Job Description
Senior IT Strategy Consultant (vCTO)
UK • Hybrid • Competitive salary + benefits
Focus Group is looking for a Senior IT Strategy Consultant to deliver fractional vCTO/vCIO services across a portfolio of SME–enterprise clients. You’ll work directly with boards and C‑suite stakeholders, shaping long-term technology strategy, driving transformation, and providing clear, practical guidance on the use of AI within their organisations.
What you’ll do
- Lead 6–8 concurrent vCTO/vCIO client engagements.
- Conduct technology assessments and develop multi‑year strategies and roadmaps.
- Present strategic recommendations to boards and executive teams.
- Advise clients on the practical use of AI tools (e.g. Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic Claude) to support productivity and decision‑making.
- Lead digital transformation initiatives, including cloud migration and application modernisation.
- Develop technology operating models, governance frameworks, budgets, and business cases.
- Support vendor strategy, contract negotiation, and technology risk management.
- Contribute to consulting methodology development and support business development activities.
- Build strong, trusted relationships with senior client stakeholders.
Requirements
What you’ll bring
- Senior technology leadership experience (CTO, CIO, Head of Technology, etc.).
- A proven track record delivering major transformation programmes (£500k–£5m+).
- Strong capability in technology strategy, enterprise architecture, and roadmap development.
- Familiarity with modern AI tools and the ability to advise customers on responsible and valuable use cases.
- Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid environments, particularly Microsoft Azure.
- Excellent communication and board‑level presentation skills.
- Consulting, fractional CxO, or interim leadership experience preferred.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including ROI modelling.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel.
Nice to have
- Certifications such as TOGAF, ITIL, Azure Architect, PMP/PRINCE2 or Agile.
- AI or data-related training.
- Experience in regulated sectors or M&A environments.
- Background in software engineering, DevOps, or enterprise applications.
- Thought leadership or speaking experience
We’re here to help your business shine. We’re committed to creating opportunities for our customers and for our own team, together with developing trusted relationships in our local communities. Ultimately, we believe in doing business the right way and we’re here to make good things happen.
Employing over 1000 exceptional individuals across the UK, in offices from the south coast to Scotland, we’re here to take care of all your IT, telecoms and connectivity services. This means everything you need in one place. Leaving you free to focus all your energy on the important stuff. Like growing your business.
Our teams are experts in their field; passionate about finding the right solutions for you and committed to ensuring your business runs like clockwork. We’re by your side to keep your IT optimised, your business phone system at the top of its game, your data secure, your teams connected and your customers happy. At all times.
Whether you’re an SME or global enterprise business; in the public sector, private sector or a charity…whatever your size, shape or service, we’ll take the time to get to know your business and deliver the technology to fit the bill.
Beyond technology, we are deeply committed to taking positive and meaningful steps towards a sustainable future.