Service
Fractional CTO
3-month minimum. Technical leadership, governance, delivery that scales.
You need senior technical leadership, but you're not ready for a full-time CTO. Maybe you're between hires. Maybe the business isn't at that stage yet. Maybe you need someone who's done this before while you figure out what "this" actually is.
A Fractional CTO gives you experienced technical leadership on your terms. Not staff augmentation. Not a consultant who writes a report and leaves. Embedded leadership that takes accountability for technical outcomes.
This is not staff augmentation
I don't fill a seat on your engineering team. I don't write code day-to-day. My focus is on decisions, operating model, cadence, governance, and enabling your team to deliver. If you need more engineering hands, that's a different problem with a different solution.
Signs you need this
- Your CTO left and you need cover while you hire
- You're a founder who's been acting as CTO and need to step back
- Your board wants senior technical oversight you don't have internally
- You're scaling from startup to scale-up and the technical leadership gap is showing
- Delivery has stalled and you're not sure why
- You're preparing for fundraise and need your technical story to hold up
What you get
Technical Strategy and Roadmap
Clear 6-12 month technical direction aligned with business goals. Not a wishlist, but a realistic plan that accounts for your constraints, team capability, and delivery capacity. Reviewed and updated quarterly.
Architecture Decision Records
Documented decisions with context, options considered, and rationale. Your future selves (and future hires) will thank you. Clear direction for target architecture with migration pathway.
Delivery Cadence
Right-sized processes for planning, release, and quality. Not heavyweight methodology, but enough structure to ship predictably. Sprint planning, release management, and retrospectives that actually improve things.
Hiring and Org Design
Team structure that fits your stage and goals. Hiring plan with role definitions, interview process, and candidate evaluation. I can be involved in interviews and help close candidates when needed.
Security and Operability Guardrails
Right-sized governance for your stage. Not enterprise theatre, but enough structure to avoid disasters and build customer confidence. Security posture, privacy controls, incident readiness, and observability foundations.
Executive Communication
Board-ready updates that translate technical reality into business language. I can attend board meetings, present to investors, and handle technical due diligence conversations on your behalf.
What's not included
- Day-to-day coding or feature development
- 24/7 on-call or incident response
- Line management of your entire engineering team
- Full-time presence (this is fractional, not interim)
If you need full-time interim cover, we should talk about what that looks like and whether I'm the right fit, or whether you need a different solution.
How it works
Discovery
Initial conversation to understand your situation, goals, and constraints. Is fractional the right model? Am I the right fit? We figure this out before committing.
Immersion (Month 1)
Deep dive into your technology, team, and business context. I meet everyone, review everything, and build the relationships needed to be effective. By month end: initial assessment and 90-day priorities.
Execution (Month 2+)
Implementing changes, building cadence, making decisions. Regular check-ins with you and your team. This is where the work happens and results start showing.
Review and Evolve
Quarterly review of what's working, what isn't, and what comes next. Engagements evolve over time. Some intensify, some wind down as you build internal capability. The goal is your success, not my dependency.
Common questions
How is this different from a contractor or consultant?
Contractors deliver defined work packages. Consultants provide advice and leave. A Fractional CTO takes ongoing accountability for technical outcomes. I'm embedded in your leadership team, attending board meetings, making hiring decisions, and owning the technology strategy. The commitment is deeper and longer-term.
How much time do you commit?
Typically 2-3 days per week, though this varies by need. Early in an engagement there's often more intensity as we establish direction. Over time it may reduce as your team builds capability. We agree the cadence upfront and adjust as needed.
Why a 3-month minimum?
Real change takes time. In month one I'm learning your context and building relationships. Month two is when meaningful changes start landing. By month three we're seeing results and can assess what ongoing support makes sense. Shorter engagements rarely deliver lasting value.
What if we hire a full-time CTO?
That's often the goal. I can help you define the role, run the search, and ensure a smooth handover. Many engagements end with a successful CTO hire. I'd rather build your capability than create dependency.
Do you write code?
Rarely. My value is in decisions, direction, and enabling your team, not in being another pair of hands on the keyboard. If you need engineering capacity, that's a different problem with a different solution.
Related services
Many Fractional CTO engagements start with a Platform Health Check to establish a baseline and priorities.
Need senior technical leadership?
Tell me about your situation and what's prompting this. I'll be honest about whether fractional is the right model and whether I'm the right fit.
References available on request. I typically respond to emails within 2 business days.