Hands-On CTO

Impossible not to know MasterChef, right?

Well, aside from the TV show, did you know that they have created a platform that allows food enthusiasts to explore cooking and mixology creatively, by discovering fresh recipes and techniques?

Their mission is to establish a gold standard in content and community tech platforms for food lovers and to expand their product globally.

Would you like to participate, leading the tech here? Please, have a look.

Before we begin, let me provide you with some context:

Although the MasterChef brand is recognized worldwide , and its television programs have been audience leaders around the globe, the journey of this project is relatively new . MasterChef World was born under the MasterChef brand approximately a year ago with the goal of creating an innovative and technologically robust product to bring the passion for food to all cooking enthusiasts.

This predominantly technical team was formed with the mission of creating a platform that provides content to food and beverage enthusiasts, allows users to interact with content and each other, as well as getting to know experts and content creators within the food space .

To make all of this a reality, they are currently looking for a Chef to lead this project . As the CTO of a still small team, your role will encompass the strategy, organization, and technological growth of the product . You will be a key figure and leader in a project with global impact, even though the team currently consists of fewer than 20 people (6 for the technical side). They are looking for someone with a product-oriented DNA, who is user-centric and whose primary focus is on scaling a local product to a global level.

Behind this ambitious project, they have both financial support and the freedom to operate, even though they are in the early stages at the moment .

They have no shortage of enthusiasm or resources, and you will play a crucial role in our organizational structure as the first person in charge of engineering and the product evangelist . You will have complete freedom, not only because it is part of their culture but also because they value your experience and trust your judgment in creating one of the most critical departments for building their platform under the most prestigious cooking brand in the world.

You will have completed your onboarding and met the members of MasterChef World. You will have already had several meetings with Rafa and Szymon, getting to know all the challenges on their radar.

Pioneering Technology: You'll be at the helm of their tech innovations, charting the course for growth and turning their product dreams into reality.

Tech Trailblazer: As the go-to authority, you'll call the shots on all things tech within the company.

Hands-On Tech Guru: You won't just steer from the sidelines - you'll roll up your sleeves and actively contribute to the technical side from within the Kitchen.

Dream Team Builder: Your mission? Curate a dream team, unlocking their full potential and propelling us forward. You will be in charge of important actions like one-to-ones, trainings, hiring, and individual improvement.

Culture Guardian: Dive deep into the company's DNA, bridging the worlds of business and tech, and ensuring the well-being of our team takes center stage.

How? This is precisely where you will make the most impact. How you do it, that's up to you

The CTO will look for needs to play a partner role with Rafa, the CEO, almost like a co-founder . You will need to make the project your own and have the freedom to call the shots in your domain. Harmony is crucial, as is prior experience in startups with international reach and rapid growth.

Their plan is to open up new markets every 3-5 months , such as the US, UK, Australia, or India. You will be a hands-on CTO, and given the stage of the project they are in, despite what is our story in the past, they are still getting their hands dirty, and that may continue for a little while.

You will find colleagues who have joined the project because of the global potential of the product and, of course, the potential upside of the project in 3 or 4 years.

Nowadays, there are 6 members:

• 1 QA
• 1 Project manager

As CTO, you will need to build a top-notch team, and you will have the freedom to do so, including assessing the current team and considering in-house vs. outsourced hiring, among other decisions.

Here, you will be the one responsible for your schedule and work.

As long as your work is completed, everything will be fine. They prioritize results over just occupying a seat , so they are flexible in this regard, allowing you to organize your schedule. However, it's important to know that the engineers normally follow a schedule from 9 am to 5 pm.

Currently, the technical team is fully remote and culturally diverse , but MasterChef World has offices in Madrid , and part of the team, including the C-level executives, usually spends some days working there in person.

In your case, if Madrid suits you, and you can manage to be in the office in person a couple of days a week, that would be ideal. However, if you prefer to work remotely and travel to the office every now and then, let's discuss too

The team is well-balanced, like the perfect blend of spices in a gourmet dish, experienced like a seasoned chef, and well-oiled, much like a finely-tuned kitchen brigade.

New staff will be added, but as of now, the tech team consists of 6 tech folks in Kosovo, creating a technological recipe that's as delightful as a five-star meal. And let's not forget about Rafa, Lorenzo, Alba (and the rest of the non-tech team), the culinary visionaries orchestrating this gastronomic tech symphony

In their wish list, they have given us both things to look for and things to avoid.

Yeses:

• They value backgrounds in Product, Software, and/or Technology Start-up companies. Years of experience are relative to them. What they're looking for is that you arrive with a rich history of facing challenges and proposing innovative solutions.
• B2C experience and international exposure .
• The ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and end-to-end projects covering all stages of a Software product's lifecycle.
• Proven track record or working with 3rd party implementations . Used to work with market solution and orchestrate.
• A technical background (such as Software, Mobile Engineer, Architect, SRE...) that allows you to be a reference when the team discusses technical challenges.
• Excellent communication skills, both formal and informal, both spoken and written.
• Mobile Applications experience.
• A commitment to continuous learning about new technologies and available products, including open-source solutions.
• Teamwork and the ability to collaborate and find synergies with other verticals.
• An innate enjoyment of working with people and for people.

You would truly impress them if, in addition...

• You've built teams from scratch and have experience in roles such as CTO, Engineering Manager, Director. .. or positions with high technical, strategic, and organizational complexity fast-paced environments.
• You speak English fluently and thrive on international challenges and exposure.

Noes:

• Having experience in non-tech sector. Yes, they want to shift the paradigm - they want it to show
• Not coming in with preconceived ideas or the belief that your work will be dictated "from above" because it won't be that way at all.

BONUS:

To give you more technical information, they are currently working within these technologies:

JAVA v17

React Native

GraphQL

Spring Boot

Terraform

AWS

Flexible work set up: Hybrid and/or Office based in Madrid.

Decision making freedom and leadership.

All the equipment you need to work comfortably.

You are only eligible for this position if you are a resident of the UE and living in Spain. If you are based in Madrid, that gives you extra points.

There'll be some interviews with:

It will be superfast since they need the CTO to join ASAP.