Fractional CIO Services
IT Strategy & Digital Transformation Leadership
Strategic IT leadership for organizations needing to modernize systems, optimize spend, and align technology with business objectives—without the cost of a full-time executive.
What is a Fractional CIO?
A Fractional CIO provides senior IT leadership on a part-time basis. Unlike a consultant who delivers recommendations and leaves, I become part of your leadership team—owning IT strategy, managing vendors, and driving results.
As Sweetgreen's CIO, I built a technology organization from the ground up, modernized point-of-sale systems, and launched digital ordering capabilities that scaled to hundreds of locations.
Ideal For:
- Companies undergoing digital transformation
- Organizations modernizing legacy systems
- Businesses optimizing IT spend and vendor relationships
- Companies preparing for significant scale or acquisition
- Organizations needing IT leadership but not ready for full-time
Services Included
IT Strategy & Roadmap
Develop technology strategy aligned with business objectives. Prioritize investments for maximum impact.
Digital Transformation
Modernize operations through technology. Automate processes, improve efficiency, enable new capabilities.
Vendor Management
Evaluate, select, and manage technology vendors. Negotiate contracts. Ensure accountability and value.
Enterprise Systems
Oversee ERP, CRM, HR systems, and core business applications. Plan migrations and integrations.
Security & Compliance
Establish security governance, ensure regulatory compliance, and manage risk appropriately.
IT Organization Building
Build and structure IT teams. Define roles, hiring plans, and operating models that scale.
Engagement Models
Strategy, vendor oversight, and leadership team integration.
Hands-on IT leadership including team management and project oversight.
System selection, vendor negotiations, or transformation projects.
Why Work With Me
I've held the CIO seat. I know what it takes to transform IT from a cost center into a strategic advantage.
- CIO at Sweetgreen — Built technology organization from ground up, modernized POS systems, launched digital ordering platform across hundreds of locations
- Enterprise Experience — Worked with Salesforce, Verizon, Thermo Fisher on large-scale system implementations
- Board Advisor — Provide guidance to Adobe, Acquia, Sitecore, and Salesforce on enterprise technology
I understand both the strategic and operational sides of IT leadership. I can speak to the board and roll up my sleeves with your team.
View Full Profile →What Executives Say
"It's impossible to convey the value that Thomas brings to any situation in one short review. He is an entire project team wrapped into one man. He has the patience of a department lead, the strategic vision of a business executive, the impeccable knowledge of a technology VP."
"I have had the privilege and pleasure of working with Thomas for the last four years. He has time and again shown tremendous leadership as digital business leader. Thomas is one of the most intelligent, passionate technologists I have met."
"I had the pleasure of working with Thomas during my five years at Huge. Thomas is a seasoned technologist and executive that knows how to drive business value through technology and data."
How It Works
Discovery Call
Understand your IT challenges, business context, and goals for technology.
Assessment
Quick review of current state—systems, vendors, team, and pain points.
Proposal
Tailored engagement with clear scope, priorities, and expected outcomes.
Partnership
Ongoing leadership with regular cadence, measurable progress, and strategic guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a CIO and CTO?
A CTO typically focuses on product technology, engineering, and technical innovation. A CIO focuses on IT operations, enterprise systems, vendor management, and aligning technology with business operations. Many organizations need both perspectives, and a fractional model can provide either or both.
Who needs a Fractional CIO?
Fractional CIO services are valuable for: companies undergoing digital transformation, organizations needing to modernize legacy systems, businesses lacking IT leadership but not ready for a full-time hire, companies seeking to optimize IT spend and vendor relationships, and organizations preparing for scale or acquisition.
What does a Fractional CIO do day-to-day?
Activities include: setting IT strategy aligned with business goals, managing vendor relationships and contracts, overseeing enterprise systems (ERP, CRM, HR systems), ensuring security and compliance, budgeting and cost optimization, and building/mentoring IT teams.
How is this different from IT consulting?
IT consultants typically provide recommendations and assessments. A Fractional CIO takes ongoing ownership of IT outcomes, integrates with your leadership team, manages vendors and teams, and stays accountable for results over time. It's executive leadership, not project work.
What enterprise systems do you have experience with?
I've led implementations and optimizations across: ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite), CRM platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot), POS and commerce systems, HR/HCM (Workday, ADP), marketing automation, data warehouses and analytics, and cloud infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure).
How do you handle security and compliance?
Security and compliance are foundational, not afterthoughts. I establish security governance, ensure regulatory compliance (SOC 2, PCI, GDPR as applicable), implement access controls, and create incident response procedures. I work with specialized security partners when deep expertise is needed.
Ready to Transform Your IT Organization?
Schedule a free discovery call to explore how fractional CIO services can help modernize your technology and operations.