Fractional tech lead
A fractional tech lead for a store that has outgrown its vendors
For stores without a strong CTO, where development is done by vendors or a small team. I take ownership of the technical picture: decisions, priorities, quality and releases. Monthly, with a clear number of hours.
Good fit for
- An owner with several vendors and no technical owner.
- A CTO short on time for architecture and review.
- A store after modernization that needs someone to keep it in shape.
When this format won't fit
If you already have a CTO with time for architecture, you don't need a second one. And if you need ticket support with 24/7 on-call, that's a different service: I own decisions and quality, not a round-the-clock hotline.
What I do
Architecture decisions
Made and written down, so a year later it's clear why.
Vendor estimates and code
Reviewed, and I say no before it costs money.
A quarterly roadmap
With tasks written so they can be verified.
Releases and incidents
Kept under control, reviewed, and not repeated.
PHP and core upgrades
Planned ahead instead of waiting for an outage.
Hiring
Help hiring developers with a paid trial task instead of an interview.
Tiers
| Advisor | Tech lead | Tech lead, hands-on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hours per month | up to 8 | up to 20 | up to 40 |
| Calls | every two weeks | weekly | weekly |
| Decision and estimate review | yes | yes | yes |
| Roadmap and task specs | – | yes | yes |
| Code review and release control | spot checks | yes | yes |
| Building critical parts | – | – | yes |
| Telegram replies | within one business day | within one business day | within one business day |
| Price per month | on request | on request | on request |
Advisor
- Hours per month
- up to 8
- Calls
- every two weeks
- Decision and estimate review
- yes
- Roadmap and task specs
- –
- Code review and release control
- spot checks
- Building critical parts
- –
- Telegram replies
- within one business day
- Price per month
- on request
Tech lead
- Hours per month
- up to 20
- Calls
- weekly
- Decision and estimate review
- yes
- Roadmap and task specs
- yes
- Code review and release control
- yes
- Building critical parts
- –
- Telegram replies
- within one business day
- Price per month
- on request
Tech lead, hands-on
- Hours per month
- up to 40
- Calls
- weekly
- Decision and estimate review
- yes
- Roadmap and task specs
- yes
- Code review and release control
- yes
- Building critical parts
- yes
- Telegram replies
- within one business day
- Price per month
- on request
How this differs from support
Support closes tickets. I make sure they're the right tickets, and that the system gets simpler over time, not more complicated.
How it starts
- 1
A call
How development works today: who builds, who decides, what hurts.
- 2
Onboarding review
The first two or three days of month one go into reviewing the system.
- 3
Monthly work
Calls, decisions, reviews and releases in the chosen tier.
What I need from you: I work CET and Moscow business hours. No 24/7 on-call.
Timing and price
- Timing
- Monthly
- Price
- Price agreed before we start, after the brief
Hours and tier are agreed before we start.
Proof
Proof
A 28,000-SKU catalog: Next.js on top of 1C-Bitrix
The PHP backend stayed in place with orders, pricing and integrations. The storefront and search moved to Next.js and Elasticsearch, and the SEO structure carried over.
Read the case studyQuestions
- Will you replace our vendor?
- No, I work on top. The vendor keeps doing the work, and I make sure it's the right work and the right code.
- Can we start with an audit?
- Yes, and it is a common path: the audit gives a picture of the system, and the monthly work starts with a clear roadmap.
You work with me
Ivan Ponamarev, senior full-stack engineer, 10+ years in production. You talk to the person who makes the technical decisions and writes the critical code.
Tell me how development works today
Who builds, who decides, what hurts. I'll suggest a format.