About mRelief

mRelief is a tech nonprofit 501(c)3, that provides an easy-to-use platform through web and text messaging that helps people sign up for SNAP (food stamps) benefits. Our mission is to transform access to social services for the inherent dignity of all people. To date, we have connected more than 2,641,489 families to social services and unlocked an estimated $2.1+ billion in food benefits.

Our supporters include the Families and Workers Fund (a collaboration between the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, and more), Y Combinator, the Walmart Foundation, and AARP Foundation, among others. Our partners include Share our Strength, Catholic Charities USA, affiliates of Feeding America, and the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

Overview of the Fractional CTO Role

mRelief is seeking a Fractional Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to provide technical leadership for 10–15 hours per week. This role is ideal for a mission-driven technology leader who thrives at the intersection of innovation and impact. The Fractional CTO will ensure that mRelief continues to deliver high-performing, AI-augmented solutions that make social services more accessible and efficient for millions of families.

The Fractional CTO will partner closely with mRelief’s Executive Director and the wider mRelief team to guide the organization’s technological direction, oversee the product team, and drive the development of scalable technology that advances our mission.

The role centers around four core objectives:

• Team Management
• Business Development
• AI Leadership
• Organizational Development
  

Commitment

Time: 10–15 hours per week

Reporting to: Executive Director

Location: Remote with occasional in-person meetings

Core Responsibilities

1. Team Management

• Manage and mentor mRelief’s engineering team, supporting their growth and professional development.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing culture rooted in empathy, inclusion, and learning.
• Ensure the smooth operation, maintenance, and improvement of mRelief’s technical infrastructure (Ruby on Rails, React, Heroku).
• Continue to support the evolving best practices in software development, testing, and deployment.
  
  

2. Business Development

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and Partnerships team to scope technical requirements for government and nonprofit client projects.
• Translate partner and funder needs into actionable technical plans, ensuring feasibility and alignment with mRelief’s mission.
• Participate in select partner meetings to present mRelief’s technology and capabilities.
• Identify and prioritize new opportunities for technical innovation in partnership with business and product leads.
  
  

3. AI Leadership

• Provide vision and oversight for mRelief’s AI initiatives, including our two existing AI pilots and an upcoming Voice AI pilot.
• Guide the design, development, and testing of AI applications that enhance access to public benefits.
• Evaluate new AI tools and frameworks that can strengthen mRelief’s technology and user experience.
  
  

4. Organizational Development for the Product Team

• Support the evolution of mRelief’s product team structure and capacity as the organization scales.
• Help define clear goals, metrics, and development processes for the team.
• Build systems that ensure seamless collaboration between product, data, and partnerships.
  
  

Qualifications

A strong candidate will bring both technical depth and strategic leadership experience. You should have:

• Proven experience managing and mentoring software engineers.
• Experience collaborating across functions, particularly with business development or partnerships teams. Experience working with the government is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience leading AI-driven projects.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Strong alignment with mRelief’s mission to make social services more human-centered and accessible.
  
  

Characteristics

• Deep passion for mRelief’s mission and values.
• Ability to work independently in a remote environment while collaborating effectively with a team.
• Clear and concise communicator across written and verbal channels.
• Mission-driven, creative, and adaptable, with a strong sense of ownership.
• Commitment to data-driven decision making and continuous learning.
  

Apply

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. mRelief is an equal opportunity employer, which takes great pride in the diversity of its team. All candidates will be given equal consideration without respect to protected characteristics, and we encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.