Situations arise where an organization could use supplemental C-level IT expertise to get through a transitory period of change. Maybe you’re between CIOs, or your senior IT leader needs some temporary executive-level help. Maybe the executive team needs some strategic IT advice, or the IT department needs to get to the next level or deliver a new capability.
Flexible access to CIO-level expertise on part-time or temporary basis can serve to strengthen your IT function. The resource can help with a short-term transition, organizational change, or other executive-level responsibility. Such a solution provides a viable and affordable option when an expert IT Leader is needed to augment the IT team or the business executive team.
Typically, the business requirement comes down to one of two scenarios:
- The IT organization doesn’t have the capacity to meet business needs, or
- The existing IT resources are missing the necessary capabilities.
Interim CIOs vs. Fractional CIOs
There are two common ways in which non-permanent CIOs are deployed. In the more traditional model, a temporary CIO is used as an interim resource to fill the IT leadership gap while the business looks for a new IT leader. The interim CIO joins the company for a predetermined period, with a start date and an end date.
During recent years, an alternate model for non-permanent CIOs has gained in popularity: the fractional CIO, also known as a part-time CIO or virtual CIO. A fractional CIO works for a fraction of the time and at a fraction of the cost it would take to employ a full-time CIO. Fractional CIOs typically provide ongoing services to several clients at the same time.
Through the years we have participated in a variety situations where interim and fractional CIOs have been used effectively—and not. The table below gives an overview of how we recommend placing such resources to best serve the business.
Use cases for Interim and Fractional CIOs
Business Scenario
Recruiting a new CIO
Onboarding or transitioning a new CIO
Supporting a mission-critical project
Startup/SMB cannot afford a full-time CIO
M&A event
IT leadership augmentation
IT strategy roadmap
IT security
IT outsourcing
3rd party vendor
Digital transformation
IT/business strategy development
Resource Type
Interim CIO
Interim CIO
Interim CIO
Fractional CIO
Fractional CIO
Fractional CIO
Interim or Fractional
Fractional CIO
Interim or Fractional
Fractional CIO
Interim CIO
Interim CIO
Responsibilities
Keep IT running during CIO search
Position new CIO to hit the ground running
This project cannot fail; lead the project a to successful outcome
Provide vision and leadership
Provide M&A guidance and experience
Provide mentoring & coaching to IT leader(s)
Develop the IT roadmap; oversee execution
Lead the IT department to compliance
Assess opportunity; lead the selection and/or execution processes
Perform assessment; fill gaps; manage vendor
Guide the organization along its digital transformation journey
Work with executive to ensure alignment
Each business is different, so your specific need may require a full-time resource for a certain period (interim CIO), tapering to fractional engagement. Other organizations may prefer to start with a fractional CIO over a longer duration who can step up to assist or lead as necessary.
As mentioned, the fractional or virtual CIO concept has been gaining in popularity over the past few years since the part-time, on-demand features of the role can provide great value at a lower fee. It can also be easier for management teams to sign up for this type of CIO support; the cost commitment is manageable and configurable to the needs of the business.
The Litcom Approach
Want to learn more? Litcom has a team of experienced executives ready to perform all strategic functions of a CIO. We specialize in cases where an interim CIO is needed to build the foundation for a smooth transition to a permanent CIO and cases where a Fractional CIO is required to fill a part time or virtual role. For more information on our services, please contact us at: [email protected].
