Fractional CEO Jobs UK
Find Fractional CEO roles across the UK. Lead strategic vision, drive growth, and guide high-potential businesses on a part-time basis. £1,200-£1,800 day rates.
💰 Fractional CEO Earnings Calculator
Monthly Earnings
£16,100
Annual Earnings
£193,200
📊 The Fractional CEO Market in the UK
Fractional CEO jobs have emerged as the premier executive opportunity in the UK\'s thriving fractional talent economy. The market for fractional CEO roles has experienced extraordinary growth over the past five years, driven by fundamental shifts in how companies approach leadership, combined with increased founder awareness that strategic business expertise doesn\'t require full-time commitment.
The demand for Fractional CEOs stems from a pragmatic reality facing scale-ups and growth companies: they need world-class strategic leadership, but the £200,000-£350,000 full-time CEO salary (plus equity, benefits, and recruitment costs approaching £50,000) represents a significant financial commitment. A Fractional CEO provides the same calibre of leadership at a fraction of the cost, working typically 2-3 days per week and focusing exclusively on strategic priorities—fundraising, board management, scaling operations, market expansion, and building high-performing executive teams.
💰 Fractional CEO Salary & Day Rates in the UK
Fractional CEO day rates in the UK command premium pricing due to the strategic nature and seniority of the role. According to 2024 market data from leading fractional recruitment agencies and insights from platforms like Glassdoor and LinkedIn, Fractional CEO jobs offer the following compensation:
- £1,200-£1,500/day: Standard UK fractional CEO rates for SMEs and scale-ups
- £1,500-£1,800/day: London-based FinTech, SaaS, and high-growth startups
- £1,800-£2,500/day: Premium roles (Series B+, complex turnarounds, specialist sectors)
- £200,000-£350,000/year: Total annual earnings for 2-3 clients at 3 days/week each
By comparison, a Fractional COO typically earns £900-£1,300/day, positioning the CEO role as the highest-paid fractional position in the UK market. This premium reflects the strategic accountability and business transformation impact that experienced CEOs deliver.
What makes fractional CEO jobs particularly attractive for experienced executives is the portfolio career model. Rather than dedicating five days per week to a single company, a Fractional CEO might work with 2-3 complementary businesses simultaneously—for example, one FinTech scale-up (3 days/week), one SaaS startup (2 days/week), and one turnaround advisory project (flexible). This diversification provides not only higher total earnings but also intellectual variety, reduced risk (no single-client dependency), and the satisfaction of driving impact across multiple businesses.
🎯 Industries Hiring Fractional CEOs
The sectors with the highest demand for fractional CEO talent reflect the UK\'s evolving economy and the concentration of high-growth, VC-backed companies requiring strategic leadership:
🏦 FinTech & Financial Services
Leading sector for CEO demand. London\'s position as a global FinTech hub means exceptional opportunities for CEOs with regulatory expertise, fundraising experience, and B2B sales leadership. Average day rate: £1,600-£1,800.
💻 SaaS & B2B Software
The UK\'s thriving SaaS ecosystem requires CEOs who understand subscription economics, product-market fit, and scaling ARR. Ideal for CEOs with go-to-market strategy and enterprise sales expertise. Average day rate: £1,400-£1,600.
🏥 HealthTech & Medtech
Rapid growth sector with complex regulatory requirements (MHRA, NHS procurement). CEOs with healthcare experience, clinical validation expertise, and NHS partnership experience command premium rates. Average day rate: £1,500-£1,700.
🛍️ E-commerce & Consumer
D2C brands and marketplaces seek CEOs with brand building, customer acquisition, and unit economics expertise. Strong demand post-pandemic as digital commerce matures. Average day rate: £1,200-£1,500.
🚀 Why Companies Hire Fractional CEOs
The decision to hire a Fractional CEO rather than recruit a full-time chief executive is strategic and often emerges at critical inflection points in a company\'s lifecycle:
- Pre-Series A Scale-Ups: Founder-led companies reaching £1-3M ARR who need strategic leadership to reach Series A milestones but can\'t yet afford £250k+ CEO salary.
- Fundraising Preparation: Companies preparing for capital raises benefit enormously from a Fractional CEO who can craft the investment narrative, build financial projections, manage due diligence, and lead investor meetings.
- Founder Transitions: When a technical founder wants to step back from CEO responsibilities but remain involved in product/technology, a Fractional CEO can take strategic leadership while maintaining founder involvement.
- Business Turnarounds: Companies facing strategic challenges, declining revenues, or operational inefficiencies often need experienced CEO leadership for 6-12 months to stabilise and reposition the business.
- International Expansion: UK companies expanding to EU or US markets hire Fractional CEOs with international experience to lead market entry strategy and establish beachheads.
A Fractional CEO brings immediate value because they\'ve "seen the movie before"—they\'ve scaled businesses, navigated fundraising, built teams, managed boards, and delivered exits. Unlike a full-time hire who may take 6-12 months to fully ramp, a Fractional CEO can contribute strategic value from week one, leveraging pattern recognition from previous roles to accelerate decision-making and avoid common pitfalls.
🎯 Core Leadership Skills
Strategic Vision & Planning
CriticalSet business strategy, define 3-year roadmap, allocate resources, identify market opportunities
Board & Investor Management
EssentialPrepare board materials, manage investor relations, lead fundraising, handle due diligence
Fundraising & Capital Strategy
High DemandSeries A-C fundraising, venture debt, strategic partnerships, exit preparation
Team Building & Culture
CriticalRecruit executive team, establish values, build high-performance culture, manage talent
P&L Ownership & Financial Leadership
EssentialDrive profitability, manage cash flow, set financial targets, optimise unit economics
M&A & Strategic Partnerships
GrowingIdentify acquisition targets, negotiate deals, integrate companies, forge partnerships
Latest Fractional CEO Jobs
View all roles →Fractional CEO
Series A FinTech
London, UK • Hybrid
Fast-growing FinTech seeking Fractional CEO to lead strategic growth, fundraising, and board management. Pre-Series B position.
Commitment
3 days/week
Day Rate
GBP 1,300 - 1,600/day
Location
London, UK
Posted
1 days ago
Fractional CEO
SaaS Scale-up
London, UK • Hybrid
B2B SaaS company seeking Fractional CEO for scaling operations, go-to-market strategy, and investor relations.
Commitment
2-3 days/week
Day Rate
GBP 1,200 - 1,400/day
Location
London, UK
Posted
2 days ago
Fractional CEO
E-commerce Brand
Manchester, UK • Remote
High-growth D2C brand seeking Fractional CEO to drive strategic direction, expand into new markets, and optimise P&L.
Commitment
2-3 days/week
Day Rate
GBP 1,100 - 1,350/day
Location
Manchester, UK
Posted
3 days ago
Fractional CEO
HealthTech Startup
London, UK • Hybrid
Innovative HealthTech startup seeking Fractional CEO to lead business strategy, regulatory navigation, and growth.
Commitment
3 days/week
Day Rate
GBP 1,250 - 1,500/day
Location
London, UK
Posted
1 days ago
Fractional CEO
Deeptech Scale-up
Cambridge, UK • Hybrid
Deeptech company seeking Fractional CEO to commercialise technology, lead capital raises, and scale sales.
Commitment
2-3 days/week
Day Rate
GBP 1,300 - 1,550/day
Location
Cambridge, UK
Posted
4 days ago
Fractional CEO
Creative Agency
London, UK • Hybrid
Award-winning agency seeking Fractional CEO for business development, team scaling, and new service launch.
Commitment
2 days/week
Day Rate
GBP 1,000 - 1,250/day
Location
London, UK
Posted
2 days ago
🏢 Fractional CEO Opportunities by Company Stage
Pre-Seed & Seed
Help founders validate product-market fit, build go-to-market strategy, prepare for Series A
Typical Rate
£1,200-£1,400/day
Series A
Scale operations, build executive team, establish repeatable sales process, expand into new markets
Typical Rate
£1,400-£1,600/day
Series B+
Drive international expansion, optimise unit economics, prepare for exit, manage complex stakeholders
Typical Rate
£1,600-£1,800/day
Established & Turnaround
Business transformation, operational restructuring, new market entry, M&A leadership
Typical Rate
£1,500-£2,000/day
💼 What Does a Fractional CEO Actually Do?
Strategic Leadership
- •Set 3-year business strategy
- •Define OKRs and key metrics
- •Identify market opportunities
- •Guide product roadmap
Board & Investors
- •Prepare board materials
- •Manage investor relations
- •Lead fundraising rounds
- •Handle due diligence
Team Building
- •Recruit executive talent
- •Establish company culture
- •Develop leadership team
- •Performance management
Commercial Strategy
- •Drive revenue growth
- •Expand into new markets
- •Optimise pricing strategy
- •Build strategic partnerships
Financial Leadership
- •P&L ownership
- •Cash flow management
- •Unit economics optimisation
- •Financial planning
Operations Excellence
- •Scale operational processes
- •Implement systems
- •Drive efficiency
- •Continuous improvement
📍 Fractional CEO Jobs by Location
London
UK's largest market. FinTech, SaaS, HealthTech hubs in Shoreditch, City, and Canary Wharf.
View London roles →Manchester
Growing tech hub with strong E-commerce, SaaS, and MediaTech sectors.
View Manchester roles →Edinburgh
FinTech and renewable energy leadership opportunities in Scotland's capital.
View Edinburgh roles →Cambridge
Deeptech, BioTech, and academic spinouts requiring commercial leadership.
View Cambridge roles →Bristol
Creative tech, GreenTech, and media companies with sustainable growth focus.
View Bristol roles →Remote UK
Fully remote CEO roles with quarterly travel. SaaS, E-commerce, and digital-first companies.
View Remote UK roles →💬 Fractional CEO Success Stories
Jonathan Clarke
Fractional CEO
“After leading two successful exits as a full-time CEO, I transitioned to fractional work to maintain strategic impact while gaining portfolio diversity. I currently work with a Series B FinTech (3 days/week), a SaaS scale-up (2 days/week), and advise a PE-backed turnaround (flexible). The fractional model allows me to apply pattern recognition across companies while avoiding the burnout of 60-hour CEO weeks.”
Experience
22 years
Active Clients
3 companies
Annual Earnings
£280k/year
Specialties
FinTech, Fundraising, Scale-ups
Sarah Mitchell
Fractional CEO
“Moving from a full-time CEO position to fractional leadership was the best career decision I made. I now work with two exceptional businesses—one HealthTech company navigating NHS procurement (3 days/week) and one D2C brand expanding internationally (2 days/week). The fractional model means I can focus purely on strategic priorities without getting pulled into operational details, delivering far more value per hour worked.”
Experience
20 years
Active Clients
2 companies
Annual Earnings
£310k/year
Specialties
HealthTech, International Expansion, D2C
Michael Thompson
Fractional CEO
“As a Fractional CEO, I've helped seven companies achieve successful outcomes over the past four years—three exits, two Series A raises, and two turnarounds. My current portfolio includes two Series A companies, one turnaround, and one strategic advisory role. The flexibility and intellectual variety of fractional work, combined with the premium day rates, make it the optimal model for experienced executives.”
Experience
25 years
Active Clients
4 companies
Annual Earnings
£350k/year
Specialties
Turnarounds, M&A, Board Advisory
❓ Fractional CEO Jobs UK: Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Fractional CEO?
A Fractional CEO is an experienced chief executive who provides strategic business leadership on a part-time basis, typically working 2-3 days per week. They guide businesses through growth phases, fundraising, scaling, and transformation while working with multiple companies simultaneously, bringing 20+ years of executive experience without the full-time salary commitment.
How much does a Fractional CEO earn in the UK?
Fractional CEO day rates in the UK range from £1,200 to £1,800 per day, with London and FinTech roles at the premium end. Working 3 days per week across 2-3 clients, a Fractional CEO typically earns £200,000 to £350,000+ annually. This represents premium pricing compared to Fractional COO (£900-£1,300/day) or Fractional CFO (£1,000-£1,500/day) roles.
What's the difference between a Fractional CEO and an Interim CEO?
A Fractional CEO works part-time (2-3 days/week) with multiple companies simultaneously on an ongoing basis, focusing on strategic leadership. An Interim CEO works full-time with a single company for a fixed period (typically 6-18 months), often filling a gap between permanent appointments. Fractional CEO roles offer higher total earnings and portfolio diversity, while interim roles provide deeper operational involvement.
How many clients does a Fractional CEO typically work with?
Most successful Fractional CEOs work with 2-3 companies simultaneously. For example: one primary client at 3 days/week (£1,500/day = £4,500/week), one secondary client at 2 days/week (£1,400/day = £2,800/week), and potentially one advisory client at flexible commitment. This portfolio approach provides £300k+ annual income while maintaining strategic focus.
What industries hire Fractional CEOs in the UK?
The strongest demand comes from FinTech (especially London), B2B SaaS, HealthTech, E-commerce/D2C, and DeepTech. These sectors feature high-growth, VC-backed companies that need strategic CEO expertise but aren't yet ready for £250k+ full-time CEO salaries. FinTech and HealthTech command the highest rates due to regulatory complexity.
What experience do you need to become a Fractional CEO?
Successful Fractional CEOs typically have 20+ years of business experience, including 10+ years in senior leadership roles. Most have been full-time CEOs or MDs previously, with proven track records in fundraising, scaling businesses, building teams, and delivering exits. Specific industry expertise (e.g., FinTech, SaaS, HealthTech) commands premium rates.
How do companies find Fractional CEOs?
Companies find Fractional CEOs through specialist fractional recruitment agencies (e.g., Odgers Berndtson, Fractional Exec Talent), professional networks (LinkedIn, board connections), fractional talent platforms, and referrals from investors or other fractional executives. Many Fractional CEOs also market themselves through thought leadership content and speaking engagements.
What's a typical Fractional CEO contract structure?
Fractional CEO contracts typically span 12-24 months with 3-month notice periods. Contracts specify day rates, minimum monthly days (usually 8-12 days/month), expenses, and termination clauses. Some include equity (0.5-2% for scale-ups), performance bonuses tied to fundraising or revenue milestones, and quarterly rolling contracts for flexibility.
Can Fractional CEOs earn equity?
Yes, many Fractional CEO arrangements include equity, especially with Series A-B startups. Typical equity ranges from 0.5% to 2%, vesting over 24-48 months. Some Fractional CEOs negotiate hybrid arrangements: lower day rates (e.g., £1,000/day) plus meaningful equity (1.5-2%) for higher-risk, high-growth companies with strong exit potential.
What are the main responsibilities of a Fractional CEO?
Fractional CEOs focus on strategic priorities: setting business strategy and OKRs, managing board and investor relations, leading fundraising, building and developing the executive team, driving revenue growth and market expansion, P&L ownership and financial management, and establishing company culture and values. They delegate operational execution to the COO or leadership team.
How does a Fractional CEO manage multiple clients?
Successful Fractional CEOs use time-blocking (specific days per client), clear boundaries and communication protocols, asynchronous communication tools, quarterly strategic planning sessions, and delegate operational tasks. Many work Monday-Wednesday with Client A, Thursday-Friday with Client B, maintaining strict separation to prevent conflicts and ensure focus.
Are Fractional CEO jobs remote or office-based?
Approximately 65% of Fractional CEO roles are hybrid (2-3 days on-site, rest remote), 25% are fully remote with quarterly travel, and 10% are office-based. London FinTech and Series B+ companies tend to prefer hybrid arrangements with regular in-person board meetings, while SaaS and digital-first companies offer more remote flexibility.
What's the difference between a Fractional CEO and a business consultant?
A Fractional CEO is an accountable executive leader with P&L responsibility, board reporting, and team management duties—they make decisions and drive execution. A business consultant provides recommendations and advice but isn't accountable for outcomes. Fractional CEOs integrate into the business as part of the leadership team, while consultants work externally with project-based scope.
How long do Fractional CEO engagements typically last?
Most Fractional CEO engagements last 12-24 months, aligning with specific business milestones like fundraising completion, market entry success, or revenue targets. Some relationships extend 3-5 years as companies scale through multiple funding rounds. Shorter 6-month turnaround or fundraising-specific engagements also exist but are less common.
Can founders transition to Fractional CEO roles?
Yes, successful founder-CEOs who have scaled and exited businesses often transition to Fractional CEO work. They bring lived experience of building companies from zero to exit, understanding of founder challenges, and proven track records. Founder-CEOs-turned-fractional often command premium rates (£1,600-£2,000/day) due to their entrepreneurial credibility and exit experience.
What are the tax implications for Fractional CEOs in the UK?
Most Fractional CEOs operate through limited companies (Ltd), paying themselves a combination of salary (up to personal allowance) and dividends for tax efficiency. IR35 considerations are important—genuine business-to-business contracts with multiple clients, substitution rights, and control over work typically fall outside IR35. Consult a specialist accountant for your specific circumstances.
How do Fractional CEOs handle conflicts of interest between clients?
Professional Fractional CEOs avoid direct competitors (e.g., won't work with two FinTech companies targeting the same market), disclose all client relationships upfront, use NDAs and information barriers, focus on complementary portfolios (different sectors or stages), and maintain strict confidentiality. Most work with clients in different industries or at different growth stages to prevent conflicts.
What support do Fractional CEOs receive from companies?
Fractional CEOs typically receive executive assistant support, access to all systems and data (finance, CRM, HR), inclusion in leadership and board meetings, expense budgets for travel/entertainment, and sometimes office space. The relationship should feel like an integrated executive team member, not an external consultant, with full transparency and access to drive strategic decisions.
How do Fractional CEOs get paid?
Most Fractional CEOs invoice monthly in arrears based on days worked, either at a fixed day rate (e.g., £1,500/day × 10 days = £15,000/month) or a fixed monthly retainer. Payment terms are typically 14-30 days. Some larger engagements include quarterly bonuses tied to KPIs like fundraising completion, revenue milestones, or successful exits.
What's the career progression for a Fractional CEO?
Fractional CEOs often progress from single-client engagements to 2-3 client portfolios, then to portfolio CEO plus advisory board roles, eventually building personal brands and commanding premium rates (£1,800-£2,500/day). Some transition to venture partner roles, private equity operating partners, or launch their own funds, leveraging their fractional portfolio as deal flow and due diligence opportunities.
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