Hire Fractional Executives · Fractional Jobs UK
Fractional Jobs · and how to hire a fractional executive
Hire fractional executives across the UK — or find your next fractional role.
The UK hub for fractional and part-time executive work: what it pays, which functions are in demand, and how to hire (or get hired).
Senior leadership at 1–3 days a week, across finance, tech, marketing, operations, people and legal.
How a brief runswhat we undertake
- 01Brief30-MINUTE SCOPING CALLDay 0
- 02Shortlist of 3–5VETTED · RATE BENCHMARK · IR35After the brief
- 03InterviewsYOU MEET THE SHORTLISTYour diary
- 04Scoped startFIRST-MONTH OUTCOMES AGREEDYou set the date
- 05Fractional, interim and permanentIR35 POSITION SET OUTOn every brief
Shortlist3–5
In the press
Financial Times The executives going ‘fractional’, not freelance (paywall)
The FT on senior people who choose to lead inside several companies at once rather than freelance. The roles on this board are that kind of work.
International Finance Renting the C-suite, and why the fractional executive era has arrived · 17 Sep 2026
International Finance argues fractional leadership is now a mainstream way for mid-sized companies to hire, led by finance and marketing roles.
Fractional jobs UK · last 3 months
UK fractional jobs on the board
- FractionalSyndicatedFractional People Director
People Puzzles Ltd · Cambridge
Rate not statedCambridge - FractionalSyndicatedFractional People Director
People Puzzles · Cambridge
Rate not statedCambridge - FractionalSyndicatedFractional CFO
KeelCFO · England
Rate not statedEngland - FractionalSyndicatedFractional CFO
fin-house · London
£700–£1,000/dayLondon - FractionalSyndicatedFractional General Counsel
Ffern · London
est £1,000/day1 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedPerformance & Development Lead (Fractional)
Unity Advisory · London
Rate not stated3 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedFractional CFO
Amitours · United Kingdom
Rate not statedUnited Kingdom - FractionalSyndicatedFractional CISO (Contract / Project Based)
Cambridge Spark · United Kingdom
est £1,500/day2 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedHead of Medical Compliance, Governance & Diligence (Fractional)
CNX Therapeutics Ltd · Greater London
est £1,000/dayGreater London - InterimSyndicatedInterim Chief Executive Officer (Women's Health Charity)
Verity (PMOS UK) · United Kingdom
Rate not stated3 d/wk - InterimSyndicatedInterim Finance Director
Pragmatic Semiconductor · Cambridge
est £1,400/day5 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedFractional Product Practice Leader - 9 Month Contract
Tails.com · London
est £1,000/day2 d/wk
01/ the board
What the board holds.
A read of the roles on the board above, counted as they stand: the seat, how each is engaged, whether the posting gives the days and the rate, and where the work happens.
On this board, last 90 days · 12 roles · UK fractional
Engagement
- Fractional10
- Interim2
Seat
- CFO3
- CHRO2
- General counsel1
- HRD1
- CISO1
- Other1
- Other seats3
Days a week
- Stated in the posting6
- Not stated6
Day rate
- Verified rate1
- Estimated (est)5
- Rate not stated6
Work arrangement (as the job feed classifies it)
- Remote2
- Hybrid6
- On-site4
Newest posting on the board: 6 Oct 2026.
Postings per week on this board, last 90 days
12 postings on this board in the last 90 days, counted by the week each was published.
02/ the shape
How the roles are shaped.
Every role on the board, split four ways: how it is engaged, the days a week, the IR35 position the posting gives, and where the work happens.
12 roles on the board today · UK fractional · read 6 Oct 2026
Engagement
- Fractional 10
- Interim 2
Days a week
- 1 d/wk 1
- 2 d/wk 2
- 3 d/wk 2
- 5+ d/wk 1
- Not stated 6
IR35, as the posting states it
- Posting says outside 7
- Not stated 5
Work arrangement (as the job feed classifies it)
- Hybrid 6
- On-site 4
- Remote 2
IR35 status is decided by how an engagement runs, not by the posting; this is what each posting says.
03/ the asks
What the roles ask for.
The skills and tools the job descriptions on the board name most, matched to our skills list. A term that is not on the list is left out.
12 roles on the board today · UK fractional · read 6 Oct 2026
- Compliance Skill5 of 12
- Cash management Skill4 of 12
- Corporate governance Skill4 of 12
- Fundraising Skill4 of 12
- ACCA Certification3 of 12
- CIMA Certification3 of 12
- M&A Skill3 of 12
- Regulatory Skill3 of 12
- ACA Certification2 of 12
- Board reporting Skill2 of 12
Named in the job descriptions on the board, matched to our skills list. A skill counts once per role.
04/ the week
How a week divides.
Part of a week is the point of the model: each client buys days, the rest of the week goes to other clients. Move the days a week and the week redraws.
Illustration only: one way a fractional executive’s week can divide at 2 days a week for you. Each block is half a day.
05/ overview
Fractional Work Across the UK
The shape of fractional work in this market.
Fractional executives are experienced senior leaders who work part-time across one or more companies — typically 1–3 days a week — giving businesses access to C-suite expertise without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
The model has grown fastest in the UK's flexible-working culture, accelerated by the rising cost of full-time senior hires (employer NI rose to 15% in April 2025 — gov.uk NI rates) and a cooling permanent market: the ONS put UK vacancies at 705,000 in Feb–Apr 2026, the lowest since early 2021 (ONS Labour market overview, May 2026).
High-demand roles include fractional CFO positions, fractional CTO mandates, fractional CMO jobs, plus COO, CHRO, CPO, General Counsel, and specialist advisory roles.
Where the demand is — UK geography
Fractional roles are advertised across the UK — London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Bristol among them — and many are remote or hybrid.
Regional tech hubs are increasingly active across fintech, industrial tech, and deep tech sectors.
Many fractional roles are location-flexible given the part-time nature.
How to find / start fractional work (UK)
Build a senior track record first — fractional roles are senior seats, and hirers look for a record of leading the function.
Main routes include specialist fractional recruitment firms, executive search, direct networking, and advisory roles converting to operational mandates.
IR35 considerations: many fractional executives work through their own limited company; IR35 status depends on how each engagement runs in practice, and a medium or large client makes the determination.
Each engagement can be checked with HMRC's CEST tool and the off-payroll working (IR35) guidance.
06/ rates
Executive rates across the UK — summary table
Published bands only, each with its source. Type your own day rate to see where it sits.
- Fractional CFO£700–£1,400FD Capital, 2026
- Fractional CTO£1,000–£1,600Leadership Services, 2026
- Fractional CMO£750–£1,400Connectd, 2026
- Fractional COO£800–£1,400Connectd, 2026
Published bands; each varies by stage, sector and seniority. See each role page for cited detail and stage-based breakdowns.
07/ by function
Fractional Executive Roles by Function
What hiring teams and candidates need to know, function by function.
08/ the map
Where the roles are.
The board’s roles by region, London first, from each posting’s location. Remote roles are counted on their own.
12 roles on the board today · UK fractional · read 6 Oct 2026
By region
- London5
- East of England3
- UK, no town given2
Remote (as the job feed classifies it)
- Remote, any location2
09/ the latest
What is new.
Roles added to the board in the last 7 and 30 days, and the newest three. The stamp is when this page last read the board.
Board read 6 Oct 2026, 14:04 London time
Newest on the board
- Fractional People DirectorPeople Puzzles Ltd · CambridgeAdded 6 Oct 2026
- Fractional People DirectorPeople Puzzles · CambridgeAdded 6 Oct 2026
- Fractional CFOKeelCFO · EnglandAdded 5 Oct 2026
Counted from the date each role was published on the board, UK fractional.
12/ fractional executive
What a fractional executive does — and how the work is set up
A fractional executive is a senior leader who runs a function for part of the week: they own its outcomes, sit in the leadership team and manage the people in it, rather than advising from outside.
That separates the role from two neighbours.
A consultant recommends; a fractional executive decides and delivers.
A non-executive director sits on the board to give independent oversight and, in the IoD's words, should not "stray into 'executive direction'" (IoD, the role of the non-executive director) — executive direction is the fractional executive's job.
For the routes to finding one, see where to find fractional executives.
A fractional engagement is set up in one of two ways: a contract between the client and the executive's own limited company, or a part-time employment contract.
A limited company is legally separate from the people who own it, and its director stays responsible for its records, accounts and tax (GOV.UK, limited companies).
HMRC can treat someone as self-employed for tax even where employment law sees them differently, so check both (GOV.UK, employment status).
In an employed part-time role, the executive is protected from being treated less favourably than a comparable full-time worker (GOV.UK, part-time workers' rights).
IR35 status turns on how each engagement runs in practice, and a medium or large client makes the determination (HMRC).
When we run a search for a fractional executive, the brief sets out the role, the days and the IR35 position; we come back with a shortlist of 3–5 after five-stage vetting.
Specialist firms are compared in our guide to fractional executive search firms.
13/ fractional director
Fractional director roles — finance, marketing, sales and IT
A fractional director heads one function part-time.
The title is common where a business wants a senior lead for a single function rather than a C-suite seat, and the most-searched seats each have their own page with roles on the board and published rates where a source exists: fractional finance director, fractional marketing director, fractional sales director and fractional IT director roles.
The word "director" needs care.
A job title alone does not put someone on the board, but the Companies Act says a director "includes any person occupying the position of director, by whatever name called" (legislation.gov.uk) — someone who acts as a board member takes on directors' duties whatever the contract calls them.
A company director must follow the company's articles, keep its records and file its accounts, and remains legally responsible even when others do the work day to day (GOV.UK, directors' responsibilities).
The IoD sets out the duties in full and notes that HMRC expects payments to directors, executive or non-executive, to run through PAYE (IoD, what is a director?).
So if a fractional director is to join the board, say so in the brief, register the appointment, agree how the board role is paid separately from the day-rate work, and take advice.
If the role is operational only, keep the title and the contract clear that it is not a board appointment.
14/ hiring support
Fractional executive services — hiring support for fractional execs
Fractional executive services come in a few forms: fractional recruitment firms and executive search firms that find a leader for you, interim management providers, and consultancies that supply their own people.
A recruiter or search firm introduces candidates and you engage the executive; a provider supplies someone and stays in the contract.
Either way, the fractional hire is the person, not the firm, and should be interviewed and referenced like any senior appointment.
Fractional leadership works when the scope is written down first: what the executive owns, the days a week, who they report to, and how the engagement is set up — a contract with their own company, or fractional employment on a part-time contract.
Good fractional leaders will ask for all of this before they start.
The same applies to seats outside the usual C-suite list: a fractional managing director running a subsidiary or a founder-led business, or a fractional CCO UK businesses bring in to lead sales and commercial strategy (see fractional CCO jobs).
Our fractional hiring support is stated plainly: you brief the role, the days and the IR35 position, and we come back with a shortlist of 3–5, each with day rate or pay, availability and IR35 position set out, after five-stage vetting.
If what you need is fractional support below executive level — an EA, or a fractional operations assistant for a few days a week — see fractional EA and executive assistant roles.
15/ for candidates
Fractional roles UK — how to find them, and how to go fractional
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If you are working out how to find fractional executive jobs and gigs, start with the board at the top of this page and the role hubs linked from it, then add the routes that never reach a board: former colleagues, investors, and the advisers who sit around leadership teams.
The question most candidates ask — where can I find fractional executive opportunities that are never advertised? — has the same answer: through people who have already seen your work.
Where to find fractional executives covers the same market from the hirer's side.
To go fractional, decide how you will be engaged — through your own limited company or on part-time contracts — and how many days a week you can offer.
How do I get my first fractional executive client?
Usually through someone who has watched you lead: a former employer, a company backed by an investor you know, or a founder you have advised.
And how do I vet fractional executive opportunities before committing?
The way a client vets you: ask who you report to, what you will own, the days and the notice period, and who decides the IR35 status.
Fractional work over 50 is a route open to later-career executives, because the roles ask for a senior track record that takes years to build.
Age is a protected characteristic, and it is against the law to discriminate against someone at work because of it (GOV.UK).
16/ fractional work
What fractional work is — the model, the days and the portfolio
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Fractional work is a senior job done for part of the week.
The executive owns a function: finance, technology, marketing, operations or people.
They sit in the leadership team and manage the people in it.
They are simply not there five days a week.
The model rests on three agreements.
The first is the days: how many each week or month, and which are fixed for board meetings and team rhythms.
The second is the scope: what the executive owns, and what the team carries between days.
The third is the review: a date when both sides decide whether the days, the scope or the arrangement should change.
A fractional executive may hold more than one seat at a time.
That is the portfolio: two or more clients, each with its own days, rather than one employer.
GOV.UK lists having several customers at the same time, and deciding how, where and when you work, among the signs that someone is running a business.
Many fractional executives contract through their own limited company; some take a part-time employment contract instead.
The choice matters for tax, and IR35 status turns on how each engagement runs in practice.
Fractional work suits someone who has already run the function full-time and wants to keep doing that work for more than one business.
For a company, it suits a function that needs a senior owner but not five days of one.
To make the move, how to become a fractional executive sets out the first steps.
The fractional executive page explains the role from the hirer's side.
17/ fractional roles
When a seat works part of the week — and when it does not
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Fractional roles work where a function needs senior judgement more than senior hours.
A finance team that runs well but has no one to own the board pack, the forecast and the fundraise is one case.
A marketing team spending without a plan is another.
A technology estate that works, but has no one deciding what it should become, is a third.
They work less well where the job is the hours.
A business in crisis needs someone there all week.
So does a programme with a hard go-live, or a team with no one to carry the work between days.
That is an interim brief, or a permanent hire.
Candidates can run the same test from the other side.
If a brief asks for a fractional executive but describes a full-time job squeezed into fewer days, ask what will give.
A seat that fits part of the week names the decisions, the meetings and the person who holds the work in between.
18/ fractional leadership roles
Leadership roles, seat by seat — where each board sits
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Fractional leadership roles follow the shape of a leadership team.
Each seat below has its own board, with the roles posted for it and what the seat involves.
Where a function has both a C-suite seat and a director or head-of seat, both are listed: the title tells you how senior the brief is.
Finance.
Fractional CFO jobs for the board-level seat.
Fractional finance director jobs and fractional head of finance jobs for the level below it.
Marketing and growth.
A fractional CMO for hire at board level.
Below it, fractional marketing director jobs, fractional head of marketing jobs and fractional head of growth jobs.
For brand and online retail, see fractional creative director jobs and fractional ecommerce director jobs.
Sales and revenue.
Fractional CRO jobs own the whole revenue line.
Fractional sales director jobs, fractional commercial director jobs, fractional head of sales jobs and fractional head of GTM jobs lead the teams that sell.
Keeping customers sits with fractional client services director jobs.
Technology, data and security.
Fractional CTO jobs cover the product and engineering estate.
Fractional CIO jobs cover business systems and suppliers.
Fractional CISO jobs cover security.
Below board level, see fractional IT director jobs, fractional head of engineering jobs and fractional head of AI jobs.
Product.
Fractional CPO jobs for the product seat at board level.
Fractional head of product jobs for the person who runs the product team.
Operations.
Fractional operations jobs run from the board down: fractional COO jobs, fractional operations director jobs and fractional operations manager jobs.
A change programme with an end date sits with fractional transformation director jobs.
People.
Fractional CHRO jobs at board level.
Fractional HR jobs and fractional head of people jobs below it.
Strategy.
Fractional strategy roles rarely carry the word in the title.
Strategy usually sits with whoever leads the business or runs its operations: a fractional managing director, a fractional COO, or a transformation director with a defined programme.
If a posting says “strategy”, read the scope to see which of those seats it really is.
19/ fractional executive jobs
Fractional executive jobs, interim or part-time? — three routes compared
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Fractional executive jobs, interim roles and part-time roles all put a senior leader in a seat without a full-time permanent hire.
They differ in the days, the end date and the contract.
A fractional executive works part of the week, on an ongoing basis, often for more than one client.
The engagement runs until the business outgrows it or no longer needs it.
A review is agreed at the start.
An interim executive works the whole week, for a fixed term, for one client.
Interim covers a gap: a departure, a turnaround, or a programme with a go-live.
It ends when the gap closes.
Interim executive recruitment explains how those searches run.
A part-time executive also works part of the week, but often as an employee of one business, on a part-time contract.
The line between part-time and fractional is the contract more than the days.
Part-time workers are protected from being treated less favourably than comparable full-time staff (GOV.UK, part-time workers' rights).
The part-time boards are separate: part-time CFO jobs, part-time finance director jobs, part-time CMO jobs, part-time marketing director jobs, part-time CTO jobs and part-time COO jobs.
Which route fits?
Ask how much of the week the work fills, whether it has an end date, and how soon you need the person.
Part of the week and ongoing points to fractional.
All of the week with an end date points to interim.
A permanent seat that cannot wait for a search can start as interim and become permanent.
We recruit all of these routes: fractional, interim, part-time, temporary, permanent and non-executive.
20/ for candidates
How to win the work — from first conversation to signed scope
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Finding fractional work and winning it are different skills.
The board on this page, the role hubs and the people who have seen you lead are where the briefs come from (how to find them).
Winning one comes down to how you answer three questions the hirer is already asking.
What will you own?
Answer with the function, the outcomes you have owned before and the decisions you expect to make.
An executive who describes themselves as an adviser invites the hirer to buy a consultant instead.
How many days, and which?
Say what the work needs, not what your diary has spare.
Offer a review date, so the hirer is not buying an open-ended commitment.
How will you be engaged?
Say whether you contract through your own company or would take a part-time employment contract.
Expect to be asked about IR35.
For a medium or large client, the client decides the status, based on how the engagement will run (HMRC).
Then put it in writing.
A one-page scope sets out the function, the days, the reporting line, the review date and the notice period.
It shows the hirer exactly what they are buying.
When a hirer briefs us, we come back with a shortlist of 3–5, each with day rate or pay, availability and IR35 position set out, after five-stage vetting.
21/ remote and hybrid
Remote and hybrid roles — where the days are spent
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A fractional executive is not on site every day by design, so where the days are spent belongs in the brief.
Some seats are fully remote.
Many are hybrid: on site for board meetings, team rhythms and the moments that need someone in the room, remote for the rest.
GOV.UK describes remote and hybrid working for employees in the same terms: working away from the usual workplace, or a mix of the two.
For a candidate, the question is which days must be in person, and where.
Two clients in different cities can work if their on-site days do not clash.
For a hirer, the question is what needs a person in the room.
Board meetings, a new team's first weeks and a difficult conversation usually do.
A monthly report and a supplier review often do not.
Each posting on the board above gives its location.
Seats advertised as remote are gathered on remote fractional jobs.
10/ questions
Frequently asked
Common questions about fractional work in this market.
15 minutes · video or phone
Book 15 minutes to hire a fractional executive
Tell us the seat, the days a week and the start date. We come back with candidates, their day rates and availability.
- 0115 minutes, video or phone
- 02We scope the role, the days and the start date
- 03A shortlist of 3–5 after the call
- 04Fractional, interim and permanent briefs
Pick a day that suits · live availability
Fractional Quest is a fractional recruitment agency: send a brief and we come back with a shortlist of three to five vetted candidates.
