Fractional IT Leadership for Growing Companies

Ryan
Machay

IT Leadership that Moves the Business Forward

As companies grow, IT complexity grows with them. New systems, acquisitions, expanding teams, and rising security expectations often call for a more strategic approach to IT.

I work alongside executives and founders to bring structure, strategy, and leadership to that complexity — however it shows up.

Ideal for PE-backed and founder-led companies between 100 and 1,000 employees navigating growth, M&A, or IT transformation.

$4M+
Annualized Cost Savings Delivered
80%
Reduction in IT Provisioning Time
6+
M&A Integrations Led
6K+
Global Users Supported

IT leadership
built for scale.

My background spans identity infrastructure, enterprise security, system automation, and cross-functional leadership — across organizations that grew from startup to 6,000+ users globally. At Kin + Carta, I built and standardized the global IT function across four continents and reduced provisioning time by 80%. At Valtech, I led post-acquisition IT operations at enterprise scale and delivered $4M+ in annualized cost savings through application portfolio rationalization.

I work best with executives who are ready to transform IT from a back-office function into a strategic partner to the business. Based in Downers Grove, IL — available for Director/VP engagements and fractional IT leader retainers, both remote and hybrid.

M&A Integration

End-to-end IT due diligence, system consolidation, and post-merger alignment across 6+ acquisitions.

Identity & Access

Active Directory, Entra ID, SSO architecture, and JML automation at enterprise scale.

Security & Compliance

HITRUST certification delivery, enterprise security frameworks, and risk program ownership.

IT Strategy

OKR/KPI-driven IT planning, executive roadmaps, and technology portfolio rationalization.

Team Leadership

Built and scaled IT orgs of 10+ engineers; global operations across North America, South America, the UK, and Southeast Europe.

Automation & Ops

80% faster provisioning through workflow automation; $4M+ SaaS portfolio management and optimization.

Previous Organizations

Valtech Kin + Carta Solstice

What I deliver.

Whether embedded as your full-time IT leader or engaged fractionally, I bring enterprise rigor to every engagement — with outcomes you can measure.

01

IT & Security Health Assessment

A structured diagnostic of your IT infrastructure, security posture, systems architecture, and team operations — delivered as an executive-ready report with prioritized remediation roadmap.

Infrastructure AuditSecurity Gap AnalysisExec Readout90-Day Roadmap
02

System Selection & Implementation

Vendor evaluation, RFP management, and implementation oversight for enterprise platforms — ITSM, MDM, SSO, and beyond. I own the process so your team doesn't have to.

Vendor EvaluationRFP ManagementImplementation OPSChange ManagementWorkforce Enablement
03

M&A IT Advisory

Pre-close due diligence through post-merger integration. I've led 6+ M&A IT integrations — from 50-person bolt-ons to 2,000-person complex mergers — and I bring a proven playbook to every deal.

Due DiligenceIntegration PlanningDay 1 ReadinessPost-Merger Ops
04

Fractional IT Leadership

Ongoing strategic IT leadership for companies that need executive-level direction without a full-time hire. Monthly retainer engagements covering roadmap ownership, team coaching, vendor management, financial management of the IT portfolio, and executive-ready reporting — so you get a full IT leader without the full-time overhead.

IT StrategyTeam LeadershipVendor ManagementAI & Automation ReadinessBudget OwnershipSaaS RationalizationVendor Cost OptimizationIT Spend Reporting

Results that speak.

$4M+
Annualized Cost Savings via Application Portfolio Consolidation & Rationalization
80%
Reduction in IT Provisioning Time Through Workflow Automation
6+
M&A Integrations Led, 50-2,000 Employee Scale
6K+
Global Users Supported Across Enterprise Operations

A decade of
building what scales.

From hands-on technical buildout to global IT strategy at 6,000+ user scale — a career spent creating infrastructure, teams, and operating models that grow with the business.

2024-2025Valtech · 6,000+ employees

Global IT Director

Global digital transformation consultancy delivering experience, commerce, and technology solutions.

Owned global IT strategy and operations at enterprise scale post-acquisition. Led a 6-person IT engineering team maintaining security, scalability, and operational excellence across Active Directory, Entra ID, and Microsoft 365.

Delivered $4M+ in annualized cost savings through post-acquisition application portfolio rationalization.
Primary IT stakeholder for M&A initiatives — led integration strategy across business processes, technology platforms, and security/compliance.
Drove IT strategic planning using OKR and KPI frameworks, establishing measurable accountability across annual and quarterly goals.
2020-2024Kin + Carta · 1,500+ employees

Global Head of IT Transformation

Digital transformation consultancy specializing in data, technology, and connected experiences.

Owned global IT strategy, operations, and transformation across North America, LATAM, the UK, and Southeast Europe. Led 10 direct reports and managed a $4M+ annual SaaS portfolio through aggressive growth and five acquisitions. Drove the standardization and globalization of IT operating processes — designing, documenting, and automating core workflows to create a consistent, scalable foundation across all regions.

Reduced IT provisioning time by 80% through automated global onboarding and JML processes.
Directed HITRUST certification end-to-end for a 1,200-person organization — on schedule and within budget.
Led multiple M&A IT integrations (50-2,000 employees) from due diligence through Day 1 cutover and post-merger stabilization.
2015-2020Solstice · 600+ employees

Head of IT

Digital innovation studio building mobile, cloud, and emerging technology products.

Built the IT function from the ground up — from first hire to a fully operational team, processes, and technology foundation — through a period of rapid headcount growth from startup to mid-market.

Selected and implemented the company's first core IT stack across ITSM, MDM, endpoint security, antivirus, and office networking.
Architected core identity and access management infrastructure (Active Directory, SSO) that scaled with the organization.
Created the first iteration of IT processes and policies, establishing the operating model that supported 3x headcount growth.
Built IT support operations and escalation frameworks that maintained SLA adherence through sustained organizational growth.

IT leadership.
On your terms.

At some point, your IT environment stops being a background function and starts being a business risk. Systems break under growth. Acquisitions create chaos. Security gaps become liabilities. Hiring a full-time IT leader is a six-figure commitment you may not be ready for. That's where I come in.

01

No full-time overhead. Access Director-to-VP-level IT leadership at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire.

02

Immediate traction. Proven engagement frameworks — no ramp time, no learning curve. Day 1 readiness across assessment, strategy, and execution.

03

M&A ready. If your PE sponsor is actively looking at add-ons, I've run the IT integration playbook. I can be your IT lead from LOI through post-merger stability.

04

Right-sized engagement. Advisory to full coverage — match the commitment to what your business actually needs today.

Discuss Your Needs
Tier 01

Strategic Advisor

$2,000-3,000/mo · 10-15 hrs/month

For companies that need a senior IT voice in the room without day-to-day involvement. Quarterly IT planning, vendor strategy, executive guidance, and on-demand advisory access.

Tier 03

Fractional IT Leader

$8,000-12,000/mo · 40-60 hrs/month

For companies that need full IT leadership coverage without the full-time headcount. Complete ownership of strategy, operations, team management, and executive reporting.

Ready to talk?

I work with a small number of companies at a time — enough to stay close to the work and actually move the needle. If your IT environment is at an inflection point, I'd like to hear about it. If it's not the right fit, I'll tell you that too.