CTO Available for HireUK & US B2B SaaSHands-on + Strategic

Experienced CTO ready to drive your technical vision.

For companies that need a technical leader who can unblock delivery, align engineering with business outcomes, and build teams that ship.

I combine hands-on engineering expertise with strategic leadership to find the constraint slowing your teams, fix it, and build momentum that compounds.

CTO for HireEngineering LeadershipTech StrategySystems ThinkingTheory of ConstraintsTeam TopologiesDomain-Driven DesignDevExModernizationData & Integrations

Proven Engineering Leadership

Blend Theory of Constraints, systems thinking, and solid engineering to identify and remove the bottlenecks that slow down delivery and team effectiveness.

Connect on LinkedIn See my track record

Sound familiar?

These are the challenges I help companies solve.

Engineering is busy but delivery has stalled.

Technical debt is slowing everything down.

You need strategic leadership, not just more developers.

Architecture decisions keep getting deferred or reversed.

Teams are siloed and collaboration is painful.

Releases are risky, slow, or require heroics.

The gap between product vision and engineering execution is growing.

I bring clarity to complexity, alignment to chaos, and momentum to stalled delivery.

Outcomes I've delivered for teams I've led

-80%

Lead time

from idea to production

Piña Vida: delivery system redesign + release process overhaul

+3-10x

Deploy frequency

per team

Piña Vida: ~4–5 releases/year → multiple releases/week (60–90 days focused effort)

-50%

Ops toil

incidents & handoffs

Nicer Group: reduced operational load through platform and delivery improvements

+$10k+

Release savings

per release (historical)

Piña Vida: eliminated manual involvement in releases, reducing overhead and rework

Results vary by context; the fastest gains typically come from removing the primary constraint and simplifying the path to production.

Is this the right fit?

I thrive in certain environments. Here's how to know if we should talk.

Great fit if…

You need a CTO who can be hands-on and strategic.
Your engineering org is growing and needs structure.
Technical debt or architecture decisions are blocking progress.
You value delivery outcomes over process theatre.

Probably not a fit if…

You need someone to maintain the status quo.
You're looking for a purely ceremonial tech executive.
There's no appetite to change how decisions get made.

Portfolio & Key Achievements

Proven track record across agency, product, and platform contexts with measurable business impact.

Piña Vida (Agency)

CTO • 2+ years

Transformed release process from multi-day, risky deployments to multiple automated deploys per week. Achieved Cyber Essentials certification renewal. Successfully led distributed UK & South African engineering teams.

Key Achievements:

•Reduced deployment risk by 90%
•Increased deployment frequency 5x
•Led team of 8+ engineers across 2 countries

Release accelerationTeam leadershipGovernance

Nicer Group

Fractional CTO → Advisor • 18 months

Led complete EJS → Next.js migration and implemented container-based architecture. Successfully transitioned to executive advisor role once team achieved self-sufficiency.

Key Achievements:

•Zero-downtime migration of legacy system
•Improved performance by 40%
•Mentored team to full autonomy

ModernizationPlatformCoaching

Drive eSource (Fleet SaaS)

Co‑founder & CTO • 3+ years

Co-founded B2B SaaS startup and designed complex procurement flows connecting FMCs and dealers. Built scalable modular monolith architecture using NestJS + React with comprehensive data integrations.

Key Achievements:

•Built product from zero to market
•Designed complex B2B integration ecosystem
•Scaled architecture to handle enterprise load

GreenfieldB2B SaaSIntegrations

Core Experience & Achievements

Proven track record of delivering results across all aspects of engineering leadership. Hands-on experience with pragmatic engineering and strategic thinking.

Operating model & org design

Led organizational restructuring and team design. Established clear ownership, flow, and interfaces to make teams autonomous and effective.

Architecture & modernization

Successfully executed pragmatic rewrites, built modular monoliths, and designed evolutionary architectures that shipped quickly and scaled effectively.

Platform & delivery

Built comprehensive CI/CD pipelines and observability systems. Reduced cycle time, minimized risk, and increased deployment frequency significantly.

Integrations & data

Designed and implemented APIs, partner ecosystems, and data flows that unlocked new revenue streams and improved system connectivity.

Hiring & leadership

Built and led high-performing engineering teams. Developed leaders, established strong culture, and created environments where teams thrive.

Execution & governance

Implemented lightweight governance frameworks, strengthened product/engineering collaboration, and established clear prioritization processes.

Technical Expertise

ReactNestJSNodeTypeScriptPostgres/PostGISCQRSAzureCI/CDC#/.NetSQL

What I Bring to Your Team

Proven leadership capabilities and technical expertise that drive measurable business outcomes.

Strategic Leadership

Vision & Direction

When you need technical strategy that aligns with business goals.

Technical strategy alignment
Executive communication
Long-term planning

Team Building

Culture & Growth

When you need to scale your engineering org effectively.

Hiring & development
Mentoring leaders
Building high-performance culture

Technical Excellence

Architecture & Delivery

When you need architecture that ships and scales.

Scalable architecture design
Modernization & migration
Quality & performance optimization

Business Impact

Results & Growth

When you need engineering to drive business outcomes.

Faster time to market
Reduced technical debt
Improved team productivity

About James Sperring

I'm a people‑focused technologist with extensive experience leading engineering teams and driving technical strategy. I've successfully led UK and international teams, modernized legacy stacks, and built new B2B products from zero. I combine Theory of Constraints, Team Topologies, and pragmatic engineering to create systems that deliver value. Currently seeking full-time CTO opportunities where I can make a lasting impact through constraint-informed delivery and strategic technical leadership.

Built modular monoliths that scale
Cut release risk & cost dramatically
Coached leaders to self‑sufficiency
Aligned execs on outcomes, not output

Core Competencies

Engineering LeadershipTech StrategyTeam BuildingArchitecture DesignProduct/Eng AlignmentModernization

Based in the UK. Available for remote work and comfortable with US time zones.

FAQ

What type of CTO role are you looking for?

I'm seeking full-time CTO positions where I can make a lasting impact. I'm particularly interested in B2B SaaS companies that need strategic technical leadership and hands-on engineering guidance.

What's your availability and location preferences?

I'm based in the UK but comfortable with US time zones and remote work. I can travel as needed and am open to hybrid arrangements. Available to start with appropriate notice.

What makes you different from other CTO candidates?

I combine deep technical expertise with proven leadership experience. My approach focuses on constraint-informed delivery, systems thinking, and building teams that can scale effectively while maintaining quality.

What size company and stage are you targeting?

I thrive in high-growth environments where technical complexity meets business ambition. Ideal for companies scaling from startup to growth stage, typically 20-200+ employees with engineering teams of 5-50+ people.

Ready to discuss CTO opportunities?

Let's explore how my experience can drive your technical vision forward.

Start conversation Download CV Connect on LinkedIn

Ideal for companies seeking

Experienced engineering leadership
Strategic technical direction
Proven track record of delivery

Get In Touch

Interested in discussing CTO opportunities? I'd love to learn about your company and how I can contribute.

hello@sperring.software

Available for calls after initial contact