locations.
  
  

• Lead the deployment of data platforms and analytics tools to support performance tracking, customer behavior analysis, and inventory forecasting.
• Promote a data-driven culture across departments using dashboards and predictive analytics.
  
  

• Establish policies and systems for data protection, cybersecurity, and business continuity.
• Ensure compliance with data protection laws (e.g., UAE Data Law, GDPR if cross-border).
  
  

• Evaluate, select, and manage relationships with third-party software vendors, implementation partners, and technology consultants.
• Negotiate contracts and SLAs to ensure cost-effective, high-performing technology stacks.
  
  

• Build and manage high-performing tech teams (developers, IT support, data engineers, product managers).
• Mentor internal talent and build succession planning within the technology department.
  
  

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field (Masters preferred).
• 12+ years of experience in IT and technology management roles, with at least 5 years at a leadership or executive level.
• Proven experience leading technology strategy in Retail, eCommerce, or FMCG business for at least 5+ years.
• Strong understanding of retail IT ecosystems: ERP, POS, CRM, mobile apps, and supply chain systems.
• Demonstrated success in leading large-scale technology implementations, such as ERP rollouts, eCommerce platforms, omnichannel integrations etc.
• Familiarity with UAE data privacy laws and IT compliance frameworks will be an advantage.