Virtual CIO services, leadership without the full time hire
A virtual CIO is a senior technology adviser who owns your IT roadmap, budget, vendor contracts and risk reporting to the board, without adding a chief information officer to the payroll.
Your price in two minutes, no email needed. Or call 1300 787 429.
★★★★★ 4.9 on Google from 60+ reviews
- 4Roadmap reviews a year on Austin Partner
- 15Years advising and supporting businesses
- 300+Client organisations supported by our team
- ISO27001 and 9001 certified, audited externally
Trusted by 300+ organisations, including
When IT runs without anyone steering it
Most businesses with 10 to 500 staff have someone fixing IT but nobody planning it. These are the signs we see most.
IT spend keeps surprising you
Licence renewals, failed laptops and a server that needs replacing all land without warning. Finance finds out when the invoice arrives.
FixA rolling IT budget that lists every renewal, replacement and project for the next year, kept current with you.
Projects are chosen by whoever asks loudest
A new system for one team, a phone upgrade for another and a security fix that keeps slipping. Nothing is ranked against business goals.
FixA technology roadmap agreed with leadership, with each project ranked by business value, risk and cost.
The board or insurer asks questions nobody can answer
Cyber insurance forms, client security questionnaires and directors asking whether the business is protected. The answers sit in several heads or nowhere.
FixA risk register and a short board report, with security measured against the Essential Eight.
Your IT person is buried in tickets
A capable internal IT manager spends the week on users and systems, so planning and board papers never get their attention.
FixA vCIO who takes on planning and reporting alongside them, with a wider team behind both of you.
Tell us how IT runs today. A technical consultant will scope it with you and send a fixed quote.
Six responsibilities, one adviser who owns them
Your vCIO sets the direction and keeps it on track. Our engineers, your IT team or both do the hands on work.
Roadmap and priorities
A costed plan for the next one to three years, tied to your business plan and updated as it changes.
IT budget and renewals
A rolling budget covering licences, hardware lifecycles, contracts and projects, so spending is planned rather than reactive.
Security and compliance governance
Risk tracked against the Essential Eight, SMB1001 or ISO 27001, with the evidence insurers and clients ask for.
Vendors, contracts and licensing
We manage vendor relationships and renewals. Microsoft licensing stays matched to the people who use it.
Project oversight
Every roadmap project gets a scope, budget and sponsor. Your vCIO checks it delivers what was promised.
Board and leadership reporting
Summaries that link IT to uptime, productivity and risk, with a quarterly review and scheduled onsite visits on Austin Partner.
Included in Austin Partner
From first conversation to a roadmap you own
The first months build the plan. After that, regular reviews keep it honest.
- 01
First consult
We talk through your plans, current spend and the decisions coming up, then recommend Austin Partner or quote a standalone retainer.
- 02
Discovery
We review your systems, security, contracts, licences and spend. Leadership tells us where the business is heading.
- 03
Roadmap and budget
You receive a costed roadmap, a rolling budget and a risk register, agreed with leadership before anything is committed.
- 04On Austin Partner
Review every quarter
We check progress and update the budget and risks, then take a board ready summary to a review with your leadership team.
A vCIO, a CIO or an IT manager
These roles do different jobs. Many businesses need an IT manager for daily operations and a vCIO for direction.
| Compare | Virtual CIOAustin Technology | Full time CIOEmployed | IT managerEmployed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main job | Strategy, budget, risk and vendors | Strategy and leadership of an internal IT team | Running users, systems and suppliers day to day |
| Base salary | No salary. Included in Austin Partner, or a standalone retainer quoted after a first consult | $256,150 to $343,350 | $147,150 to $185,300 |
| Time with you | Quarterly reviews, plus advice when decisions come up | Full time | Full time, mostly operational |
| Expertise behind them | Our engineers across security, cloud, networks and Microsoft 365 | Their own team and budget | Often one person or a small team |
| If they leave | The roadmap and documentation stay with you and the service continues | A recruitment process and lost knowledge | A recruitment process and lost knowledge |
Swipe the table sideways to see every column.
Salary ranges are the 25th to 75th percentile for Perth in the Robert Half Salary Guide 2026. They are gross base salaries and exclude bonuses, benefits and super, which the ATO lists at 12% for the 2026 to 2027 financial year.
When a vCIO is the right call
A vCIO is an ongoing service. For one answer or one project, start elsewhere.
A strong fit
- A business of 10 to 500 staff with no technology executive
- An internal IT manager who needs a senior sounding board
- Growth, new sites or an acquisition in the next two years
- A board, insurer or client asking for regular risk reporting
Probably another option, and we will say so
- One roadmap or one decision, with no need for ongoing advice: IT consulting
- A single project with a clear scope: IT project services
- Security leadership only: a virtual CISO
A top 50 MSP in Australia, three years running
Rated by our clients on Cloudtango, and audited every year on security, quality and cyber controls.
Top 50MSPs in Australia
- 2024
- 2025
- 2026
Ranked on client satisfaction and service depth.
Read our 25 client reviews on Cloudtango
ISO 27001
Information securityHow we handle your data, passwords and access, audited every year.
How we protect your data
ISO 9001
Quality managementDocumented processes, so every engineer works to the same standard.
How we work
SMB1001 Gold
Cyber security, Level 3The 27 control cyber standard we take clients through, held ourselves.
Check our certificate- Industry body
Motor Trade Association of WA
Managed since 2013, through a full rebuild and several office moves.
- Engineering
Koch Solutions
Infrastructure at NextDC P2 with metro Ethernet and dark fibre linking Perth and Port Hedland, run alongside their own IT team in Germany.
- Water
PPS Water Group
Grew from 35 to more than 200 users on a cloud first move to Entra ID, Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive.
- Client stories
All client stories
Sixteen stories with the numbers.
Virtual CIO questions
What owners and IT managers ask before they start. Anything else, call 1300 787 429.
Related services and reading
What does a virtual CIO do for a business our size?
A vCIO owns the technology plan: the roadmap, the IT budget, vendor contracts, security risk and reporting to leadership. They meet your leadership team every quarter and make sure the agreed work is delivered, whether by our engineers or your own IT team.
How much does a vCIO cost compared with hiring a CIO?
The vCIO service is included in Austin Partner, and a standalone retainer is quoted after a first consult. For comparison, the Robert Half Salary Guide 2026 puts a Perth CIO's base salary at $256,150 to $343,350, before super, recruitment and leave.
We already have an IT manager. Where does a vCIO fit?
Alongside them. Your IT manager keeps running users and systems. The vCIO adds planning, budgeting, vendor negotiation and board reporting, with a wider team to back their recommendations. We work this way with Koch Solutions, whose own IT team is based in Germany.
Can we have a vCIO without moving our IT support to Austin?
Yes. A standalone retainer is quoted after a first consult and works with your internal team or current provider. Austin Partner combines the vCIO with fully managed IT, so the same team plans, delivers and supports the work.
How long before we have a roadmap, and how much of our time does it take?
The first roadmap follows discovery, and we agree the timing in the first consult. Leadership time is a workshop at the start, then one review meeting each quarter. Staff are not disrupted: discovery uses short conversations with key people and a review of systems and contracts.
What our clients say
1,800+ reviews from the people who call our Perth service desk every day.
1,800+
25
60+
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“Turns every IT problem into a non-issue”
Arthur turns every IT problem into a non-issue and does it with real patience and professionalism. He explains things in a way that makes the process easy and always leaves us feeling supported. We appreciate the way he handles every request.
Bronte J.Indian Ocean Hotel
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“Patient, capable and a genuine listener”
The support was outstanding. Patient, capable and a genuine listener, which is rare in support calls. He took the time to understand the issue and work through it with care. You are fortunate to have him on your team and the level of service was impressive.
Peter MidgleyPowertech
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“Steady, thoughtful and stress free”
Jamie put in a great deal of effort to resolve the problem and it showed in the result. His approach was steady and thoughtful and the support was appreciated. It made the whole experience smooth and stress free.
Jason CavallaroCallidus Process Solutions
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“Resolved the issue within minutes”
The consultant knew exactly what to do and resolved the issue within minutes. He talked through each step so I understood what was happening and made the process simple. The clear communication and fast resolution made a real difference.
Kirk LentonPilbara Construction
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“The extra guidance made it more valuable”
Brady tracked down an email I could not locate and took the time to show us how to search more effectively in the future. The extra guidance was helpful and made the experience more valuable. His support was straightforward and appreciated.
Tony YoungOptimus Real Estate
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“Resolved quickly, with none of my work lost”
They resolved my issue quickly and efficiently, which meant I didn’t lose any of the work I had done today. The support was clear and straightforward, and the outcome made a real difference to my day. Thank you.
Warner PriestInterContinental Energy
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“Calm, patient and always willing to help”
Dev Sandhu is outstanding in his knowledge and support. He has a calm and patient way of working through any IT issue and is always willing to help at short notice. His positive attitude makes the whole experience easier and more reassuring. Thank you to Dev and the team at Austin for the consistent support.
Peter AlexanderKoch Solutions
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“Refreshing after two unreliable IT providers”
After dealing with two unreliable IT providers in recent years, it has been refreshing to place my trust in Greg and the team at Austin. They have been professional and highly competent, even under pressure. Their support has made a real difference. Thank you, and keep it up.
Mark HutchisonLifewood
Put someone senior
in charge of your IT plan.
Tell us about your plans, spend and risks. A technical consultant will scope it with you, then recommend Austin Partner or quote a standalone retainer.
- A reply within two business hoursA technical consultant reads every enquiry and comes back to you.
- Proven in 90No onboarding fee, 14 days to fix anything you raise and nothing owing if you leave in the first 90 days. How it works
Or call 1300 787 429 or email sales@austintechnology.com.au