A senior operator for 1–3 days a week. They install the operating rhythm, fix the processes that break as you grow, and give the CEO their week back.
Tell us what you need and our team will introduce you to people who fit.
A fractional COO is an experienced chief operating officer who runs operations for your company part-time, usually one to three days a week on a monthly retainer. They set up the operating rhythm, own cross-team execution, fix processes and manage department heads, so the CEO can focus on strategy, customers and fundraising.
The COO role is the hardest C-suite job to define because it changes with the CEO. In most small and mid-size companies it comes down to this: the CEO decides where the company goes, and the COO makes sure it actually gets there.
A fractional COO does that part-time. They usually start by mapping who owns what, then install a weekly and quarterly operating rhythm: goals, scorecards, leadership meetings that end with decisions. From there they fix the processes that are breaking, whether that's hiring, delivery, customer support or finance operations.
Companies running EOS often call this role the Integrator. The work is the same: someone who turns the visionary's plans into execution and holds the leadership team to it.
TL;DR
Fractional COO services cost $7,200–$10,800 a month for a typical 12-hour week, based on GoFractional's average rate of $194 an hour. Deeper engagements of two to three days a week run $11,000–$18,000. Light advisory work starts around $3,000, and near-full-time interim COOs reach $18,000–$25,000.
Typical monthly retainer
$8,000–$14,000/mo
Hourly rate in live job posts
$150–$225/hr
Monthly cost in live job posts
$7,200–$10,800/mo
| Pricing model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Advisory (8–12 hrs/month) | $3,000–$6,500 per month | Coaching the CEO and leadership team, no direct ownership |
| Part-time operational (about 1 day/week) | $6,000–$12,000 per month | Owns some functions and runs the leadership meeting |
| Embedded (1–2 days/week) | $12,000–$18,000 per month | Owns execution across the leadership team |
| Near-full-time or interim | $18,000–$25,000+ per month | Turnarounds, multi-site, or covering a vacant COO seat |
| Day rate | $1,500–$3,500 per day | Planning offsites, process sprints, due diligence |
| Full-time COO | $280,000–$305,000+ per year loaded | Large, complex operations that need a daily owner |
A full-time COO in the US averages around $215,000 in base salary. Once benefits, payroll tax and bonus are included the employer cost is $280,000–$305,000 or more, plus equity. Most companies using a fractional COO end up 40–65% below that.
A COO who directly manages department heads costs more than one who advises. This is the biggest single driver.
Owning delivery, support, people ops and finance ops is more work than fixing one process.
Most retainers are priced as days per week. One day suits a stable business; three suits a turnaround or a growth spurt.
Multi-site, manufacturing, logistics and regulated businesses pay more than software companies.
Fractional COO services usually fall into four packages. Most companies start with an operational assessment and move into ongoing leadership.
Two to four weeks of interviews, process mapping and data review, ending with a prioritized list of what's broken and who should own it.
Company goals, team scorecards, a weekly leadership meeting and a quarterly planning process. EOS, OKRs or a simpler system, depending on your team.
Fixing the processes that break as you grow: hiring and onboarding, project delivery, customer support, vendor management and internal tools.
Weekly 1:1s with department heads, performance conversations, and hiring the managers you're missing.
Opening a new location, integrating an acquisition, moving to a new ERP, or preparing for a sale.
The scope depends on what the CEO wants to hand over. These are the most common areas.
Turning annual goals into quarterly priorities with clear owners, and tracking them every week.
Who reports to whom, which roles to hire next, and where the gaps are.
Managing and coaching the leaders of delivery, support, people and operations.
A small set of numbers every team owns, reviewed weekly.
Documented workflows, the right software, and fewer manual handoffs.
Working with finance on hiring plans, margins and the cost of growth.
The difference is ownership. A consultant recommends; a fractional COO runs the operations alongside you.
| Option | Time | Role | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional COO | 1–3 days/week, ongoing | Owns execution and manages leaders | $6,000–$18,000/mo |
| Operations consultant | Project | Diagnoses and recommends | Fixed project fee or day rate |
| Interim COO | Near full-time, 3–9 months | Covers a vacant seat or a turnaround | $18,000–$25,000+/mo |
| Full-time COO | Full-time | Owns operations long-term | $280,000–$305,000+/yr |
A fractional COO often works themselves out of a job by building a team of managers and hiring the full-time COO or VP of Operations who takes over.
COO problems usually show up as a CEO problem first.
When not to hire one: Under 15 people, most operations problems are founder habits rather than missing processes. An operations manager or a good coach for the CEO is usually enough.
Nothing moves without the founder, and strategy work only happens on weekends.
What worked at 15 people fails at 50. Deadlines slip, handoffs get dropped, and customers notice.
Department heads report activity, not results, and meetings end without decisions.
A new location, an acquisition, a new product line or a sale process needs someone senior to run it.
Tell us what you need and our team will introduce you to people who have done this job before, so you can talk to them before you commit.
Tell us what you needAsk about specific outcomes, not credentials. A good candidate will tell you what didn't work as readily as what did.
What size and type of company have you run operations for?
Which operating system do you use (EOS, OKRs, something else) and why?
Will you manage our department heads directly?
What changes would we see in the first 90 days?
How do you hand off once we hire a full-time leader?
Still have questions? Email our team and we'll help you work out what you need.
Most fractional COO engagements cost $7,200–$10,800 per month for about 12 hours a week. Embedded engagements of two to three days a week run $11,000–$18,000. Light advisory work starts around $3,000 a month, and near-full-time interim work reaches $18,000–$25,000.
A fractional COO turns the company plan into execution. They set up the operating rhythm, manage department heads, fix broken processes and own cross-team projects, so the CEO can focus on strategy, customers and fundraising.
Largely, yes. In EOS the Integrator is the person who runs the leadership team and turns the visionary's plans into execution. Many fractional COOs work as part-time Integrators.
Usually between 20 and 200 employees, when growth has outpaced processes and the CEO is stuck in day-to-day operations. A coming change such as a new location, acquisition or sale is another common trigger.
A fractional COO works part-time on an ongoing basis. An interim COO works close to full-time for a few months, usually to fill a vacant seat or lead a turnaround.
Use the form on this page to describe your team and what's breaking, and we'll introduce you to operators who fit. You can also browse mentors with COO and VP Operations experience and book an intro call directly.
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