Our Virtual IT Director service is one of our most asked about business IT support offerings. That’s because a lot of the services we offer are hugely popular and well-known, such as cyber security or Microsoft 365 support.
However, many businesses already have their own IT Director, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), or Chief Information Officer (CIO). Often this is because they are big enough an organization to afford and justify such a position.
But for much smaller businesses and charities for instance, it’s a big ask to have a full-time director of IT, so PurpleJelly’s Virtual IT Director service is the perfect solution for organisations that are not yet ready to fully take on a CTO.
Who is a Virtual IT Director For?
Providing the same experience as a full-time IT Director but on a flexible or part-time basis, the Virtual IT Direct (vITD) is ideal for businesses that:
- Don’t have the budget for a full-time IT Director
- Are too small to need a full-time IT Director or
- Need temporary IT leadership for a specific project
And What does a Virtual IT Director do?
When it comes to steering the business IT support of your organisation, a Virtual IT Director will take on many of the tasks of a traditional IT Director, including:
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Developing and overseeing IT strategy
Your Virtual IT Director will work with you to fully understand your commercial goals and devise an IT plan that supports those goals and fulfils your business objectives. From a thorough IT landscape assessment to identifying gaps and opportunities, to prioritisation and planning – you’ll have a customised IT strategy that’s perfectly suited to your organisational requirements.
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Managing IT infrastructure
This critical responsibility starts with planning and design, understanding and defining your requirements, and mapping the network architecture. Beyond that, deployment and maintenance are key, as are handling those all-important security policies, procedures, compliance, and even user management.
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Budgeting and procurement
Our Virtual IT Director service will help you develop an IT budget and make insightful decisions about your budget allocation, technology purchases, and ongoing cost optimisation such as hardware, software, and IT maintenance plus your upgrade paths.
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Vendor management
The vITD can help you select vendors for hardware, software, and IT services, managing and maintaining the relationships with your IT vendors and ensuring that your organisation is getting the best value for your money.
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Project management
They can oversee any IT projects at your company, defining project goals, objectives, and scope, conducting project planning and execution, and
ensuring that your IT projects are completed on time and within budget.
The Benefits of using a Virtual IT Director
There are several benefits to using a vITD, including:
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Cost-efficiency
The immediate advantage of having a flexible part-time CTO/CIO is that you don’t have the same financial outlay as with a permanent, full-time Director. With a focus on maximising ROI on your organisation’s IT budget, they’re commited to keeping your IT costs down too.
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Access to expertise
Virtual IT Directors typically have many years of extensive experience across a wide range of IT disciplines. Hiring a single, hugely experienced IT professional avoids the cost of having to hire multiple specialists for speciifc tasks. Additionally, they can provide valuable insights into the latest IT trends.
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Strategic guidance
As mentioned previously, with many years of IT experience they can help you align your organisation’s IT strategy with your overall business goals. They’ll know all the pitfalls and opportunities, so your company can be guided through what might be a “bit of a minefield” for firms that lack the same strategic guidance.
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Improved IT performance
A vITD can help you identify and address IT inefficiencies, providing your organisation with a clear strategic plan, a proactive approach, and optimising your firm so that you adopt standardisation, follow best practice, and manage risk. This covers everything from issue mitigation, to improved incident response, and even user experience so that you can scale and grow your business.
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Flexibility
Of course, by not having a full-time technology officer, you can scale your Virtual IT Director’s services up or down as your organisation’s needs change. Whether you need them to spearhead a critical IT project or focus on a specific requirement such as a cloud migration, you have a valuable yet flexible IT resource at your disposal.
Having a Virtual IT Director can be a valuable asset for businesses of all sizes, from micro businesses to small- and medium-sized firms. They can provide the IT leadership and expertise you need to help your business grow and succeed.
If that’s exactly what you’re looking for then speak with PurpleJelly IT about how we can provide your company with virtual assistance. Call us on 01252 856 230 or complete the contact form.