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interim executive recruitment

Hire Interim CTO

Hire Interim CTO: set the technical decisions the interim must hold, the risks that need immediate attention, and how the architecture and team will be handed to the next leader.

Brief us on this role →
CTO briefChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Technology risk

Name the systems, security and resilience decisions needing senior ownership.

Hire Interim CTO: what must the role own?

Name the systems, security and resilience decisions needing senior ownership.

Technology riskName the systems, security and resilience decisions needing senior ownership.
RoadmapState which product and architecture choices may be made during the assignment.
TeamSet the interim’s management and vendor responsibilities.
HandoverSpecify the decision record, architecture context and open risks for the successor.

Role reference: SFIA leadership responsibilities. SFIA describes senior technology leadership through direction, influence, decisions and accountability.

What changes when the CTO is interim?

An interim CTO leads technology through a defined gap or programme. The brief should separate accountable technical leadership from hands-on delivery by the engineering team.

interimChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Outcome

Write the transition or programme outcome before searching.

How would this work in a real brief?

The hiring decision becomes clearer when the work and its boundary are written down together.

Illustrative brief · a technology leadership vacancy

The CTO has left before a major platform decision. Engineers can deliver work but need an accountable leader for architecture, risk and priorities.

The interim CTO reviews the options, owns the technical decision and directs the agreed programme.

The appointment owns

The interim CTO reviews the options, owns the technical decision and directs the agreed programme.

Another owner retains

The CEO keeps company investment approval; engineers own implementation and the permanent CTO receives the decision record.

How should you assess CTO candidates?

Put the same work and evidence in front of each candidate before comparing answers.

The evidenceChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Architecture choice

Ask for a decision the candidate made with competing technical and business constraints.

Acas recommends a consistent, fair selection process: choosing who to interview.

Does this hiring pattern fit the work?

Test the amount of the week, the expected end and the continuity needed before writing the contract.

How much of the week does the work fill?
Is this a defined assignment with an end?
For a continuing part-week role, is this an employee?

The working pattern · interim

An interim CTO

An executive holds a defined assignment or transition. Agree the outcome, authority and handover before the start.

Read the interim CTO hiring brief →

What must happen before the CTO starts?

Set the assignment outcome, technical authority and review point.

A clear startChoose a part of the brief

Part 01 / 04

Mandate

Set the assignment outcome, technical authority and review point.
  1. 1

    Mandate

    Set the assignment outcome, technical authority and review point.

  2. 2

    Access

    Provide architecture records, incident history, roadmap and team contacts.

  3. 3

    Risks

    Agree how material technology risks reach the CEO or board.

  4. 4

    Decision log

    Capture trade-offs, open work and ownership for handover.

A useful CTO brief names the decision, the working pattern and the evidence before it names a candidate.

What should the brief say?

Hire Interim CTO begins with technology risk, a stated working pattern and the evidence you will ask every candidate to show.

15 minutes · video or phone

Brief us on a CTO

Tell us what the role must own, how it will work and when it must start.

  1. 01A brief built around the decisions and working pattern.
  2. 02A shortlist of 3–5 with pay or day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
  3. 03Five-stage vetting before a candidate reaches you.
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For hiring managers

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  1. A shortlist of 3–5, each with day rate, availability and IR35 position
  2. Fractional, interim, part-time, temporary or permanent — and non-executive directors
  3. Every candidate through our five-stage vetting
  4. Your briefs and their candidates, in one room
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