Location: UK (remote-friendly, hands-on)

Engagement: Fractional / part-time, 1–2 days per week

Sector: Software (.NET)

Start: August 2026 (current CTO retiring end of July)

About the opportunity
Our client is an established small B2C Company whose long-serving CTO is retiring this summer. They are looking for a hands-on, commercially minded fractional CTO to step in at 1–2 days per week and take ownership of their technology function.
This is a small, agile business that relies on trusted external partners: development is delivered by a nearshore .NET specialist, and IT infrastructure is managed by a Microsoft Solutions Partner. The successful candidate won't be writing code, but they will need the technical depth to scrutinise what suppliers deliver and the confidence to hold them to account.

This is very much a working role rather than a purely strategic one. You'll own the supplier relationships day to day, take charge of cyber security and IT resilience, and set the technology direction — while being on hand when urgent issues or service outages arise.
What you'll be doing

Technology direction

Own and develop the technology strategy, making the case for investment and ensuring platform choices serve the business over the next three to five years
Keep technology on track day to day — roadmap, platform decisions, and making sure the development partner is building the right things in the right way
Identify risks and technical debt early, and provide assurance around IT resilience
Advise on where AI tools and modern practices could save time or money

Cyber security & data protection

Ensure the business meets appropriate cyber security standards (currently Cyber Essentials Plus)
Oversee outsourced data protection arrangements and maintain UK GDPR compliance
Act as the internal first point of contact for any data protection incident before escalation to the outsourced DPO

Supplier management

Own the contracts with the development, cloud/IT, and data protection providers — negotiations, renewals, SLAs and KPIs
Run regular supplier reviews and act as the escalation point when things go wrong
Sign off invoices and keep third-party spend under control
Ensure exit strategies and IP protections are in place
Bridge between suppliers and the internal team on roadmap, sprints and delivery