Hire a
Fractional COO
Complete guide to finding, vetting, and hiring the perfect fractional Chief Operating Officer for your business.
Where to Find Fractional COOs
Six proven channels for finding pre-vetted, experienced fractional operations leaders.
Fractional Job Boards
Platforms like Fractional.Quest with pre-vetted fractional executives actively looking for engagements.
LinkedIn Search
Search for COOs using hashtags #FractionalCOO, #PortfolioCOO, or "Fractional COO" in titles.
Fractional Executive Networks
Agencies and networks that match companies with fractional operations leaders.
VC & PE Referrals
Ask your investors, advisors, or board members who they've worked with.
Operations Communities
Slack groups (RevOps, BizOps), Chief of Staff networks, and operations-focused events.
Consulting Firm Alumni
Ex-McKinsey, BCG, Bain professionals who have moved into operating roles.
Pro Tip: Use multiple channels in parallel. The best fractional COOs are often working with 2-3 companies and may not be actively looking—referrals help you reach them.
What to Look For in a Fractional COO
Not all experienced operators make good fractional COOs. Here's what separates the best from the rest.
1. Company Stage Experience
Have they scaled operations at your stage? A COO from a Fortune 500 company won't know how to create from scratch at a startup. Look for experience with companies 1-2 stages ahead of yours.
Experience at similar stage companies, scaled operations from 10 to 100+ people, understanding of your growth phase
Only worked at large corporations or never scaled operations under resource constraints
2. Industry & Business Model Expertise
Do they understand your industry's operational challenges? E-commerce operations differ from SaaS or manufacturing. Ensure they know your operational model—fulfillment, customer success, service delivery.
Experience in your industry, knowledge of relevant operational KPIs, understanding of your business model
No experience in similar business models or industries
3. Process Design & Systems Thinking
Can they build scalable processes from scratch? Great fractional COOs see the whole system, identify bottlenecks, and create processes that scale. They should be able to document, optimize, and automate.
Examples of processes designed, systems implemented, playbooks created
Can't show examples of processes they've built or only inherited existing systems
4. Team Leadership & Management
Have they built and led cross-functional teams? A fractional COO needs to manage people, hire effectively, and build culture. They should have managed teams of 20+ and hired dozens of people.
Built teams from scratch, hiring process expertise, performance management stories
Never managed large teams or uncomfortable with people decisions
5. Execution & Delivery Focus
Can they actually get things done? Great COOs are doers, not just advisors. They should show examples of shipping projects, solving problems, and driving results—not just creating strategy decks.
Concrete examples of projects delivered, metrics improved, problems solved
Only consulting experience or can't point to specific outcomes
6. Fractional Working Model Fit
Do they know how to work fractionally? This requires discipline, clear communication, and asynchronous collaboration. Ask how they manage multiple clients and make impact in 2 days/week.
Works with 2-4 companies currently, systems for time management, clear communication cadence
First fractional engagement or working with 6+ companies (spread too thin)
Interview Questions to Ask
These questions separate strategic COOs from administrators.
⚙️ Operations & Process Questions
- "Walk me through how you scaled operations at [Company X]. What broke and how did you fix it?"
Listen for: Proactive problem identification, systematic solutions, measurable improvements - "How do you identify bottlenecks in an operation you're new to?"
Listen for: Data analysis, stakeholder interviews, process mapping methodology - "Tell me about a process you built from scratch. How did you document and scale it?"
Listen for: Systematic approach, documentation habits, iteration mindset - "How do you balance short-term firefighting with long-term operational improvements?"
Listen for: Prioritization frameworks, root cause thinking, time management
📈 Scaling & Growth Questions
- "What operational systems need to be in place for a company at our stage?"
Listen for: Stage-appropriate thinking, not over-engineering, pragmatic priorities - "How do you approach automation vs hiring decisions?"
Listen for: ROI thinking, understanding of technical capabilities, build vs buy mindset - "Tell me about a time you had to cut costs or improve efficiency significantly."
Listen for: Data-driven decisions, communication approach, results achieved - "How do you ensure operational changes stick and don't regress?"
Listen for: Change management, measurement systems, accountability structures
👥 Leadership & Team Questions
- "How would you structure the operations function at our company?"
Listen for: Stage-appropriate team structure, clear hiring priorities - "How do you get buy-in from teams who resist process changes?"
Listen for: Change management skills, empathy, communication approach - "Tell me about managing cross-functional projects with no direct authority."
Listen for: Influence skills, stakeholder management, collaboration mindset - "How do you stay effective working 2 days/week vs embedded full-time?"
Listen for: Async communication, clear frameworks, delegation
The Fractional COO Hiring Process
From first conversation to start date in 2-4 weeks.
Brief
Tell us about your needs, company stage, and what you're looking for in a fractional executive.
Match
We curate a shortlist of pre-vetted fractional executives who match your specific requirements.
Meet
Interview your top candidates. We handle scheduling and provide interview frameworks.
Start
Your fractional executive begins within days. We support onboarding and ongoing success.
Brief
Tell us about your needs, company stage, and what you're looking for in a fractional executive.
Match
We curate a shortlist of pre-vetted fractional executives who match your specific requirements.
Meet
Interview your top candidates. We handle scheduling and provide interview frameworks.
Start
Your fractional executive begins within days. We support onboarding and ongoing success.
Timeline Breakdown
Week 1: Define & Source
- • Define operational requirements (Day 1-2)
- • Post on job boards, ask for referrals (Day 2-3)
- • Review candidates, shortlist 5-10 (Day 4-7)
Week 2-3: Interview & Select
- • First-round interviews (45-min calls)
- • Second round: case study or process review
- • Reference checks (2-3 calls)
- • Make offer and negotiate terms
Week 4: Onboard & Start
- • Contract signing and admin setup
- • Share operations access, systems, docs
- • First week: operational audit and review
- • Begin process optimization work
First 90 Days: Deliver
- • Month 1: Operational audit, quick wins
- • Month 2: Process improvements, systems
- • Month 3: Scale, hire, measure results
- • Decide to extend or part ways
Contract Terms & Structure
Standard terms for fractional COO engagements.
Standard Contract Template
Engagement Model
- Day rate: £750-£1,400 per day (based on experience)
- Commitment: 1-3 days per week (specify exact days)
- Monthly retainer option: £3,200-£5,500 for predictable billing
Term & Notice
- Initial term: 3-month trial period
- Renewal: Auto-renew to 12-month rolling contract after trial
- Notice period: 30 days either side (standard)
Scope of Work
- Responsibilities: Operational strategy, process design, team leadership, scaling systems
- Deliverables: Process documentation, operational KPIs, improvement roadmap
- Exclusions: Day-to-day task execution (unless scoped), individual contributor work
IP & Confidentiality
- IP ownership: Company owns all process documentation and systems
- Confidentiality: Standard NDA terms, survives termination
- Non-compete: Usually not applicable (fractional works with multiple companies)
Optional: Equity
- Advisory shares: 0.15-0.35% for long-term engagements (12+ months)
- Vesting: Quarterly or annual vesting
- Cash reduction: If equity included, day rate may reduce 10-15%
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