Quality audit gap assessment and improvement roadmap.

Hire a Fractional CQO

Complete guide to hiring fractional quality leadership

£800-2,000

Day Rate

2-6 weeks

Time to Hire

50-70%

Cost Savings

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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

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When to Hire

Quick Definition

Hire a fractional CQO when building quality capabilities without full-time overhead. Ideal for companies in regulated industries preparing for audits or improving quality systems.

What to Look For

Look for candidates with quality leadership in your regulatory environment. Key qualities include QMS experience audit preparation regulatory relationship management and continuous improvement expertise.

Evaluation Criteria

Criteria	Assess	Red Flags
Regulatory	Your industry regs	Wrong sector
Systems	Built QMS	Maintenance only
Audits	Prepared successfully	No audit experience
Improvement	Drove quality gains	Compliance only

Interview Questions

Key questions: What quality systems have you built? How do you prepare for regulatory audits? What continuous improvement results have you delivered? How do you build quality culture?

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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

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Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%

Operations25%

Leadership20%

Governance15%

Technology10%

Hire a Fractional CQO (Chief Quality Officer)

A fractional Chief Quality Officer provides senior quality leadership for manufacturing, healthcare, and regulated industries where quality assurance is critical but a full-time CQO hire is not justified.

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Why Hire a Fractional CQO?

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Compliance assurance: Meet ISO, FDA, MHRA, and industry-specific quality standards

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Cost of quality reduction: Reduce defects, rework, and warranty costs

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Audit readiness: Prepare for and pass regulatory inspections confidently

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Culture building: Embed quality-first mindset across the organisation

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What a Fractional CQO Delivers

Deliverable	Timeline
Quality audit & gap assessment	Weeks 1-4
QMS design & documentation	Weeks 4-10
Implementation & training	Weeks 10-16
Certification & continuous improvement	Ongoing

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Typical Engagement Models

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Certification: 3-4 days/week for ISO/GMP certification programmes

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Strategic: 1-2 days/week for ongoing quality governance

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Audit: Project-based for regulatory inspection preparation

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Fractional CQO Jobs UK

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CQO Salary Guide

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Fractional COO Jobs UK

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UK Fractional Jobs

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Fractional Recruitment Agency

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

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Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time

Choose the right engagement model

Aspect	Fractional	Interim	Full-Time
Time Commitment	1-3 days/week	4-5 days/week	5 days/week
Duration	Ongoing/flexible	3-12 months	Permanent
Annual Cost	£50-150k	£150-300k	£200-400k+
Best For	SMEs, startups, scale-ups	Crisis, transitions	Large 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

Your Day Rate

£1,000

£750Avg: £1000£1500

Days Per Client/Week

2.5 days

1 day5 days

Number of Clients

2 clients

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.

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