Recurring leadership
Fractional work can suit continuing part-week responsibility where decisions and coverage can be planned. Check the work between those days.
Fractional, interim, permanent and non-executive search · UK
Build the team that fits your stage.
Assemble a fractional C-suite — CFO to CISO, one to three days a week, on published day rates — and pay for the days you use, not a full-time salary. Bring one brief: we come back with a shortlist of 3–5, each through five-stage vetting, with day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
Looking for a role? Open your room →Hiring? Post a brief →
- 3–5 on every shortlist
- Fractional interim and permanent
- Five-stage vetting
- IR35 position on every brief
The right briefChoose the question to explore
Part 01 / 04
Responsibility
Describe what needs to be owned and which decisions the person can make. Start with the work before choosing a title.
Part 02 / 04
Engagement
Choose recurring part-week leadership, transition cover or a continuing appointment against that responsibility.
Part 03 / 04
Evidence
A shortlist should let you compare relevant experience, availability and the stated pay or day rate.
Part 04 / 04
Next step
Hiring starts with a brief. A role search starts with the employer’s posting and its confirmed conditions.
17
Roles published in the last 90 days
Our jobs pipeline · re-read hourly
1,338
Postings our pipeline has screened, all time
Our jobs pipeline · re-read hourly
12
Functions covered by the roles on the board
Our jobs pipeline · re-read hourly
On the board · last 3 months
fractional executive jobs on the board
- SyndicatedChief Revenue Officer (Advisory, Fractional) — Enterprise Software Pricing & Go-to-Market
Norven · London
Rate not stated2 d/wk - FractionalAvailable now · our mandateFractional Executive Assistant
Confidential client (Fractional Quest mandate) · London
Rate not stated2–3 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedPart time / Fractional Finance Director
PHIX · United Kingdom
est £650/day3 d/wk - InterimSyndicatedFractional Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Algorithmiq Oy · United Kingdom
est £2,000/day2 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedAcquisition CFO / Finance Director (Fractional)
CivSec Group · London
est £1,500/dayLondon - FractionalSyndicatedBusiness Affairs Executive (Fractional / Per-Project)
Twenty-Nine Palms Entertainment · London
est £1,100/dayLondon - FractionalSyndicatedFinancial Controller (fractional)
Fermtech · Oxford
est £550/dayOxford - FractionalSyndicatedFractional IT Director – Technology & AI (FTC)
Flat Iron · London
est £1,000/day2 d/wk - FractionalSyndicatedFractional Chief Medical Officer - Tricorder Systems
Founders Factory · Bristol
Rate not statedBristol
Every role on the board is a real vacancy from the open market, published only when it passes our pipeline’s screening. Rates are shown only when the posting states them; anything estimated is labelled estimated. Nothing is ever invented to fill a slot.
01/ definitions
What is fractional?
Fractional means a senior executive who works for your company part of the week, on an ongoing basis — typically one to three days — instead of full time. They hold the role and its accountability for the days they work, and often serve more than one company at once.
Interim is full time for a fixed term: a leader who fills an empty seat or runs a defined project. Part-time is employment on a reduced week with one employer, protected by the Part-time Workers Regulations 2000.
Our working definitions. Fractional isn’t always the answer, and a firm that pretends otherwise is selling, not advising — so the comparison argues each case both ways.
FractionalFull-time hire
Days a weekTypically one to threeFive
ContractConsultancy agreement, usually with the executive’s own companyEmployment contract
What you payA day rate for the days you useSalary, plus employer NI at 15% above £5,000 (HMRC, 2026/27), pension and benefits
Hiring routeOur shortlist of 3–5, after five-stage vettingRetained search, typically 25–35% of approximate first-year base salary (Headhunters.co.uk, 2026)
Fits whenYou need senior judgement before you need a full week of itThe job is running a large team every day, for years
→ Fractional wins on flexibility; full time wins when the role genuinely fills a week. We will say which one your brief is.
FractionalInterim
Days a weekTypically one to threeFull time
TermOngoing, reviewed as you growFixed: ends when the gap is filled or the project is done
Typical triggerA function you are not ready to hire full timeA leader has left, or a raise, sale or turnaround needs a full-time lead now
Clients at onceOften more than oneUsually one
→ Fractional builds a function over time; interim holds a seat or runs a project full time. We recruit both.
FractionalPart-time
StatusSelf-employed, usually through their own companyEmployed, on a reduced week
EmployersOften more than oneOne
TaxIR35 applies: status turns on how the work runsPAYE, like any employee
Fits whenThe leader wants a portfolio and you want flexibilityThe leader wants one employer and employment rights
→ Part-time suits one employer and a steady week; fractional suits a portfolio. Both are real options.
Sources: HMRC employer rates 2026/27 ↗ · Headhunters.co.uk, 2026
02/ stage fit
The right layer for your stage.
Pre-seed doesn’t need a full-time CFO; a PE-backed SME doesn’t need a junior one. We architect the leadership layer to your stage — which functions, how many days, in what order — and show the reasoning.
A leadership layer, not a list of CVs. Add, shrink or swap roles as you grow; the architecture flexes. More on how we design a fractional team.
For the finance routes a company moves through as it grows, the British Business Bank publishes business finance guidance.
Pre-seed and seed · our view, not a benchmark
Finance and product before headcount.
Most early companies need a senior finance lead to build the model and run the raise, and senior technology judgement if the founders are not technical — not a full executive team.
Series A · our view, not a benchmark
Owners for the functions the next raise will test.
Go-to-market, finance and hiring start to need senior owners. A fractional CMO sets the go-to-market, a fractional CFO keeps the board pack and the runway honest, and a people lead designs hiring before headcount grows.
Series B and scale-up · our view, not a benchmark
Fractional where a seat is not yet full time.
Operations, security and product often need senior leadership before they need a full-time executive. Where a seat is empty now, an interim holds it while you decide.
PE-backed and SME · our view, not a benchmark
Senior, not junior — for a defined job.
A PE-backed SME often needs a seasoned CFO or COO for a value-creation plan, not a full-time hire at that level, and sometimes a chief executive for a transition. Where a leader has left, an interim holds the seat.
03/ how we work
From brief to shortlist
You bring the brief. We architect the team. Fractional Quest is a fractional recruitment agency: this is what we undertake on every brief, and the intake is always open — bring the brief whenever it lands on you.
- 01
Brief
A 15-minute call on the seat, the days a week, the start date and what the role must deliver.
The brief - 02
Search
We search and screen against that brief through five-stage vetting: track record, fit to your stage and situation, and references we take ourselves.
Five-stage vetting - 03
Shortlist
Three to five candidates, each with day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
Shortlist of 3–5 - 04
Start
You interview and choose. The executive you choose contracts with you.
You choose
04/ vetting
Five stages of vetting
No one reaches your shortlist on a CV alone. Every candidate we put forward clears the same five stages, in order. The full process is on our vetting page.
Stage 01
Qualification screen
We verify C-suite tenure and sector context: a professional qualification for a finance leader, real prior tenure for technology and security leaders, board-facing experience for chief executives and marketing leaders.
Stage 02
Mandate fit
We test the candidate against your situation, not the title. A pre-Series B raise needs a different CFO from a post-acquisition integration.
Stage 03
Reference deep-dive
We speak to two or three founders, investors or chairs the candidate has worked with in the last 18 months.
Stage 04
Shortlist and IR35
Three to five candidates, each with day rate, availability and IR35 position set out, including a CEST check.
Stage 05
Kick-off
Contract and statement of work, with the deliverables scoped to the brief.
05/ day rates
The whole C-suite, on published day rates.
Every band here is a figure a named UK source publishes — no “POA”, no invented median. Type your own day rate to see where it sits, or cost a whole engagement in the rate calculator.
Published UK day-rate bands · £ a day
- Fractional CFO£700–£1,400FD Capital 2026
- Interim FD£650–£1,500FD Capital 2026
- Fractional CTO£1,000–£1,600Leadership Services 2026
- Interim CTO£800–£1,800Exec Capital 2026
- Fractional COO£800–£1,400Connectd 2026
- Interim COO£800–£2,000Exec Capital 2026
- Fractional CMO£750–£1,400Connectd 2026
- Interim CMO£700–£2,000Exec Capital 2026
- Fractional CISO£1,200–£2,000Optima Europe
- Contract CISO£1,000–£1,500+Barclay Simpson
- Contract CHRO£900–£1,500Robert Walters 2026 (London contract)
Published fractional bandPublished interim or contract band
RoleFractional, £ a dayInterim or contract, £ a day
CHRO / Chief People OfficerNo published day band we can cite£900–£1,500 Contract CHRO · Robert Walters 2026 (London contract) ↗
Published asking bands, not transacted rates. The permanent alternative carries employer National Insurance at 15% on salary above £5,000 (HMRC, 2026/27) and, through retained search, a fee typically 25–35% of approximate first-year base salary (Headhunters.co.uk, 2026).
06/ two ways in
Hiring, or looking?
One for hiring managers, one for executives.
For hiring managers
I need a leader
Tell us the seat, the days a week and the start date in a 15-minute call. We come back with a shortlist of 3–5, each with day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
For executives
I’m an executive
Browse UK fractional, interim and part-time roles. The day rate is shown only where the posting states one, and every role has its own page. See where your rate sits against the published bands, and read the IR35 guide before you sign. If you invoice through your own company, GOV.UK sets out a director’s duties in running a limited company.
07/ every seat
Every seat in the C-suite
Each hub carries its roles, the rates a named source publishes for that seat, and how to hire for it. Comparing firms? Read our guide to fractional executive search firms.
Chief Financial OfficerFractional CFO
Hire a fractional CFO, or find fractional CFO jobs.
Chief Technology OfficerFractional CTOHire a fractional CTO, or find fractional CTO jobs.
Chief Marketing OfficerFractional CMOHire a fractional CMO, or find fractional CMO jobs.
Chief Operating OfficerFractional COOHire a fractional COO, or find fractional COO jobs.
Chief Executive OfficerFractional CEOHire a fractional CEO, or find fractional CEO jobs.
Chief Product OfficerFractional CPOHire a fractional CPO, or find fractional CPO jobs.
Chief People OfficerFractional CHROHire a fractional CHRO, or find fractional CHRO jobs.
Chief Information Security OfficerFractional CISOHire a fractional CISO, or find fractional CISO jobs.
Practical guide · Updated
Start with the responsibility you need filled, or the role you want next. We recruit fractional, interim, part-time, temporary and permanent executives, and non-executive directors; the working brief determines the search.
The working brief · 01
Begin with the work that needs an owner
The same job title can describe very different problems. A useful brief makes the business situation, decisions and support visible before a search begins.
- 1
Situation
Explain the change or gap: unclear cash, a delivery constraint, an unowned product decision or a leadership departure.
- 2
Ownership
Name the decisions and work the hire will own. Separate them from advice, coordination and work retained by the existing team.
- 3
Support
Name the sponsor, team, information and access available. Be clear about any dependency that still needs solving.
The working brief · 02
Fit the engagement to the responsibility
Fractional, interim and permanent are useful starting points for a conversation about scope and availability. They do not establish employment status by themselves.
The decision
Transition cover
Interim or temporary work can address a defined gap or change. Agree what brings the engagement to an end and what must be handed over.
Continuing appointment
Permanent employment supports an ongoing seat; the schedule may be full-time or part-time. Set out the hours and employment terms.
The working brief · 03
Separate oversight from delivery
A non-executive brief asks different questions from an executive operating brief. State the appointment, authority and expectations directly instead of assuming that a title settles them.
The decision
Executive work
Describe the operating decisions, people management and delivery obligations. Show who the executive reports to.
Oversight work
For a non-executive appointment, define the board contribution and governance expectations. Confirm the formal responsibilities with appropriate advice.
Mixed expectations
If a brief mixes board oversight and hands-on work, resolve the boundaries before seeking candidates. Do not leave independent challenge and delivery ownership ambiguous.
The working brief · 04
Compare evidence against the same brief
Acas guidance starts with the job description and person specification. Use relevant requirements consistently so that a polished presentation does not replace evidence of the work.
- 1
Relevant situation
Ask each candidate about a comparable business situation. Distinguish experience they held from a role they would like to take next.
- 2
Personal responsibility
Establish what they decided, what others owned and the constraints they worked within. Ask about access and authority as well as outcomes.
- 3
Working conditions
Compare availability, pay or day rate, location and engagement requirements. Unresolved conditions should remain visible questions.
The working brief · 05
A fictional founder’s brief
Imagine a company whose founder approves every operational decision while the team cannot see the cash outlook. This fictional example shows why a broad “senior help” brief needs separating.
The decision
Finance need
Forecasting and cash visibility need a named owner with access to the accounts. Clarify whether the work is preparation, review or strategic decision support.
Operating need
Delivery and approval bottlenecks need a different set of responsibilities. Identify which decisions the founder is ready to delegate.
Search decision
Decide whether these are separate seats or a coherent combined brief. Do not assume a senior title makes every function part of one person’s job.
The working brief · 06
Search from your actual experience
A role search works best when the responsibilities, conditions and evidence are clear. The board is useful even when the exact seat you want is not currently listed.
- 1
Choose the function
Use the role guides to distinguish the responsibility you want. Then read the actual asks on each job.
- 2
Read the conditions
Check engagement, location, stated pay and the liveness label. Related roles are labelled; they are not a substitute for an exact opening.
- 3
Prepare the response
Explain relevant experience and availability. Follow the employer’s application route and confirm anything the posting does not establish.
The working brief · 07
Build continuity into the brief
A search should settle how the work carries on around the executive. Handover is useful at the start as well as the end, especially where the person works part of the week.
- Stage 101
Set the baseline
Agree the current position, access, responsibilities and unresolved questions. Name the colleagues who need to use the work. - Stage 202
Record decisions
Keep assumptions, decisions and ownership visible. Agree a route for urgent matters outside scheduled working days. - Stage 303
Leave usable work
Keep documents, system ownership and open decisions understandable to the next owner. Review what still depends on the individual.
The working brief · 08
Bring a decision-ready question
The next conversation should resolve a specific uncertainty. A role label alone rarely says enough to scope a search or decide whether an opening is relevant.
- 1
If you are hiring
Bring the responsibility, business context, available support and proposed working pattern. Say which conditions you still need to settle.
- 2
If you are looking
Bring the role you want, relevant experience and practical availability. Ask about the employer’s actual brief.
- 3
If the model is unclear
Compare the work under fractional, interim and permanent arrangements. Check hours and contract separately from the label.
08/ questions
Questions, answered
About Fractional Quest, fractional work and what it costs.
What is Fractional Quest?
Fractional Quest is a UK executive search firm for fractional, interim, part-time, temporary, permanent and non-executive appointments. Companies bring us a brief for a senior seat — CFO, CTO, CMO, COO, CEO, CPO, CHRO or CISO — and we come back with a shortlist of 3–5 candidates, each through our five-stage vetting. Executives use the site to find fractional roles. A non-executive director carries the same legal duties as an executive one (IoD on the role of the non-executive director).
What is a fractional executive?
A senior leader who works for your company part of the week on an ongoing basis — typically one to three days — rather than full time. They hold the role and its accountability for the days they work, and often work for more than one company at once. Whether someone is an employee, a worker or self-employed is a legal question with its own tests (GOV.UK employment status).
What is the difference between fractional, interim and part-time?
Fractional is part of the week, ongoing, often alongside other clients. Interim is full time for a fixed term, usually to fill an empty seat or run a defined project. Part-time is employment on a reduced week with one employer, and part-time staff must not be treated less favourably than comparable full-time staff (Acas on part-time workers). We recruit all three: see interim executive recruitment and the role hubs on this page.
How much does a fractional executive cost?
It depends on the seat. Published UK bands include fractional CFO £700–£1,400 a day (FD Capital 2026), fractional CTO £1,000–£1,600 a day (Leadership Services 2026) and fractional CMO £750–£1,400 a day (Connectd 2026). Multiply the day rate by the days you buy; the rate calculator does the arithmetic. These are published asking bands, not transacted rates.
How long does a shortlist take?
We do not promise a fixed turnaround: it depends on the seat and the market. What we undertake is the shortlist itself — three to five candidates, each with day rate, availability and IR35 position set out.
How do you vet candidates?
Every candidate we put forward clears five stages: a qualification screen, mandate fit against your brief, a reference deep-dive with two or three people they have worked with in the last 18 months, the shortlist with IR35 position set out (including a check with HMRC’s Check Employment Status for Tax tool), and kick-off. The detail is on our vetting page.
Is a fractional executive inside or outside IR35?
It depends on how the engagement runs day to day, not on the contract’s label. Medium and large clients decide the status themselves; for a small private-sector client — small as defined in section 382 of the Companies Act 2006 — the executive’s own company does (HMRC off-payroll guidance). We set out the IR35 position on every brief, and our IR35 guide explains the tests.
I’m an executive. How do I find fractional work?
Start with the board: real UK fractional, interim and part-time roles, with the day rate shown only where the posting states one. Each role hub — for example fractional CFO jobs — carries its own roles and published rates.
Book 15 minutes · shortlist of 3–5
Bring the brief. We architect the team.
Fractional Quest exists so stage-appropriate leadership is a decision, not a long search: vetted candidates, published rates, and one brief for the whole leadership layer.