FRACTIONAL COO

COO-level ownership without rushing into a full-time executive hire.

For founder-led organizations that need executive operating leadership but may not be ready for a permanent full-time COO.

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When a Fractional COO is appropriate

The founder is still the default escalation point for most decisions
Growth is creating more complexity than current leadership can manage
The leadership team needs executive-level operating accountability
You need COO-level ownership but hiring full-time carries risk or uncertainty
Departments operate in silos without cross-functional coordination
Operating margins are inconsistent or declining

What the Fractional COO owns

Executive operating cadence and leadership-team meetings
P&L and operating KPI ownership
Cross-functional prioritization
Decision rights and escalation design
Organizational structure and role clarity
Manager accountability and development
Capacity, workflow and bottleneck analysis
Margin and labor-efficiency improvement
Technology and automation implementation
Founder-dependence reduction
Quarterly and 90-day operating priorities

Recurring cadence

Weekly leadership operating meeting
Weekly scorecard review
Priority and issue ownership tracking
Monthly financial and margin review
Monthly founder operating review
Quarterly or 90-day priority reset

Investment

Fractional COO engagements begin at

$12,500/month

Final scope depends on complexity, authority, onsite requirements and workload. Minimum 90-day initial term.

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Questions

How much time does a Fractional COO typically invest?

This depends on scope and complexity. Most engagements involve weekly leadership meetings, scorecard reviews, and direct access throughout the week. Think of it as embedded executive ownership, not hourly consulting.

Does the Fractional COO work onsite?

Operational Edge is remote-first with onsite work when it creates value. Initial diagnostic work, leadership-team sessions and facility reviews often benefit from in-person presence.

What is the reporting relationship?

The Fractional COO works alongside the founder/CEO as an operating partner. The relationship is peer-level, not a report to a VP or department head.

How long do engagements last?

The default minimum term is 90 days. After that, engagements continue monthly or on a renewed fixed term. The goal is to build organizational capability, not permanent dependency on external leadership.

What if I already have a VP of Operations?

A Fractional COO can work alongside existing leadership. The role is about cross-functional executive ownership, not replacing department managers.

Is client information confidential?

Yes. All engagement agreements include confidentiality provisions. Operational Edge does not share client data, financials or internal details without explicit permission.