Fractional CTO

A Fractional CTO is an experienced, multi-faceted senior technology executive professional who serves as the part-time chief technology officer (CTO) for organizations that otherwise could not afford or would not need a full time executive.

  • Independent - On your side and in it for the long term; vendor agnostic; trusted advisor
  • Strategic - Work strategically yet deliver reality
  • Experience - Experienced technology executive leaders; multi-company/industry perspective
  • Business-focused - Business drivers feed technology
  • Liaison - Make your technology suppliers/outsourcing and staff work successfully
  • Value – Increase agility; fractional and flexibility cost
  • Return - Align technology spending with business objectives, define and measure ROI
  • Reduce Risk – Temporary to long-term in your control

Fractional CTO Role and Responsibilities

Businesses need a senior technology professional who understands the company’s business objectives and provide technology direction to support those objectives. Our Fractional technology leaders are both visionary and pragmatic. It is not enough to plan for innovation, we are perceptive and realistic. As insightful leaders we prompt a broad technology agenda to help your business profit from leading-edge technologies. At the same time as a pragmatist, we deal with the realities of the business. As pragmatist we facilitate the productivity of current technology solutions. We minimize cost and maximize results and technology ROI. We use portfolio management to align technology strategy and spending with the business objectives. 

The following are typical responsibilities of the Fractional CTO.

  • Technology leadership and management
  • Technology products and services development and delivery
  • Software development management
  • Software development methodology management
  • Technology vision and strategy
  • Technology roadmap and the business objectives alignment
  • Technology strategy communications
  • Strategic partnerships management
  • Technology staff management
  • Technology scalability, robustness and maintainability assessment and planning
  • Risk, security and compliance management
  • Technology governance
  • Technology research and evaluation
  • Capital allocation, ROI evaluation and budgeting
  • Contract review and negotiate
  • Key Performance Metrics definition

A Fractional CTO is an experienced, multi-faceted senior technology executive professional who serves as the part-time chief information officer (CIO) or chief technology officer (CTO) for organizations that otherwise could not afford or would not need a full time executive. The key business benefit of retaining a Fractional CTO is that they provide the same expertise and capability of a full-time CTO without the associated level of salary, benefits and overhead expense associated with adding a top level executive. Fractional CTOs manage the technology strategy, leads software development, planning, integration, and implementation. When not on-site, we are still working, still available, still thinking about what you need and how to get it for you.

Strategic Viewpoint – A significant advantage of having a CTO is that you now have a single point of contact and a person solely responsible for designing a technology strategy and the infrastructure and applications that will meet your business goals. Because the technology leader is an integral part of your executive team, the technology strategy and roadmap will closely align with your business needs and drivers and allow your business to be competitive and productive.

Information Resource – A CTO typically brings years of experience and a wealth of information to your organization. Whether it is determining the best technology strategy, infrastructure strategy, educating you on how to utilize social media to grow business, or explaining how cloud computing may be right for you, your CTO provides leadership and vision.

Business Liaison – Working closely with both the business side of your business and the technology side, your CTO helps ensure that the business drivers and needs are being met by your current and future technology strategy. Your CTO can translate business speak into technology terms and also explain technology solutions in layman’s terms. This allows both the business and technology teams to understand goals, technology, and business drivers.

ROI – A Fractional CTO can help align technology spending with business objectives. The Fractional CTO can also help to measure technology expenses against, maintain budgets, define ROI (Return on Investment) baselines, and help your business decide which technology projects, services, or applications will meet your business needs and what the return on investment will be.

Experience – With a Fractional CTO you get an expert team capable of providing a broader spectrum of experience across many technologies – eliminating the need for you to support a staff trained in multiple disciplines.