​Fractional Leaders bring all the strategic leadership at half the payroll cost.

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Primarily used by medium-sized businesses and startups seeking high-level expertise, but without the financial resources or need for a full-time hire, Fractional Leaders can be excellent catalysts for change and growth.

For business leaders who have often bootstrapped their enterprise to its current position, Fractional Leadership provides immediate access to highly experienced professionals who can provide guidance for strategy design, scaling, transformation, or dealing with complex growth phases.

A Fractional Leader is an executive with extensive experience operating in a particular vertical. Frequently, they have held roles as CFO, CPO, CTO, CMO or COO with some operating as Executive Chairpersons, particularly when an organisation is developing long-term strategy. In addition to working with a CEO, they can be an excellent resource for coaching employees moving into senior leadership roles for the first time. They combine cost efficiency and high-impact leadership with the benefit of flexibility. Often, Fractional Leaders work for a few companies so must be highly organised and able to switch onto your firm when needed. ​

While it is a valuable path for any organisation seeking to acquire senior talent, who offer ideas, skills and leadership capability, bringing Fractional Leaders onto your executive team takes meaningful preparation, before the assignment or role commences, and thereafter.

The firm drawing on the Fractional Leader must be transparent about what is to be achieved, why it is necessary and what resource support will be available. The internal sponsor must also work to ensure key relationships are built quickly and must own the overall process. This is helped by the fact that Fractional Leaders are generally not interested in working full time, and so present no threat to an existing employee. In addition, they often find it easier to be more direct to a CEO than an employee.

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Three things to consider when hiring a Fractional Leader:

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1. What is the need, what does the need, need?

We recommend that you have a clear outline of what is to be addressed and achieved but finalise this with input from the Fractional Leader for an alternative perspective. Budget, support resources, incumbent learning and timescale should fold into expected outcomes.

2. Culture connection

Functionals must hit the ground running. People and organisation fit are an imperative. They must understand the range of attributes that make up your organisation culture, the lived values and informal processes etc. It is important the Fractional Leader is empathetic and relatable, to the extent that they can lead employees through the change needed. Previous experience in transition management is vital and experience with a medium enterprise, often valuable.

3. Keep your hand on the tiller

Consistently align with your Fractional Leader on progress towards outcomes, priorities and obstacle management. Evaluate whether the success metrics are changing due to new information or ideas, and make sure all stakeholders are communicated with accordingly. Challenge the impact the Fractional Leader is delivering and seek feedback from their observations. Own the process and be ultimately accountable for the outcome.

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The challenge for mid-sized firms in gaining access to top level leadership talent is significant. Fractional Leadership can be a permanent solution when seasoned executive experience is needed and at a substantially reduced cost.

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Get In Touch

To discuss how we can support your Executive Search and Contract & Interim requirements contact:

Arlene Moran - Managing Director - Contract & Interim | arlene.moran@hrmrecruit.com | +353 86 3656648

Ciarán McCaughey - Managing Director – Executive Search | ciaran.mccaughey@hrmrecruit.com | +35383 1420673

Shane Browne - Managing Director – International Operations | shane.browne@hrmrecruit.com | +353 1 6321865