Fractional CTO (Senior, 10+ Years Experience) – Hourly - Contract to Hire

We are a strategy-led growth studio working across Brand, Technology, and Digital Products based in Saudi and UAE. We are looking for a Fractional CTO to work with us on an hourly basis, owning technical oversight, infrastructure, quality assurance, and complex builds across internal and client projects. This is not a junior role, and not a day-to-day developer position. We are looking for someone who has previously acted as a CTO or Head of Technology, can move fast, make decisions, and provide technical leadership without hand-holding. This role may evolve into a long-term or full-time position, but will start hourly. Key Responsibilities 1. Technical Oversight & Architecture Own and review overall technical architecture across projects. Decide on stacks, tools, frameworks, and hosting environments. Ensure scalability, security, and maintainability of systems. 2. Infrastructure & Environments Manage servers, hosting, and cloud environments. Oversee staging, production, and deployment pipelines. Ensure proper version control, rollback strategies, and uptime. Optimize performance and reliability of internal and client websites. 3. Website & Application Management Oversee maintenance and support for client websites. Step in for front-end or back-end development when needed. Handle complex bug fixes, performance issues, and refactors. Guide developers and suppliers on best practices. 4. Security & Compliance Own website and application security. Implement and monitor security best practices. Handle audits, vulnerability checks, and incident response when required. Ensure client data and infrastructure are protected. 5. Supplier QA & Technical Governance QA external developers, agencies, and technical suppliers. Review code quality, architecture decisions, and delivery standards. Intervene when quality, security, or performance is compromised. 6. Proposal & Pre-Sales Support Act as technical subject-matter expert during proposals and pitches. Validate scopes, timelines, and feasibility. Support the business team in defining accurate technical solutions. Help avoid over-promising or under-scoping. 7. IT Systems & Workplace Infrastructure Own and manage internal IT systems, including Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. Handle setup, user management, permissions, security policies, and best practices. Ensure reliable email, storage, access control, and collaboration workflows. Optimize internal IT setup for scale, security, and operational efficiency. 8. AI Strategy & Enablement (Internal + Client) Proactively identify AI opportunities within ORIGIN’s operations to reduce manual work and increase efficiency. Propose and implement AI-driven workflows, automation, and tooling where relevant. Act as a strategic advisor on AI solutions for client projects, ensuring feasibility and value. What This Role Is NOT Not a junior developer role. Not a task-only execution role. Not a full-time commitment (for now). Not micromanaged — we expect ownership. Ideal Candidate Profile 10+ years of experience in software development and systems architecture. Previous experience as CTO, Fractional CTO, or Head of Technology. Strong experience with: Web infrastructure and hosting Front-end and back-end development Cloud environments and DevOps basics Security best practices Comfortable managing multiple projects and stakeholders. Able to explain technical decisions clearly to non-technical teams. Fast, decisive, and pragmatic. Used to working with agencies, startups, or consultancies. Engagement Model Hourly Flexible working hours. Output-driven, not time-driven. Possibility to expand into a long-term or full-time role based on fit and performance. How to Apply Please include: A short note on your experience as a CTO or technical lead. Examples of systems or infrastructures you’ve owned. Your preferred hourly rate. Availability per week. Applications without senior-level experience will not be considered. Apply tot his job