Craig Harley

Services

How I can help

Senior-level delivery for teams that need reliable software, pragmatic architecture, and clear execution.

💻

Lead Full-Stack Development

  • React, Next.js, Node.js, and TypeScript delivery from architecture to production
  • GraphQL APIs (Apollo) and API gateway patterns for decoupled client development
  • Monorepo and component library design for scalable frontend teams
  • Clean architecture, SOLID principles, and pragmatic design patterns
🧭

Fractional CTO

  • Part-time senior technical leadership without full-time executive overhead
  • Roadmap alignment across product, delivery, and engineering constraints
  • Architecture decisions, hiring support, and technical due diligence
  • Team coaching, quality standards, and healthier delivery cadence
🚀

Startup Incubator Support

  • MVP scoping and delivery planning for startup teams and founders
  • Fast iteration loops while keeping architecture maintainable
  • Early infrastructure and DevOps setup that can scale with traction
  • Hands-on support from prototype to production launch
🏗️

Architecture Reviews & Scaling

  • System audits with actionable recommendations you can implement immediately
  • Performance and reliability improvements for systems handling high-volume traffic
  • Migration planning for legacy platforms and incremental modernisation
  • Security-aware design, including OWASP-informed practices
☁️

AWS, Terraform & DevOps

  • AWS delivery across Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB, CloudWatch, Cognito, and Route53
  • Infrastructure as code with Terraform for repeatable environments
  • CI/CD optimisation with GitHub Actions and deployment quality gates
  • Cost, observability, and uptime improvements across production services
⚡

Testing, Performance & Mentoring

  • Testing strategy with Jest/Cypress and reliable release confidence
  • Performance optimisation across frontend builds, APIs, and database queries
  • MySQL/Redis tuning for high-volume data workloads
  • Team mentorship, onboarding, and engineering culture leadership

FAQ

Common questions

Do you offer fractional CTO support?

Yes. I provide part-time CTO-level support for architecture, roadmap alignment, hiring, and delivery quality.

Do you work with startup incubators or early-stage founders?

Yes. I help incubator-backed teams and founders scope MVPs, ship quickly, and set up maintainable technical foundations.

How much do you cost?

Pricing depends on scope, timeline, and engagement model. After a short discovery call, I provide a clear proposal with either a fixed project price or a day-rate/retainer option.

What stage companies do you work with?

Early-stage startups through scaling product teams.

Do you work hands-on in code or only at strategy level?

Both — I can lead architecture and still ship production code.

What engagement models do you offer?

Fractional CTO, project-based delivery, and short focused audits.

Can you work with an existing team?

Yes — I slot into current teams and improve delivery quality and cadence.

What does onboarding look like?

Quick discovery, architecture review, prioritized roadmap, then execution.

Do you offer fixed-price projects?

For clearly scoped work, yes; otherwise phased delivery is usually safer and faster.

Core stack

Tech specialisations

TypeScript / Node.js

Full-stack development with type safety

AWS

Lambda, API Gateway, S3, DynamoDB, SES, and more

Terraform

Infrastructure as code for repeatable deployments

SQL

PostgreSQL, MySQL — relational data done right

Document Databases

MongoDB, DynamoDB for flexible data models