Hire Fractional CTO
How to hire a fractional CTO in the UK — when you need one, what to look for, typical process, and cost expectations. Day rates £800-£2,000, monthly retainers £2k-£8k, with 50-70% savings versus full-time CTO loaded costs.
When to hire a fractional CTO
You need technical leadership but not full-time commitment
Scale-ups with engineering teams 5-25 often need CTO-level technical strategy, architecture oversight, and team leadership but can't justify £120k-£200k+ full-time cost (FACTS 122). Fractional CTOs provide senior technical leadership at 1-3 days per week.
You're scaling engineering rapidly
Growing from 5 to 20+ engineers requires senior technical leadership — hiring, architecture decisions, process implementation. Fractional CTOs have scaled engineering teams across their portfolio and can guide your growth without full-time overhead.
Your VP Engineering needs senior backing
Strong technical managers often get promoted to Head of Engineering but need CTO-level strategic oversight for board reporting, technical debt decisions, and platform architecture. Fractional CTOs mentor internal leaders while providing senior expertise.
You need technical due diligence or assessments
Fundraising, acquisition, or technical audits require CTO-level evaluation of your tech stack, team, and processes. Fractional CTOs specialize in technical assessments and can provide independent technical leadership during critical business milestones.
How to hire a fractional CTO
Define your technical scope and budget
Clarify what you need: Technical strategy? Team scaling? Architecture oversight? Platform decisions? Budget expectations: £2k-£8k/month retainers typical (FACTS 117). Time commitment: 1-2 days/week standard, 3+ days for intensive periods.
Source candidates with relevant experience
Specialist fractional platforms like fcto.uk and redeagle.tech focus on technical practitioners. Technical networks: CTO Academy, local tech meetups. Investor/advisor referrals: Often best source for proven technical leaders.
Technical assessment process
Portfolio deep dive: What platforms/teams have they built? Technical scenarios: How would they approach your architecture challenges? Team dynamics: Will they work well with your engineers? Technology fit: Experience with your tech stack or similar platforms.
Structured trial engagement
Technical project: Start with defined scope (architecture review, hiring process, technology assessment). Clear deliverables: Technical documentation, hiring decisions, platform recommendations. Team integration: Work directly with your engineers to assess cultural fit.
Related Resources
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