Agency Technical Partner
Senior technical leadership for agencies delivering complex, system-backed projects — without hiring a full-time CTO.
I support agencies shipping portals, dashboards, internal tools, and legacy/ERP-integrated builds — reducing delivery risk, strengthening pre-sales, and protecting project margin.
No hard sell. If it's not a fit, we'll know fast.
Oliver Burton
Fractional CTO • Agency delivery & system integrations
What you get: a senior technical brain on tap — not a ticket queue. I step in early to prevent margin-killing mistakes, and I'm there when projects wobble.
The problem
Agencies are increasingly asked to deliver more than websites:
- •Client portals and dashboards
- •Internal tools and workflows
- •Integrations with ERP, CRM, and legacy systems
- •Performance-critical, data-driven platforms
Most agencies:
Sell technical complexity faster than they can staff for it
Rely on overstretched senior developers
Carry delivery risk they can't see early enough
Lose margin when "unknowns" appear mid-project
One poor technical decision can destroy margin — or client trust.
The solution
I provide embedded senior technical leadership for agencies delivering system-backed work.
I currently act as CTO for:
- •A creative agency
- •An ERP software company
That puts me between agency delivery teams and real-world business systems — translating risk, feasibility, and architecture before problems surface.
I work behind the scenes to make agencies look technically bulletproof.
What's included
What this is not
This is intentionally not:
Keeping scope sharp protects your margins and my availability.
Pricing
£2,000 / month
Advisory
Light complexity, intermittent needs. Architecture reviews + occasional pre-sales support.
£3,500 / month
Delivery cover (most common)
Active system-integrated builds. Regular pre-sales + delivery touchpoints. Escalation when projects wobble.
£5,000 / month
High stakes
Multiple complex projects running. Revenue-critical delivery. Faster escalation and stronger availability.
Note: If legacy/ERP data is involved, default to Delivery cover or above. Advisory is for light-touch only.
How engagement works
1. Quick fit check (15 mins)
Initial conversation to understand your needs and determine if this is a good fit.
2. Pre-sales involvement
You bring me into pre-sales when complexity appears.
3. Scope & risk check
I sanity-check scope, architecture, and integration risk before it's sold.
4. Ongoing support
Light ongoing involvement during delivery + escalation support.
5. Clean exit
Once risk stabilises, clean exit with handover notes.
Who this is for
This works best for agencies that:
Book a fit check
If your projects are getting more complex than your team, a short conversation will clarify whether this support makes sense.
Form prompt: "What are you building? Timelines, integrations, constraints, and what's worrying you."
Agencies and businesses across the UK trust HTML Studio — see our case studies
“Highly recommended — polished, professional work and excellent communication throughout.”
Frequently asked questions
Do you write code?
Sometimes, but the service is designed around architecture, scoping, and escalation — not ticket throughput.
Will you join client calls?
Yes when it reduces risk (pre-sales, integration discovery, escalation). Otherwise I stay behind the scenes.
What if we just need help on one project?
That's fine — we can do a short engagement, but retainers work best when you want ongoing cover.
How quickly can you start?
If you're already mid-delivery and risk is rising, that's exactly when this helps.