A fractional executive is a senior leader who works for your company part time, under a contract. The common roles are CFO, CMO, COO, CTO and head of sales. Most engagements run one to two days a week, on a monthly retainer, for six to twelve months. You get senior judgment without a full-time senior salary. Prices are in US dollars, as of October 2026.
What it means
"Fractional" describes the time, not the level. The person is a real executive. They own an area, sit in leadership meetings and are accountable for results. They just do it for a fraction of the week, and often for two or more companies at once. The Fractional Work Report 2026 found 64% of fractional workers have two or more clients, and 87% have 11 or more years of experience.
It differs from two nearby options:
- A consultant usually advises on one problem, delivers a report and leaves.
- An interim executive usually fills a full-time seat for a short time, for example while you hire a permanent one.
How engagements work
Time
Hours vary a lot, so agree them first.
- Go Fractional's rate data shows typical scopes of 12 to 15 hours a week for most C-level roles.
- The Fractional Work Report 2026 found the typical job post asks for about 10 hours a week.
- A Mylance survey of 191 engagements, self-reported by its community, found a median of 40 hours a month, with the middle half between 20 and 60.
Pay
- Monthly retainer. A fixed fee for set hours or deliverables. The Fractional Work Report 2026 found 46% of fractional executives bill mainly this way.
- Hourly. Common for smaller or uneven work. In the Mylance survey, 49% of engagements were hourly and 31% retainer.
- Project. A fixed fee for a set result, such as a financial model or a marketing plan.
Length and notice
Most engagements run six to twelve months, per the Fractional Work Report 2026. Notice terms are set in each contract, and are not standard. A notice period of about 30 days on both sides, after a first 90-day review, keeps the risk low for you and gives the executive time to hand over.
Cost by role
From Go Fractional's live data, as of October 22, 2026. Monthly figures use each role's typical weekly hours.
- CFO: $176 an hour on average. $7,000 to $11,200 a month at 14 hours a week.
- CMO: $173 an hour. $7,500 to $12,000 a month at 15 hours a week.
- COO: $192 an hour. $7,200 to $10,800 a month at 12 hours a week. Few job posts, so treat as directional.
- CTO: $210 an hour. $9,000 to $15,000 a month at 15 hours a week.
- Sales manager: $168 an hour. $7,800 to $10,400 a month at 13 hours a week. Few job posts, so treat as directional.
The Fractional Work Report 2026 found a higher average of $223 an hour across VP-level and above. Cheaper packaged options exist for some roles: for example, Pilot's CFO plans start at $1,750 a month billed yearly, for a model, reports and a monthly call.
How to find one
- Ask your network first: your accountant, lawyer, investors and other owners. The Fractional Work Report 2026 found 94% of fractional workers had won clients through referrals.
- Use a fractional hiring platform or talent marketplace. They shortlist faster but may charge a fee or mark up the rate.
- Look on LinkedIn for people who list fractional roles and have worked at companies of your size.
- Ask firms that sell the service, such as finance or marketing firms with fractional plans.
How to vet one
- Check they have done the job at a company like yours, at your size and stage.
- Ask what they delivered in the first 30 and 90 days for their last client.
- Ask how many clients they have now and how many hours you will really get.
- Ask for a written 90-day plan before you sign, even a short one.
- Call two references, both owners or CEOs. Ask what changed and what they would do differently.
- Ask if they take fees from any vendor, agency or tool they might recommend.
Contract checklist
- Scope: the area they own, the deliverables, and what is out of scope.
- Time: hours or days a month, and how extra hours are agreed and billed.
- Fee: amount, billing date, payment terms and any setup fee.
- Term and notice: start date, first review date, notice period on both sides.
- Authority: what they can decide or sign, and spending limits.
- Confidentiality: what they must keep private, during and after the work.
- Ownership: your company owns all work, files, code, accounts and passwords.
- Conflicts: other clients they serve, and a rule on direct competitors.
- Non-solicitation: whether they can hire your staff or clients after leaving.
- Insurance: whether they carry professional liability cover, and whether your policy covers them if they hold an officer title.
- Handover: what they hand over when the work ends.
Contractor or employee
A fractional executive is usually a contractor, but the contract label alone does not decide it. In the US, the IRS looks at three areas: behavioral control, financial control and the type of relationship. In the UK, the off-payroll working rules (IR35) can apply when the person works through their own company. Rules differ by country and state, so have an accountant or lawyer review the setup.
A short brief to send candidates
Role: fractional [CFO / CMO / COO / CTO / sales leader].
About us: [what you sell], [revenue range], [team size].
The problem: [one or two sentences on why now].
What success looks like in 6 months: [two or three results].
Time I expect: about [X] hours a month, with [one fixed day / a weekly call].
Please reply with: relevant experience, a rough first-90-days plan, your fee and the hours it covers, and your notice period.
Red flags
- A fee with no hours attached.
- A long minimum term before any work is seen.
- No questions about your business before they quote.
- Pressure to buy their own products or services on top.
- They want accounts, code or domains set up in their own name.
Related reading
Before you hire, decide what you will hand over: read how to delegate tasks. Use how to write a job description for the brief, interview questions to ask candidates for the calls, and an onboarding checklist for their first week. If you are weighing a full-time hire instead, see how to hire your first employee.
Nive is being built for part of this problem: you write how your business works and how you sound once, and it drafts emails in your voice for you to review and send. Join the waitlist to get the demo first.