Fractional CTO (Technology & AI Governance)

Fractional CTO (Technology & AI Governance) Join our community and help us shape the future of fashion sustainably! 🌍👡 We usually respond within a week ALOHAS is more than a fashion brand : it’s a responsible shopping experience and a chance to participate in the fight against overproduction in fashion. Working at ALOHAS is being part of the innovation and growth of a Spanish start-up with a young, creative and proactive team, good communication and a high level of energy! It’s demanding but extremely rewarding due to an environment where we take pride in learning from one another and strive to make sustainability a way of life beyond the workplace. In a nutshell, we love what we do and it shows! 😀 THE ROLE At ALOHAS , we are building an AI-native company. Technology is not a support function. It is the foundation of how the entire business operates: product, brand, growth, finance, and operations. We are looking for a Fractional CTO to provide senior technical leadership, focusing on technology strategy, architecture governance, and partner oversight , while enabling fast execution through our AI Software Crafter and specialized technology partners. This is a high-leverage leadership position. You will not build, you will set direction, review decisions, and ensure technology translates into business value. YOUR CHALLENGE As Fractional CTO, your mission will be to: Define and evolve the technical vision of an AI-native company Ensure our partner ecosystem delivers quality, on time, aligned with architecture Provide strategic oversight without becoming a delivery bottleneck Act as safety net and backup for critical technical decisions Translate technology to CEO and leadership team C-Level & Business Alignment Translate business objectives into executable technology strategies Communicate technology vision, risks, and opportunities to CEO Support leadership decisions on growth, scalability, and transformation Work alongside COO who implements business logic hands-on with AI tools Partner Ecosystem Oversight Strategic oversight of 5+ specialized technology partners: Quarterly partner performance reviews Contract negotiations and vendor selection (with COO) Identify when to replace underperforming partners Maintain backup vendor relationships Architecture & Technical Strategy Define target architectures for scalability, performance, maintainability Review and validate architectural decisions from AI Software Crafter and partners Lead architectural transformation initiatives when needed Ensure long-term coherence across all systems (Shopify, Odoo, Data, AI agents) AI Agent Architecture Oversight Guide AI agent strategy and orchestration approach Review MCP server implementations and tool integrations Ensure AI initiatives align with overall architecture Balance rapid experimentation with production stability Testing, Quality & Reliability Strategy Define comprehensive testing strategy across products and integrations Establish quality standards and acceptance criteria Promote quality as built-in capability, not afterthought Review partner testing practices and deliverable quality Governance Framework Establish lightweight, effective development governance: Architecture Decision Records (ADRs) Coding, integration, and documentation standards Review and validation processes AI Software Crafter enforces governance daily; CTO reviews quarterly Apply governance consistently across internal and partner development Tech Debt & Platform Health Set strategy for technical debt reduction Define prioritization framework for tech debt vs. features AI Software Crafter and partners execute; CTO reviews progress Balance delivery needs with long-term sustainability AI Software Crafter Enablement & Backup Act as strategic counterpart and sounding board Provide architectural clarity and prioritization support Ensure rapid AI-driven experimentation happens within scalable framework Serve as backup if AI Software Crafter is unavailable or leaves Can step into 4-5 days/week temporarily during transitions YOU WILL ROCK AT THIS ROLE IF YOU HAVE... Proven experience as CTO, Fractional CTO, VP Engineering, or Principal Architect Track record in architectural evolution and transformation of digital platforms Strong experience defining and executing medium/long-term technical strategies Experience managing technology vendors and partners Deep understanding of: Modern backend/frontend architectures Cloud-native platforms (GCP required) API-first and event-driven systems Solid background in testing strategies, CI/CD, quality frameworks Comfortable operating at C-level with technical and non-technical stakeholders Able to provide direction without becoming delivery bottleneck Familiarity with AI/LLM landscape and agentic systems Experience in Fashion/Retail/E-commerce Knowledge of Shopify and Odoo Experience supporting high-growth or transformation phases WAYS OF WORKING Flexible days per week (~40 hours/month), flexible scheduling Monthly strategy session with CEO + COO Weekly sync with AI Software Crafter (30-60 min) Quarterly partner reviews and architecture assessments Pragmatic, impact-driven mindset Preference for clarity over complexity Strong bias toward enablement rather than control Available for temporary increase during crises or transitions BENEFITS A Culture of Freedom, Responsibility & Trust : We believe in autonomy, accountability, and mutual respect. Flexible Working Hours ⏰ : Adapt your schedule to your lifestyle. We trust you to get the job done. We’re a Company with Soul We live and breathe sustainability 🌱 We support family-life balance , parenthood , gender equality , and diversity 👶🏼 Exclusive Discounts 💯 Enjoy up to 70% off our products Your family and friends benefit too! Home Office Setup 💻 Laptop + essential peripherals (keyboard, mouse, monitor) Growth & Happiness 🌈 Constructive feedback, ongoing learning, and support for your professional journey Monthly After-Work Events in Barcelona 🎉 Because we like to celebrate together! Ready for the challenge?🚀 About ALOHAS Apply to work with us: careers.alohas.com/jobs Our website: alohas.com and IG: @alohas Departamento IT Locations Barcelona Remote status Hybrid Employment type Part-time Employment level Executive/Senior Level Why ALOHAS? At ALOHAS, we're changing the way people consume fashion by adopting the latest luxury trends and introducing them in the market at an affordable price via our "on-demand" production system. Since we only produce what you order, we cause no unnecessary harm to the planet. We want to become the best alternative to get the latest trends in fashion without harming the environment. In other words, we're a sustainable fast fashion brand. About ALOHAS ALOHAS is a Barcelona-based fashion-forward brand that prides itself on its on-demand production system. We encourage sustainable shopping by launching weekly capsules in which items are only produced after orders are placed. This way, we can bring you the latest trends without harming the planet. Founded in 2015 Co-workers +80