Fractional CTO for Technical Governance
I am seeking a senior, U.S.-based Fractional CTO to provide independent technical leadership and governance over an existing product and development team. This is not a coding role. This is not a consulting slide-deck role. This is not a junior “advisor” position. This role exists to establish clarity, control, and accountability across architecture, data, infrastructure, and development workflow. You will be responsible for: Producing a complete system inventory (applications, services, databases, infrastructure) Creating and validating architecture and data flow documentation Reviewing current developer output for technical quality, risk, and scalability Identifying technical debt, security risks, and launch blockers Establishing clear technical standards and decision ownership Acting as an independent technical authority, not a rubber stamp Providing plain-English explanations suitable for non-technical leadership Advising on what should be standardized vs flexible Recommending immediate priorities and sequencing You will not be expected to: Write production code Manage day-to-day tickets Replace the existing development team Required Background You must have: Prior experience as a CTO, VP of Engineering, or equivalent Experience overseeing live production systems Experience reviewing and correcting work done by other developers Strong judgment and willingness to say “this is wrong” Ability to communicate clearly without jargon You must not be: A junior developer looking to “grow into” leadership A sales-focused agency Someone who outsources thinking to offshore teams Engagement Structure Fractional / part-time Remote Initial engagement focused on assessment and direction Potential for ongoing advisory role based on performance Apply tot his job