You've decided you need technical leadership. But what exactly do you need?
CTO? Tech Lead? VP Engineering?
The titles are confusing, the responsibilities overlap, and the wrong hire can set your startup back months.
This guide breaks down each role, when to hire them, and how to structure your technical leadership for success.
The Three Technical Leadership Roles
CTO (Chief Technology Officer)
The CTO is the executive-level technical leader. They're responsible for:
- Technology strategy: Where should the product go technically?
- Technical vision: What technologies should we invest in?
- Engineering culture: How does the team work together?
- Technical hiring: What technical talent do we need?
- Board-level communication: Translating technical matters for stakeholders
Not typically doing:
- Writing code daily
- Code reviews
- Individual contributor work
- Sprint-by-squad management
Tech Lead
The Tech Lead is the technical manager of a specific team. They're responsible for:
- Technical direction: What does this team build and how?
- Code quality: Ensuring the team's code meets standards
- Architecture decisions: Making technical choices for the team
- Mentorship: Helping developers grow
- Delivery: Ensuring the team ships on time
Not typically doing:
- Company-wide strategy
- Hiring across teams
- Budget management
- Executive reporting
VP Engineering
The VP Engineering sits between CTO and Tech Lead. They're responsible for:
- Engineering organization: Multiple teams working together
- Processes: How engineering work gets done
- Scalability: Engineering practices that scale
- Hiring at scale: Building the engineering team
- Cross-team coordination: Breaking down silos
Not typically doing:
- Code daily
- Product strategy
- External technical relationships
- Individual team code reviews
Role Comparison Table
Responsibility | CTO | VP Engineering | Tech Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
Company-wide tech strategy | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
Multiple team management | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ |
Single team management | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Technical vision | ✅ Strategic | Partial | Team-level |
| Code review | Rarely | Rarely | ✅ |
Hiring (company-wide) | ✅ | ✅ | Team-level |
Board communication | ✅ | Sometimes | ❌ |
| Hands-on coding | Rarely | Sometimes | ✅ |
When to Hire Each Role
Stage 1: Pre-Product-Market Fit (1-5 Engineers)
Who you need: Senior IC (Individual Contributor) or Tech Lead
Signs you need help:
- Technical debt piling up
- No clear architecture
- Fear of making big technical decisions
- Development slowing down
What to hire:
- A senior developer who can code and lead
- Someone who can make decisions without constant input
- Person comfortable with ambiguity
Not yet: Don't hire a CTO or VP Engineering. You don't need executive-level leadership yet.
Stage 2: Finding Product-Market Fit (5-15 Engineers)
Who you need: Tech Lead or Engineering Manager
Signs you need help:
- Multiple projects happening at once
- Code quality suffering
- Communication breaking down
- Need to hire more engineers
What to hire:
- Tech Lead for your first team
- Someone who can manage 3-5 developers
- Person who can scale engineering practices
Consider: Part-time CTO or technical advisor for strategy
Stage 3: Early Growth (15-50 Engineers)
Who you need: VP Engineering or CTO + Tech Leads
Signs you need help:
- Multiple teams forming
- Process breaking down
- Hiring velocity too slow
- Technical inconsistency across teams
What to hire:
- VP Engineering to manage multiple teams
- CTO if you don't have one
- Individual Tech Leads for each team
Stage 4: Scaling (50+ Engineers)
Who you need: CTO + VP Engineering + Tech Leads
Signs you need help:
- Engineering org needs structure
- Multiple product lines
- Complex technical challenges
- Need to attract senior talent
What to hire:
- CTO for company-wide strategy
- VP Engineering for org management
- Tech Leads for each team
CTO Hiring Guide
What to Look For
Must-haves:
- 10+ years of engineering experience
- 3+ years in leadership role
- Startup experience (ideally Series A-B)
- Strong communication skills
- Ability to translate business to technical and vice versa
Nice-to-haves:
- Fundraising experience
- Exit experience
- Domain expertise in your industry
- Open source contributions
- Strong network in engineering
Interview Questions
- "Tell me about a time you made a technical decision that turned out wrong. What did you learn?"
- "How do you balance speed vs. quality in a startup?"
- "Describe your approach to hiring engineers."
- "How do you communicate technical topics to non-technical stakeholders?"
- "What's your philosophy on technical debt?"
Compensation
| Stage | Salary | Equity | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | $180,000-$250,000 | 0.5-2.0% | 10-20% |
| Series B | $220,000-$300,000 | 0.25-1.0% | 15-25% |
Questions to Ask Yourself
- Do I need someone to raise our technical credibility with investors?
- Do I need help with technology strategy?
- Am I spending too much time on technical decisions?
- Do I need to attract senior engineering talent?
If yes to 2+, consider a CTO.
VP Engineering Hiring Guide
What to Look For
Must-haves:
- 8+ years of engineering experience
- 3+ years managing 5+ engineers
- Experience scaling engineering teams
- Strong process and methodology knowledge
- People management skills
Nice-to-haves:
- Experience at a scaling startup
- Strong engineering background (not just management)
- Experience with remote/distributed teams
- Strong technical network
Compensation
| Stage | Salary | Equity | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | $160,000-$220,000 | 0.3-1.0% | 10-15% |
| Series B | $200,000-$280,000 | 0.2-0.5% | 15-20% |
Tech Lead Hiring Guide
What to Look For
Must-haves:
- 5+ years of engineering experience
- 2+ years in technical leadership role
- Strong coding skills (can still contribute)
- Architecture experience
- Mentorship skills
Compensation
| Stage | Salary | Equity | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | $140,000-$180,000 | 0.1-0.5% | 5-10% |
| Series B | $170,000-$220,000 | 0.05-0.25% | 10-15% |
Alternative: Fractional Technical Leadership
Not ready to hire full-time? Consider fractional leadership:
Fractional CTO
- Works 1-3 days/week
- Provides strategic guidance
- Helps with hiring and architecture
- Best for: Pre-PMF startups needing strategy
Technical Advisor
- Works on specific projects
- Provides expertise on demand
- Helps with specific challenges
- Best for: Specific technical problems
Retained Consultant
- Ongoing relationship
- Available for questions and guidance
- Helps with decisions
- Best for: Founders who need trusted advisor
Cost:
| Option | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional CTO | $3,000-$10,000/month | Pre-PMF strategy |
| Technical Advisor | $500-$2,000/project | Specific challenges |
Retained Consultant | $2,000-$5,000/month | Trusted advisor |
Common Hiring Mistakes
Mistake #1: Hiring Too Senior
Problem: Hiring a former Netflix VP for a 5-person startup
Why it fails: Their skills don't match your needs. They're used to scale, not scrappiness.
Solution: Hire for your stage. A senior IC or first-time Tech Lead often works better.
Mistake #2: Hiring Too Junior
Problem: Promoting a 2-year engineer to Tech Lead
Why it fails: They lack the experience to make good decisions or mentor others.
Solution: Ensure 5+ years of experience and demonstrated leadership ability.
Mistake #3: Hiring the Wrong Type
Problem: Hiring a hands-on CTO who wants to code instead of strategize
Why it fails: You need strategy, not code reviews.
Solution: Be clear about expectations. Test for the skills you need.
Org Structure by Stage
| Scale | Structure |
|---|---|
| 1-5 Engineers | Founder → Senior Developer/Tech Lead → 2-4 ICs |
| 5-15 Engineers | Founder → Tech Lead (Team 1) → 3-5 ICs → Tech Lead (Team 2) → 3-5 ICs |
| 15-50 Engineers | CTO → VP Engineering → 3 Tech Leads → 3-5 ICs each |
| 50+ Engineers | CTO → 2 VPs Engineering → Directors → Tech Leads → ICs |
Quick Decision Guide
Your Situation | Recommended Role |
|---|---|
Pre-PMF, 1-5 engineers | Senior IC / Part-time CTO |
Finding PMF, 5-15 engineers | Tech Lead |
Early growth, 15-50 engineers | VP Engineering |
Scaling, 50+ engineers | CTO + VP Engineering |
Need strategy, not management | Fractional CTO |
Specific technical challenge | Technical Advisor |
The Bottom Line
Hire based on your stage, not your aspirations.
- Pre-PMF: Senior IC or fractional CTO
- Finding PMF: Tech Lead
- Early growth: VP Engineering
- Scaling: CTO + VP Engineering
The right hire at the wrong time is still the wrong hire. Wait until you need the role, then move quickly.
At Startupbricks, we've helped dozens of startups structure their technical leadership. We can help you identify what you need, find the right candidates, and avoid costly hiring mistakes.