Senior IT Strategy Consultant (vCTO)

Senior IT Strategy Consultant (vCTO) (Internal Job Level Reference: Senior Specialist) 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. 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