Fractional COO or Chief of Staff: what is the difference?

A Fractional COO owns operational outcomes and leads parts of the business; a Chief of Staff extends the CEO, running the cadence, preparing decisions and driving follow-up. We agree the mix at the start, and it can change over time.

How much time do you spend with us?

A defined weekly rhythm, typically one to three days, agreed in the proposal, on fixed days so the team knows when we are in the room.

How long does it usually last?

Until the role justifies a permanent hire, which the engagement itself brings closer. The minimum term is agreed up front, and the exit is planned, not abrupt.

Do you replace our existing leaders?

No. We work through them, to make the leadership team more effective without taking decisions away from the people who own them.

Service

Fractional COO & Chief of Staff: an operating partner alongside the CEO

There is a stage where the CEO needs an operator alongside them, running the cadence, driving priorities, preparing reviews and following up, well before the company can justify a full-time COO. We take that seat part-time, as a Fractional COO or a Chief of Staff as a service, so the operating system keeps working instead of slipping back into the CEO's inbox.

Book an Operating Assessment

A quarter with an operating partner

The problem

Signals you will recognise

01The CEO is the only person holding the company priorities together.
02Leadership meetings happen, but nobody follows up on what was decided.
03You built a management system and it is slowly falling out of use.
04A full-time COO or Chief of Staff is on the table, but the role is not yet clearly defined.
05Board and investor reporting takes the CEO days every month.

How it works

What we do

Start with priorities

After a short assessment, we agree with the CEO what the role must take off their desk in six to twelve months.

Take the seat

We work fixed days each week, sit in the leadership meeting and own the cadence, the reviews and the follow-up.

Build as we go

We build the missing pieces (scorecard, planning, processes) with your team, so the capability stays when we step back.

Planned exit

When the role justifies a permanent hire, we help define it, support the process and hand over a running cadence.

Topics covered

Fractional COO
Chief of Staff as a service
Operating cadence
Priority management
Board and investor reporting
Cross-functional projects

Deliverables

A seat in the leadership team and direct support to the CEO
Ownership of the weekly, monthly and quarterly cadence
Preparation of business reviews and board or investor packs
Follow-up on decisions, actions and company priorities
Leadership of the cross-functional projects the CEO cannot carry
Continuous improvement of the operating system as the company grows
Preparation of the permanent COO or Chief of Staff hire, when the time comes

Typical outcome

The CEO gets time back for the work only they can do, the operating system runs every week, and when the company is ready to hire, the role is already defined and working.

A monthly commitment with a defined weekly rhythm, typically one to three days per week, and a minimum term agreed in the proposal.

Book an Operating Assessment