What is a fractional executive?

A fractional executive is an experienced leader who works for a company part time on an ongoing basis, most commonly a fractional CFO, CMO or CTO. The arrangement gives a business senior capability for the days a month the role genuinely requires, rather than carrying a full-time salary for a part-time need. Nextyn places fractional executives on a day rate, with the days per month agreed before the placement starts and reviewable as the need changes. Fractional leaders sit inside the business and carry the function, rather than advising it from outside as a consultant would.

How much does a fractional CFO or CEO cost?

Nextyn agrees the cost of a placement in writing before any executive is placed. Two variables move it: the executive’s seniority and the time the role genuinely requires, whether that is a few days a month for a fractional role or a full-time commitment for an interim one. Nextyn proposes candidates with their backgrounds and rates attached, and the client interviews and approves before anything is confirmed. Where the days or the term change during a placement, Nextyn re-confirms the arrangement in writing rather than letting it drift.

How fast can you place an executive?

Nextyn places interim and fractional executives within days of the brief. Interim needs rarely wait, which is usually why they are interim: a departure, a transition or a funding milestone has already set the clock. Nextyn puts forward candidates with backgrounds and rates attached, and the client interviews and approves before any placement is confirmed. That timetable is the practical difference from a retained executive search, which runs over an agreed mandate period and ends in a permanent hire.

Which roles can you fill?

Nextyn places fractional CFOs, CMOs, CTOs, CIOs and COOs, interim CEOs and managing directors, and interim or fractional leaders across HR, supply chain, operations and other specialist functions. Placements run globally, across 70+ countries. Where a role is narrow enough that Nextyn does not hold a ready bench, Nextyn recruits against the brief rather than proposing the closest available fit, and says at briefing which of the two applies.

Where can you place executives?

Nextyn places interim and fractional executives globally, across 70+ countries. Local benches support placements that need an executive on the ground rather than working remotely. Where a role requires a specific work authorisation or on-site presence, Nextyn confirms at briefing whether its bench covers it rather than proposing candidates who would need sponsorship. Nextyn confirms coverage for the markets in a mandate before any placement begins.

Interim and fractional executives, placed inside the business

When you need leadership now, for a gap, a turnaround, or a role you are not ready to fill full time, we place vetted senior operators directly inside the business. Interim for a defined period, or fractional for the days a week the role actually needs.

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Mid sized distribution businessDistribution networksA distribution business had a network redesign sitting in a report. We placed a former supply chain director to lead it rather than advise on it.
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Venture backed platform businessTechnology, software and semiconductorsA venture backed platform was making early architecture decisions without a senior technical seat. We placed a former CTO part time to set it and hire the team.
Read more

Definition

What are interim and fractional executives?

Interim and fractional executives are experienced leaders placed inside your business without a permanent hire. An interim executive steps in full time for a defined period, covering a gap, a transition or a turnaround. A fractional executive works part time on an ongoing basis, giving you a CFO, CMO or CTO at a fraction of a full time cost. Nextyn sources both from a network of vetted operators, many of them former C-suite leaders, and places them where the mandate is.

Matched in daysbecause the seat is usually already empty

A mandate, not a briefplaced with ownership and accountability

Extend or wind downterms flex as the business moves

A senior operator working with a leadership team

What it answers

Put leadership in the seat without a permanent hire

01
Fractional CFO
Financial leadership, fundraising, planning and controls, for the days a week the business actually needs them.
02
Fractional CMO, CTO and COO
Marketing, technology and operational leadership from an operator who has built the function before, not learned it on you.
03
Interim CEO and managing director
Full time leadership through a gap, a turnaround or a transition, on a defined term with a defined mandate.
04
Interim functional leads
HR, supply chain and specialist functions, placed on the same terms and screened to the same standard.
05
Post-deal and integration leadership
Someone in the seat from day one after a close, or on the ground in a market you have just entered.

How it works

How Nextyn places an executive

Our research lead owns the mandate end to end, and the executive is screened before you meet them.

Find an executive

Why Nextyn

What makes a placement actually hold

What matters is whether they have done this specific job before, at roughly your stage.

Two executives working through a plan together

Who uses it

Who places an interim or fractional executive

Four kinds of team, one shared problem: a seat that needs someone in it now.

01Founders and CEOsA fractional CFO, CMO or CTO for the days the role needs, at a fraction of a permanent cost.Find an executive

02Private equity and venture capitalParachute a proven operator into a portfolio company to lead value creation or cover a gap.Find an executive

03BoardsAn interim CEO or functional head through a vacancy, a change program or a sale process.Find an executive

04Corporate developmentIntegration leadership after a deal closes, or a leader on the ground in a market you have just entered.Find an executive

Nextyn IQ

What the interim built stays after they leave

A handover, written as they go the decisions, the reasoning and the open threads, recorded through the engagement
The function left standing process, reporting and controls built to outlast the person who built them
A view on the permanent hire someone who has run the seat can tell you what the permanent version of it needs to be
Extend, transition or wind down terms flex with the mandate, including a bridge into a permanent search

Expertise in action

Get more insight into what matters to you most

Analysis and market reads from the Nextyn desk.

Case studyFractional CFO Placement Case StudyA fractional executive placement covering the raise and the finance function afterwardsRead more

Case studyInterim Plant Leadership Case StudyInterim executive placement of a plant director to run the committed rampRead more

ArticleInterim or Permanent Hire After a Carve-Out?A carve-out needs someone on day one and someone for year three. They are rarely the same person. How to sequence the two hires.Read more

ArticleFractional Executive Costs: The Six-Month GapA fractional or interim executive costs more per day and less per year than a permanent hire. What the day rate is, and where the crossover sits.Read more

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Find an executive

01
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Your questions, and the thesis behind them. A paragraph of context is enough.
02
We come back with angles and expert profiles
A shortlist with rates included.
03
Approve, then we field
You select and approve the experts you want to speak to.
04
Nextyn IQ reads across the whole project
Agreement, contradictions and open gaps, read across every call in the project.

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Interim and fractional executives, placed inside the business

What are interim and fractional executives?

Put leadership in the seat without a permanent hire

Fractional CFO

Fractional CMO, CTO and COO

Interim CEO and managing director

Interim functional leads

Post-deal and integration leadership

How Nextyn places an executive

What makes a placement actually hold

Who places an interim or fractional executive

What the interim built stays after they leave

Get more insight into what matters to you most

Speak to an expert about your question

Tell us about your research needs

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