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D.3 · Retainer

IT Governance Advisor

Ongoing IT governance after carve-out, M&A, and IT transformation – ensuring your investment pays off and the transition to steady-state operations succeeds. 2–3 days per month, one dedicated point of contact.

From EUR 3,500/month · 2–3 days/month

The critical phase begins after Day-1

The carve-out is complete, the program team is being dissolved – but the new IT landscape must be stabilized and transitioned into steady-state operations. Common challenges:

TSA deadlines approaching

Transitional Service Agreements have hard end dates – failure to migrate on time risks operational disruptions or costly extensions.

Governance vacuum

The project organization is dissolved, but the line organization is not yet ready to independently manage the new IT landscape.

Architecture erosion

Without ongoing oversight, implementations drift from the target architecture – technical debt accumulates gradually.

Knowledge transfer stalls

Critical know-how from the carve-out program risks being lost before it is embedded in the operations organization.

Missing vendor management

New service providers and contracts require active management – but the organization lacks the experience.

Open risks

Outstanding migration packages, technical debt, and change requests require continuous management – without clear ownership, they remain unresolved.

Scope of services

As your IT Governance Advisor, I support the stabilization and handover phase with a fixed monthly allocation – as a reliable sparring partner for IT management and executive leadership.

Governance & steering

IT board participation, governance reporting, escalation management, and decision preparation for the steering committee.

TSA management

Monitor Transitional Service Agreements, track deadlines, manage exit planning, and identify extension risks.

Architecture governance

Monitor target architecture compliance, manage deviations, maintain standards and guidelines.

Operational handover monitoring

Track knowledge transfer progress, verify SLA compliance, provide incident support during the transition period.

Vendor & partner management

Service provider coordination, contract management, performance reviews of new providers.

Risk & change management

Maintain risk register, assess change requests, track outstanding migration packages.

Monthly reporting

Governance status report with KPI dashboard, traffic light assessment, and management presentation.

Typical monthly rhythm

Week Activity
Week 1 Status meeting with IT management, KPI review, prioritize open topics
Week 2 TSA status check, vendor reviews, architecture alignment
Week 3 Update risk register, assess change requests
Week 4 Prepare governance status report, prepare management update

Service levels

Basic
EUR 3,500/month
2 days/month
  • All advisory services within allocation
  • Monthly status meeting (60 min)
  • Compact monthly governance report
  • Quarterly architecture & TSA reviews
  • Response within 24h (business days)
Recommended
Intensive
EUR 5,000/month
3 days/month
  • Everything in Basic, plus:
  • Extended allocation for TSA exit & vendor management
  • Monthly on-site presence (recommended)
  • Quarterly management presentation
  • Annual governance review workshop

Additional days as needed: EUR 1,600/day · Minimum term: 6 months · All prices excl. VAT

Governance Advisor vs. in-house hire vs. large consultancy

Aspect Governance Advisor In-house hire Large consultancy
Annual cost EUR 42–60K EUR 120K+ (FTE) EUR 200+/h
Availability Immediately available Months for recruiting Weeks for staffing
Carve-out knowledge End-to-end continuity Months of onboarding New consultants without context
Flexibility Scalable, cancelable Fixed costs, employment protection High minimum volumes
Independence Vendor-independent Company focus Often vendor-tied

Why Nexus

End-to-end carve-out continuity

From readiness check through the program to ongoing governance – one advisor who knows your IT landscape in detail.

13+ years of experience

IT architecture, governance, and transformation in complex enterprise environments – critical infrastructure, financial services, IT service providers.

Certified expertise

AWS Architect, Microsoft Architect, TOGAF, PRINCE2. Vendor-independent, no product sales.

Founder model

Simon Schilling works personally as your advisor – no consultant roulette, consistent quality.

Onboarding: The first 4 weeks

1

Week 1 – Kickoff & handover

Handover from the carve-out program, capture open items, assess current risk posture.

2

Week 2 – TSA review

Inventory all active TSAs, verify deadlines, assess exit readiness.

3

Week 3 – Architecture & operations review

Assess target architecture status, knowledge transfer progress, and SLA baseline.

4

Week 4 – First governance report

First governance status report and governance roadmap for the next 6 months.

Complementary services

For security leadership needs, consider combining with the Virtual CISO (B.4). For new transactions, the Carve-Out Readiness Check (D.1) and IT Carve-Out Program (D.2) are available.

Simon Schilling, IT Governance Advisor

Founder model: no consultant roulette

Simon Schilling works personally as your IT Governance Advisor. 13+ years of IT experience in architecture, governance, and transformation. Certified: AWS Architect, Azure Architect, TOGAF, PRINCE2. Vendor-independent, no product sales.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to have completed a carve-out program with Nexus first?
No. The Governance Advisor can be engaged independently – e.g., if your previous consultant has left the project or you need a neutral authority for the stabilization phase. However, end-to-end continuity from carve-out to governance is the ideal scenario.
How does the IT Governance Advisor differ from the Virtual CISO?
The Governance Advisor focuses on post-carve-out topics: TSA management, architecture governance, operational handover, and vendor management. The Virtual CISO (B.4) covers information security: risk management, compliance monitoring, incident response. Both retainers complement each other and can be combined as a package.
What happens if I need more than the agreed allocation?
Additional days can be flexibly requested at a day rate of EUR 1,600 – via email confirmation. This is particularly useful for TSA exit projects or vendor evaluations.
How long does the retainer typically run?
The minimum term is 6 months, after which the contract can be terminated monthly. In practice, we accompany clients for 12–18 months until the line organization can manage governance independently.
Do you work remotely or on-site?
Remote-first: Most work is done via Microsoft Teams and email. On-site meetings by arrangement – for the Intensive package we recommend monthly presence, for the Basic package quarterly.

Secure IT governance after your carve-out?

Let's discuss your governance needs and define the right service level in an introductory call – confidential and no strings attached.

Schedule a Call

30 min · Video call · No obligation