What is a fractional executive?
Guide
What is a fractional executive? A senior leader who works for a company part of the week, on work agreed up front, usually alongside other companies. Here is how it differs from the terms it gets mixed up with.
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What is a fractional executive: the short answer
A fractional executive takes a leadership role, such as CTO, CFO or CMO, for part of the working week. They own the results in that area the way a full-time executive would. They are not on the payroll full time, and they usually hold similar roles at other companies.
The same idea works beyond the top table. A fractional machine learning engineer is a senior specialist who builds for you part of the week instead of joining full time.
Companies can hire fractional executives through us. Send your requirement and we send you people who fit.
Fractional vs part-time executive
People often use the two terms to mean the same thing. When they separate them, a part-time executive is usually an employee on reduced hours. A fractional executive is an independent leader hired for a result, who works with more than one company.
In practice, what matters is the work you agree and how the arrangement is set up, not the label.
Fractional vs interim executive
An interim executive usually works full time for a fixed period. Companies bring one in to cover a sudden gap, run a change programme or hold a role while they look for a permanent hire.
A fractional executive works part of the week and often stays longer, because the company needs the experience but not a full-time seat. The interim executive page covers interim hiring in detail.
Portfolio executive
A portfolio executive holds several fractional or non-executive roles at the same time. The term is common in finance. In the UK, portfolio finance director means an experienced FD who works with several businesses.
Outsourced CxO and virtual CxO
Outsourced CxO is the term accounting and advisory firms use when they sell executive leadership as a service. The leader often works through the firm rather than directly with you.
Virtual CxO, as in virtual CFO, virtual CTO or vCISO, means the same arrangement with a focus on remote work. In security, vCISO is the more common label. In finance, virtual CFO is widely used.
CTO as a service and CFO as a service
These phrases describe fractional leadership sold as an ongoing service, usually by a firm that provides the person. The work is much like a fractional role. The difference is who you contract with.
You will also see timeshare executive now and then, mostly as a translation of the French temps partagé, meaning shared time. It means the same as fractional.
Tell us the role and the hours. We send you a shortlist of people who fit.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
When fractional fits, and when it does not
Fractional tends to fit when
- You need senior judgement, but not every day of the week
- You are early and cannot justify a full-time executive yet
- You need a specialist skill, such as AI, for a set piece of work
- You want to test a function before you build it out
Look elsewhere when
- The role needs a leader in the room every day
- You need cover for a sudden gap, which is interim work
- The work is a fixed deliverable with no ongoing ownership, which suits a consultant
Tell us what you need.
Send your requirement. We send you a shortlist of senior leaders who fit. One agreement and one invoice, with the terms agreed in writing before anything starts.
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
Send your requirement
- No deposit to get started
- Every requirement read by us
- A best-fit shortlist, not a pile of CVs
- One agreement, one invoice
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FAQ
Common questions
What is a fractional executive?
A senior leader who works with a company part of the week on work agreed up front. They own the results in an area such as technology, finance or marketing, usually alongside other companies.
What is the difference between fractional and interim?
Interim is usually full time for a fixed period, to cover a gap. Fractional is part of the week and often ongoing.
Is a fractional executive a consultant?
Not quite. A consultant usually advises and hands over a recommendation. A fractional executive takes ownership of the function and the results, as an executive would.
What does fractional work mean for AI roles?
A senior AI or machine learning engineer, or a chief AI officer, working with you part of the week on agreed work, instead of joining full time.
How it works