Fractional IT Leadership IT Manager as a Service

Kambium has been providing IT strategy advice and leadership to a number of clients for many years now. We have found that there are a number of organisations who are mature enough to realise they require a more strategic approach to technology, however they cannot justify employing a full time CIO (Chief Information Officer).

Kambium fills this gap with our “IT Manager as a Service” or ITMaaS offering.

vCIO

When we designed the ITMaaS offering nearly 10 years ago the term “vCIO” or “virtual CIO” was being used by a few IT providers in the region. However, we felt that these services were very limited, and were actually account management, or sales engineers in disguise. They did not embed themselves at the client organisation and truly act as that organisations CIO.

ITMaaS

To distinguish our service from vCIO we came up with the term “IT Manager as a Service” or “ITMaaS”. When we deliver ITMaaS we act as an internal resource for that organisation, providing independent strategic IT advice to the management and IT teams. Because we provide this service to range of clients, as a team we can bring to bear a wide range of experience to assist the client in the challenges they may be facing.

Fractional CIO

More recently the term “Fractional leadership” is being used. Fractional leadership, also known as fractional executive or fractional management, refers to an arrangement where an organisation hires part-time leaders to fulfil specific leadership roles. These fractional leaders typically have expertise in areas such as executive management, finance, marketing, human resources, or technology.

This has led to the term “Fractional CIO” or “fCIO”. Fractional CIO’s are a much closer fit to our ITMaaS service – the article How to succeed as a fractional CIO | CIO from CIO.com explains it well:

“A fractional CIO is typically an experienced IT leader who is external to the enterprise yet acts as an accountable leader and extension of the executive team”

“A fractional CIO’s responsibilities typically include IT team management, budget development and supervision, specifying technology investments, and providing guidance on IT systems and governance, he says. Other responsibilities may include addressing digital transformation initiatives, guiding application development, and identifying security issues.”

The benefits that CIO.com raise, are benefits that our ITMaaS clients have enjoyed:

“An independent fractional CIO ensures that recommendations, guidance, and advice will be presented objectivity in the enterprise’s best interest. “With no pressure to recommend a specific system, vendor, hardware or software product, independent fractional CIOs can thoroughly analyse various options, test those options, and make decisions that best serve the organisation” says Dave Hartman, president of IT management consulting firm Hartman Executive Advisors”

So, what should you choose?

If your organisation is worried about overall IT security and governance, or you are not sure that the decisions around your technology spend are following a strategy, or perhaps you have a hard time working out what your IT teams are talking about, then consider service such as ITMaaS or a fractional CIO that provides an experienced, independent set of eyes over your organisation’s technology.

What Was Needed

The key issue for Deaf Aotearoa (DA) is to balance quality and cost in their IT services. As a not-for-profit, they needed high-quality technology solutions without exceeding budget constraints.

Previously, IT was managed by a small provider, but as DA grew they required more rigorous efficiency, effectiveness and security. Additionally, they sought a strategic approach to IT architecture and services to ensure they were taking advantage of technology changes.

Faced with complex challenges like licensing management and new solutions, they recognized the need for expert support.