Fractional & Interim Marketing Leadership
Not every organisation needs a full-time CMO or Marketing Director.
But many reach a point where tactical execution isn’t enough — and the lack of senior marketing leadership starts to slow growth.
I work as a fractional or interim marketing leader, partnering with founders, executives and leadership teams to set direction, fix what’s broken, and build momentum quickly.
This is hands-on leadership — not advisory theatre.
Executive Summary
This model is designed for organisations that need to:
Access senior marketing leadership without long-term headcount
Create clarity across strategy, execution and performance
Align marketing with revenue, product and growth priorities
Stabilise teams and decision-making during periods of change
Move fast, without compromising strategic rigour
It is built for impact, accountability and leadership-level trust.
What Fractional & Interim Leadership Really Means
At senior level, marketing problems are rarely about channels.
They are about direction, ownership and prioritisation.
Fractional and interim leadership exists to fill that gap — quickly and credibly.
Fractional Marketing Leadership
Best suited when you need ongoing senior ownership, but not full-time.
Typical characteristics
1–3 days per week
Embedded within the leadership team
Owns strategy, prioritisation and performance
Builds internal capability over time
This works particularly well for scale-ups, founder-led businesses, and organisations preparing for their next phase of growth.
Interim Marketing Leadership
Designed for moments that require full accountability, fast.
Typical characteristics
Full-time or near full-time
Covers leadership gaps or transitions
Stabilises teams and delivery
Often precedes a permanent hire
Most effective during restructures, rapid change, or when momentum has been lost.
What I Take Ownership Of
I don’t operate as a channel specialist.
I take ownership of the marketing system.
That typically includes:
Go-to-market strategy and positioning
SEO, GEO and modern search leadership
Performance marketing and demand capture
Product, pricing and revenue alignment
CRM, automation and lifecycle journeys
Team structure, capability and culture
Agency management and delivery oversight
Measurement, reporting and commercial impact
The objective is simple:
turn marketing into a predictable growth engine — not a cost centre.
How I Work
1. Diagnose the Real Problem
Before changing tactics, I focus on understanding:
Business goals and constraints
Where growth is actually stalling
Decision-making bottlenecks
Capability gaps (people, process, tools)
How success is currently measured
Most marketing issues sit upstream of execution.
2. Set a Clear Growth Narrative
Teams perform better when direction is unambiguous.
This means:
Defining what matters now
Aligning marketing with revenue and product
Removing conflicting priorities
Creating shared understanding across leadership
Clarity unlocks pace.
3. Prioritise Ruthlessly
Senior leadership is as much about what you stop doing as what you start.
I focus effort on:
The levers that matter commercially
High-intent demand, not vanity volume
Sustainable growth, not short-term spikes
4. Execute With Accountability
I don’t sit above the work.
That means:
Being embedded with teams
Making decisions
Owning outcomes
Adjusting quickly when something isn’t working
Mini Case Example: Scaling Without Headcount
For a founder-led business experiencing growth plateaus, marketing activity had increased but results hadn’t. Channels were active and agencies were in place, but strategy and accountability were missing. By stepping in as a fractional marketing leader, priorities were reset, messaging sharpened, and performance measurement aligned to commercial outcomes. This reduced wasted spend, refocused effort on high-intent demand, and restored confidence in marketing — without the need for a full-time senior hire.
Mini Case Example: Interim Leadership During Transition
In a business undergoing organisational change, marketing leadership had become fragmented and delivery inconsistent. Teams lacked direction, decision-making was slow, and performance had stalled. Acting as interim marketing lead, I stabilised the function, clarified ownership, aligned marketing with broader business objectives, and rebuilt momentum — creating the conditions for a successful permanent hire.
What Success Looks Like in the First 90 Days
The early goal is not perfection — it’s clarity, momentum and confidence.
Within the first 90 days, success typically looks like:
Clear ownership and decision-making
A prioritised marketing roadmap aligned to growth goals
Measurement focused on outcomes, not activity
Reduced internal friction and duplicated effort
Early signals of improved performance and direction
Most importantly, leadership has a shared understanding of how marketing supports growth.
When This Model Works Best
Fractional or interim leadership is most effective when:
Marketing feels busy but ineffective
Decisions are slow or unclear
Performance has plateaued
Execution exists without strategy — or strategy without execution
The business is preparing for its next phase
If this feels familiar, senior leadership is usually the missing piece.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between fractional and interim marketing leadership?
Fractional leadership provides ongoing senior ownership on a part-time basis, while interim leadership involves full-time accountability, usually during periods of transition or change.
How is this different from hiring a consultant or agency?
Consultants advise and agencies execute. Fractional and interim leaders own outcomes, make decisions, and are embedded within the business.
How quickly can this model make an impact?
Most organisations see meaningful clarity and momentum within the first 30–90 days, particularly around prioritisation, ownership and measurement.
Is this suitable for early-stage startups?
Yes — particularly when founders need senior guidance without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
Do you work alongside existing teams and agencies?
Yes. The role often involves aligning internal teams and agencies around a single strategy, improving effectiveness rather than replacing capability.
Next Steps
I don’t do hard sells or generic proposals.
The next step is a short exploratory conversation to understand:
Where the business is now
What’s getting in the way
Whether fractional or interim leadership makes sense