Fractional IT Director
We provide experienced fractional IT Directors on a time basis to suit your firm’s needs, saving the need to employ permanent IT Directors whilst providing firms access to high quality, experienced, technology professionals who ensure the IT environment is aligned to the business’s needs.
Our approach
Our fractional IT Director roles are flexible to the needs of the firm, each firm's requirements are different and we customise our offering to meet each firm's needs. The roles we provide range from strategic working with the firms management team, to managing suppliers and working closely with IT teams to help them align to the firms needs and assist in change programmes.
We can also provide interim cover for extended periods of leave or to fill gaps when a key IT leader leaves until a suitable replacement can be found. It is surprising how quickly processes and systems can to operate smoothly if not regularly overseen by an IT management team. Having interim cover can help to ensure that focus on IT activities are maintained during periods of change.
Each arrangement is tailored to the needs of the organisation and will begin with an initial fixed-price review of the firm’s IT operations and strategy and the needs and aspirations of the business in order to determine the scope and focus of the fractional role.
Our Fractional IT Director team
Headed up by Jon Howells we provide experienced fractional and interim IT Directors to firms whose IT function requires strategic direction or further experience of Legal IT developments. This provides firms with access to high quality, experienced professionals without the need to employ a full-time member of staff.
We expect the Fractional IT Director to report to the firm’s CEO/COO/Managing Partner or to a Management Board. The arrangement can be on a fixed term or a rolling month to month basis.
If you would like to discuss whether this service might be helpful for your firm please contact:
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+44 (0) 7917 367872
Benefits of a Fractional IT Director
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Reduced cost compared to an experienced permanent IT Director
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Ensuring the firm keeps up with strategic thinking and the latest developments in IT
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Engagement with practice heads and other Partners about their IT needs and the way in which IT can support their practices
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Managing suppliers to ensure service delivered is as expected
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Implementing an IT strategy and plan for the firm
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Providing confidence to a firm's management team that its business plans are fully utilising IT
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Working with existing IT teams to ensure correct practices are being followed
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Developing, formulating and delivering IT strategies and plans
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Allowing the management team to focus on the day job rather than managing IT
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Undertaking regular solution and contract reviews to ensure the right solutions are being used
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Providing confidence in the reliability of IT services and disaster recovery/business continuity plans
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Ensuring the firm is utilising the investment it has made in IT
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Bringing the experience of working with a range of different firms
Example projects
Providing an interim IT Director to a 300 person firm to oversee two strategic projects and support the IT team following the departure of the firm’s IT Director. The 3Kites IT Director was able to review key projects, an office move and DMS migration, recommend improvements to the project plans, oversee delivery whilst providing the management team confidence that the projects will be delivered on time and to budget.
We have provided a flexible IT Director service to a 170 person firm where the requirement for an IT Director changed to reflect the projects being undertaken. What was originally a two day per month engagement increased to one day per week while the firm undertook a complete IT refresh and has now returned to two days a month to provide ongoing supplier management and awareness of Legal IT solutions.
We worked with a new IT Director at a 300-person firm to help it formulate the firm’s IT strategy, provide guidance on team structure and plan an approach to address key IT issues the firm was facing. We have continued to provide IT project support and will move to a board advisory role when the current project plan is complete.
Following on from a system selection project, one of our consultants has maintained an ongoing role as an IT Director for a 120 people firm allowing the Partner assigned to IT to focus on running their legal team. The postholder developed and agreed an IT strategy with the firm’s leadership team and now works alongside the existing IT Team to ensure its delivery, whilst keeping the leadership team aware of progress. A key element of the ongoing role is to alert the firm’s leadership team to changes to legal IT solutions/landscape so that potential opportunities can be identified and considered as part of the business strategy.
Client references
Richard Baker
Managing Director
Stephens Scown
In the short time that we have worked with 3Kites, it has become a trusted partner for my IT team and has helped me to provide greater structure and control within a fast moving IT environment. 3Kites is also helping to keep our Aderant PMS implementation on track, reflecting a pragmatic application of the extensive experience that its consultants have. I especially value the common sense, plain speaking and practical advice in complex areas where jargon is often used. My only negative in relation to these guys is that we weren’t introduced to them some years ago as that would have provided additional help and guidance for our journey at an earlier stage.
