ServiceTechnical Advisory Retainer
Technical Advisory Retainer
Senior technical leadership, without the full-time hire.
A senior engineer your team can put a decision in front of, any week of the month. Architecture guidance, code review, hiring support and mentoring, without the cost of a full-time hire.
Who this is for
You need senior technical judgement but not a full-time hire
Your lead developer is carrying the technical decisions alone, with nobody to think them through with
Big technical decisions keep landing with no one to pressure-test them
You're hiring engineers and want help getting it right
You want a trusted advisor who already knows your context
You want someone accountable for the direction, available between the big decisions as well as during them
What to expect
Every engagement runs the same way, so you know what happens next at every point.
- 1
Discovery call
Thirty minutes, free, no commitment. You tell us what you are trying to do and what is in the way. If we are not the right people for it, we say so on the call.
- 2
Onboarding
We get across your architecture, your roadmap and how your team actually works, so the advice is about your situation rather than general good practice.
- 3
A regular cadence
A standing slot in your week or month, plus availability between sessions for the decisions that will not wait. Three-month minimum: the first month is mostly us learning your system, so anything shorter would not earn its money.
- 4
Decisions, reviews and mentoring
Architecture calls, code review, hiring support and time with your engineers. Every decision gets written down with the reasoning behind it, so it survives the call and your team can point at it later.
- 5
Reviewed every quarter
We look at whether this is still worth your money and say so honestly. Plenty of retainers end because the team no longer needs one, and that is a fine place to finish.
What's included
- Ongoing architecture guidance and technical decision-making
- Code and architecture reviews
- Engineering team mentoring and direction
- Hiring support: technical interviews, role definitions
- Vendor and technology evaluation
- Technical decisions made and documented
How we can work together
Advisory
A monthly session, plus reviews when you ask for them. You bring us the decisions that matter; the rest of the month your team runs without us.
Standard
A standing slot every week or fortnight, and reachable in between. We are in the significant decisions while they are still being made.
Embedded
In your team's rhythm: planning, code review, and hands-on where it helps. The closest to having a senior engineer on staff.
Common questions
How is this different from hiring a contractor?
A contractor fills a seat and delivers hours. A retainer gives you a senior technical partner who owns the direction: pressure-testing decisions, guiding your team, and staying accountable for the outcome. You are buying judgement and leadership rather than capacity.
Is this a fractional CTO arrangement?
No, and it is worth being clear about the difference. A fractional CTO takes on executive responsibility: technology strategy, budgets, the shape of the team, often a seat at board level. This is senior engineering leadership. Architecture, technical decisions, code review, and helping your team hire and grow. If what you need is someone accountable for technology at board level, say so on the call and we will tell you straight rather than stretch to fit.
How much of your time do we get?
It depends on the tier. Advisory is a monthly session and reviews on request. Standard is a weekly or fortnightly slot with availability in between. Embedded means we are in your planning and code review as a matter of course. Most teams start on Advisory or Standard and move if they find they need more.
Can you help us hire engineers?
Yes. Hiring support is part of the retainer: defining roles, running technical interviews, and helping you assess candidates so you end up with the team you need rather than the first candidates who clear a screen.
Is there a minimum commitment?
Yes, three months. The first month is mostly us learning your system and how your team works, so anything shorter would not earn its money for either of us.
Let's talk about your project
Book a free 30-minute discovery call. Tell us about your problem and we'll tell you honestly whether and how we can help.