What is a Fractional CAO?

What is a Fractional CAO?

Chief Administrative Officer role responsibilities and when to hire fractional admin leadership

£800-2,000
Day Rate
2-6 weeks
Time to Hire
50-70%
Cost Savings

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📖1 min read
📅Updated 1 Feb 2026
📝186 words
💷
£800-1500
Day Rate
📅
1-3
Days/Week
💰
50-70%
Cost Savings
🎯
500+
UK Placements
💡

Key Takeaways

  • 1Fractional CFOs work 1-3 days per week, providing senior expertise without full-time costs
  • 2UK day rates range from £800 to £1500, depending on experience and sector
  • 3Typical engagements save 50-70% compared to full-time executive hires
  • 4Ideal for startups, scale-ups, and SMEs needing strategic leadership
  • 5No employment overhead: no pension, NI, benefits, or notice periods

Latest Fractional Jobs

0jobs found
📖

Chief Administrative Officer Definition

Quick Definition

A Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) is a senior executive responsible for overseeing day-to-day administrative operations. The CAO manages internal processes including HR IT legal and facilities ensuring the organization runs efficiently while allowing other executives to focus on external strategy.

What Does a CAO Do?

According to CIO.com the CAO is responsible for managing an organizations finances creating goals policies and procedures to help it operate more efficiently. They typically report directly to the CEO acting as a bridge between high-level vision and practical operations. CAOs focus on internal processes oversee compliance and lead cross-functional improvement initiatives.

CAO Key Responsibilities

AreaResponsibilityBusiness Impact
OperationsOversee daily administrative functionsOrganizational efficiency
ComplianceEnsure regulatory adherenceRisk management
PolicyDevelop and implement proceduresStandardization
BudgetManage administrative budgetsCost control

When to Hire a Fractional CAO

A fractional CAO is ideal for growing companies that need operational leadership without full-time overhead. Startups transitioning from founder-led operations benefit from structured processes. Companies undergoing operational transformation get experienced change leadership. Organizations needing compliance and governance frameworks established can accelerate with fractional expertise.

Fractional vs Full-Time CAO

FactorFractional CAOFull-Time CAO
Best ForOperational transformationMature operations
Typical Cost800-1300 GBP per day120000-180000 GBP per year
Time Commitment1-3 days per weekFull-time
Ideal Company SizeSME scaling upEnterprise
💰

Cost Comparison

Fractional vs Full-Time Executive

Full-Time Executive£286k/year
Salary + Benefits + Overhead
Fractional Executive£106k/year
1-2 days/week average

Your Potential Savings

£180k+

63%
saved
📊

Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%
Operations25%
Leadership20%
Governance15%
Technology10%

What is a Fractional CAO (Chief Administrative Officer)?

A Fractional Chief Administrative Officer is an experienced operations executive who works part-time across multiple organisations, providing cross-functional operational leadership covering governance, procurement, facilities, and corporate services.

📌

The Fractional CAO Role

Fractional CAOs typically work 1-2 days per week, providing senior administrative and operational leadership for companies needing corporate governance without a full-time administrative executive at £150-250k.

📋

Key CAO Responsibilities

🛡️

Corporate Governance: Board governance, company secretarial, and compliance

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Procurement: Strategic sourcing, vendor management, and cost control

🎯

Facilities: Workplace strategy, office management, and hybrid working

Corporate Services: Insurance, legal ops, and administrative functions

Project Governance: PMO establishment and portfolio oversight

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Who Needs a Fractional CAO?

🛡️

Growing companies needing corporate governance and operational structure

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Organisations with complex vendor landscapes needing procurement leadership

🛡️

Businesses establishing formal governance and board administration

Companies where operational efficiency requires cross-functional coordination

📌

Related Pages

UK Fractional Executive Day Rates

Compare day rates across C-suite roles

CFOThis Role£800 - £1500/day
£1100
CTO£900 - £1600/day
£1200
CMO£750 - £1400/day
£1000
COO£800 - £1400/day
£1050
CDO£900 - £1450/day
£1150
CISO£900 - £1550/day
£1200
Rate Range
Average
Source: UK Market Data 2025
⚖️

Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time

Choose the right engagement model

AspectFractionalInterimFull-Time
Time Commitment1-3 days/week4-5 days/week5 days/week
DurationOngoing/flexible3-12 monthsPermanent
Annual Cost£50-150k£150-300k£200-400k+
Best ForSMEs, startups, scale-upsCrisis, transitionsLarge enterprises
Flexibility★★★ High★★☆ Medium★☆☆ Low

Costs are indicative UK market rates. Actual costs vary by role, experience, and sector.

Calculate Your Day Rate

Fractional CFO Earnings

Calculate Your Potential Income

£1,000
£750Avg: £1000£1500
2.5 days
1 day5 days
2 clients
14
Weekly
£5,000
Monthly
£21,650
Annual
£240,000

Based on 2.5 days/week x 2 clients x 48 working weeks. CFO UK average day rate: £1000.

BetaThis calculator provides rough estimates for illustration only. Actual rates and salaries vary based on location, experience, industry, and market conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

A Chief Administrative Officer is a senior executive who oversees daily operations ensuring the organization runs efficiently across HR IT legal and facilities.

💬Have more questions? Contact us
📊

The Fractional Executive Trend

Industry data on the rise of fractional leadership

😊
78%

of executives who moved to fractional work report higher job satisfaction

Source: Harvard Business Review
💰
50-70%

cost savings compared to full-time executive hires for SMEs

Source: Forbes
📈
3x

growth in fractional executive demand since 2020

Source: LinkedIn Economic Graph
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Platform Stats

213+
Jobs Listed
1
Fractional Client
£1,000+
Avg Day Rate
15+
Years Experience

Founder's background

SONY
O
H3G

📊 Exec Market Snapshot

Demand Index+15% YoY
Day Rate£800-1,400
Avg Placement4-8 weeks

💰 Exec Day Rates

£800-1,400per day
JuniorMidSenior

Based on 2026 market data for UK Exec roles.

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Why Fractional Exec?

50-65% cost savings
No long-term commitment
Senior expertise on demand
Flexible 1-3 days/week

🏢 Top Industries

TechScale-upsServices

💡 Key Skills

Strategy
Leadership
Operations

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