Hire the Top 3% of Freelance Fractional CIOs

Toptal is a marketplace for top Fractional CIOs. Top companies and startups hire Fractional CIO freelancers from Toptal for their mission-critical projects.

No-Risk Trial, Pay Only If Satisfied.

Trusted by leading brands and startups

Hire Freelance Fractional CIOs

Chris Busch

Freelance Fractional CIO
United States
Toptal Member Since January 27, 2020

Chris is a self-starting entrepreneur who transforms visions into compelling SaaS product strategies and delivers ROI. He's invented and led product, design, and CI/CD engineering up to 130 FTE for impactful products in real-time analytics, NLP, and IoT for consumer/enterprise markets as well as healthcare AI/ML. Chris's platforms generate $350 million in revenue, using emerging technologies at SAP and Cognizant. He is a two-time recipient of the "IoT Evolution Product of the Year" award.

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Masha Sharma

Freelance Fractional CIO
United States
Toptal Member Since September 17, 2020

Masha, a fractional product engineering technology executive, specializes in integrations, marketplaces, and SaaS-net technologies. With 20+ years of experience, she has co-founded several successful startups and contributed to others, including Avenue One, where she helped create a unicorn valued at $1 billion. Masha's technical background and leadership skills have been instrumental in driving business impact and fostering innovation throughout her career.

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Janne J. Korhonen

Freelance Fractional CIO
Finland
Toptal Member Since May 14, 2021

Janne is an independent consultant, coach, and advisor with 20+ years of versatile consulting experience in strategic, enterprise-scale, mission-critical, and international IT projects in various industries. Janne's specialties include organizational design and development, enterprise architecture, strategy, leadership, digital strategy, and digital service business.

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David Nguyen

Freelance Fractional CIO
Switzerland
Toptal Member Since February 11, 2020

David is a seasoned product manager and CTO, having worked with tech companies for over the last 25 years. He's built companies from scratch, developed businesses, and managed large and complex projects in mission-critical environments. With great leadership and business expertise as well as team-building abilities and decision-making skills, David makes thoughtful decisions about the mission and goals of the organization he works for.

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Derek Anderson

Freelance Fractional CIO
United States
Toptal Member Since December 13, 2019

Derek has 20 years of experience growing businesses by thrilling customers and solving real-world problems. He has served in roles ranging from VP of marketing to CTO and CEO. His expertise bridges the gap between executive vision and technical execution when delivering complex solutions at an enterprise scale. With his hands-on style and “get it done” attitude, Derek has worked with global firms such as Facebook, Cisco, Cemex, Coca-Cola, Ford, and many SMBs and startups.

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Dan Allen

Freelance Fractional CIO
United States
Toptal Member Since June 1, 2020

Dan has over 30 years of technology leadership experience in product management, agile coaching, agile project management, software/systems engineering, cloud transformation, and management consulting. Dan is a proven change agent and thought leader with real-world expertise in the application of product management and agile methods for startups as well as large scale enterprises.

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Tammy Pilgreen

Freelance Fractional CIO
United States
Toptal Member Since April 16, 2021

Tammy is a visionary team leader who defines and delivers strategic solutions that drive bottom-line results and praise from customers and the C-suite. She creates insightful customer experiences by leveraging her hybrid career in business and technology. She has led solution delivery for multiple apps that created unparalleled customer experiences and sales growth. Tammy guides teams to identify problems and root causes, leading to optimized product solutions that drive business results.

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THE TOPTAL ADVANTAGE

98% of Toptal clients choose to hire our talent after a risk-free trial.

Toptal's screening and matching process ensures exceptional talent are matched to your precise needs.

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Toptal in the press

... allows corporations to quickly assemble teams that have the right skills for specific projects.

Despite accelerating demand for coders, Toptal prides itself on almost Ivy League-level vetting.

Our clients
Creating an app for the game
Conor Kenney
Creating an app for the game
Leading a digital transformation
Elmar Platzer
Leading a digital transformation
Building a cross-platform app to be used worldwide
Building a cross-platform app to be used worldwide
Drilling into real-time data creates an industry game changer
Drilling into real-time data creates an industry game changer
Testimonials
Toptal helped us achieve our goals by really understanding what we were looking for. They worked with us very closely to figure out what the right talent looked like -- from a technical, cultural perspective -- and helped us get the onboarding done quickly so the talent could be effective as soon as possible.

Jay Tring

Technical Team Lead, CSR Connect, Australia

I couldn’t have been more pleased with Toptal. They are professional, quick, well priced, and fun. I will be using them again for my next project, and the next, and the next, and the next ...

Mac Smith

President

The best talent is at Toptal for sure. It's way better and faster than any other means of getting top talent.

Rajesh Nagarajan

Co-Founder & CTO

Getting set up with Toptal and finding a new team member was so easy, I don't know why anyone wouldn't give it a try. Best of all, we no longer have to worry about finding great people to help with our projects!

Mike Branch

President & CTO

One of our most time consuming problems is finding qualified staff. We need to find the correct platform to advertise on, create a proper ad, filter through tons of applications, interview and test the applicants' capabilities, and finally take a risk by hiring. This was the old way of doing things. The new way: describe the job position to our Toptal account manager, interview a few qualified applicants, and hire with a risk-free trial -- much faster, a lot easier, and with incredible results.

Catalin S. Balaci

Owner

How to Hire Fractional CIOs Through Toptal

1

Talk to One of Our Industry Experts

A Toptal director of product management will work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics.
2

Work With Hand-Selected Talent

Within days, we'll introduce you to the right Fractional CIO for your project. Average time to match is under 24 hours.
3

The Right Fit, Guaranteed

Work with your new Fractional CIO for a trial period (pay only if satisfied), ensuring they're the right fit before starting the engagement.

Find Experts With Related Skills

Access a vast pool of skilled product managers in our talent network and hire the top 3% within just 48 hours.

FAQs

  • How quickly can you hire with Toptal?

    Typically, you can hire a Fractional CIO with Toptal in about 48 hours. For larger teams of talent or Managed Delivery, timelines may vary. Our talent matchers are highly skilled in the same fields they’re matching in—they’re not recruiters or HR reps. They’ll work with you to understand your goals, technical needs, and team dynamics, and match you with ideal candidates from our vetted global talent network.

    Once you select your Fractional CIO, you’ll have a no-risk trial period to ensure they’re the perfect fit. Our matching process has a 98% trial-to-hire rate, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best fit every time.

  • How do I hire a Fractional CIO?

    To hire the right Fractional CIO, it’s important to evaluate a candidate’s experience, technical skills, and communication skills. You’ll also want to consider the fit with your particular industry, company, and project. Toptal’s rigorous screening process ensures that every member of our network has excellent experience and skills, and our team will match you with the perfect Fractional CIOs for your project.

  • How are Toptal Fractional CIOs different?

    At Toptal, we thoroughly screen our Fractional CIOs to ensure we only match you with the highest caliber of talent. Of the more than 200,000 people who apply to join the Toptal network each year, fewer than 3% make the cut.

    In addition to screening for industry-leading expertise, we also assess candidates’ language and interpersonal skills to ensure that you have a smooth working relationship.

    When you hire with Toptal, you’ll always work with world-class, custom-matched Fractional CIOs ready to help you achieve your goals.

  • Can you hire Fractional CIOs on an hourly basis or for project-based tasks?

    You can hire Fractional CIOs on an hourly, part-time, or full-time basis. Toptal can also manage the entire project from end-to-end with our Managed Delivery offering. Whether you hire an expert for a full- or part-time position, you’ll have the control and flexibility to scale your team up or down as your needs evolve. Our Fractional CIOs can fully integrate into your existing team for a seamless working experience.

  • What is the no-risk trial period for Toptal Fractional CIOs?

    We make sure that each engagement between you and your Fractional CIO begins with a trial period of up to two weeks. This means that you have time to confirm the engagement will be successful. If you’re completely satisfied with the results, we’ll bill you for the time and continue the engagement for as long as you’d like. If you’re not completely satisfied, you won’t be billed. From there, we can either part ways, or we can provide you with another expert who may be a better fit and with whom we will begin a second, no-risk trial.

Tap Into World-Class Talent

  • Trusted Experts Only

    Trusted Experts Only

    All of our talent are seasoned experts who ramp up quickly, readily contribute as core team members, and work with you to minimize onboarding time.

  • The Right Fit

    The Right Fit

    We have a knack for matching you with the right fit. Start working with your new hire on a no-risk trial period, paying only if satisfied.

  • Scale as Needed

    Scale as Needed

    Hire talent within 48 hours and scale your team up or down as needed, no strings attached.

  • Seamless Hiring

    Seamless Hiring

    We handle all aspects of billing, payments, and NDA’s. Let us take care of the overhead while you focus on building great products.

  • Flexible Engagements

    Flexible Engagements

    Choose the engagement type that suits your needs — hourly, part-time, or full-time — with the ability to change anytime.

  • Expert Talent Matching

    Expert Talent Matching

    Focus on your project and enjoy support from your dedicated account executive and expert talent matcher.

Top Fractional CIOs Are in High Demand.

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