Interview fractional leaders this week for free!
Bring in a senior leader full-time for 3–12 months to lead the function, own the work, and stabilize the business until your permanent hire is in place.
Trusted by teams at fast-growing companies
An interim executive is a full-time senior leader who steps into a critical role for a defined period—usually 3 to 12 months. They're not a consultant or advisor. They run the function, manage teams, and keep the business moving while you transition to a permanent hire.
Not an advisor a few hours a week. They own the function and dedicate their full week to the work.
A defined engagement with a clear start and end, without a permanent headcount commitment.
They stabilize the work and hand off to your permanent leader with no loose ends.
Your CFO resigned three weeks before the audit. Your CTO left mid-replatform. Your Head of People exited during a hiring sprint. An interim leader stabilizes the function while you run a thoughtful, permanent search.
When someone takes parental, medical, or sabbatical leave, the work does not pause. An interim leader covers the seat so the team does not lose momentum.
A pending fundraise, audit, M&A process, or carve-out needs full-time senior attention, but you don't want to make a permanent hire under that pressure.
Executive searches take months. The seat can't sit empty that long. An interim leader holds the role and often helps you scope and source the permanent hire.
Maintain confidence with experienced leadership through a critical reporting or financing window.
Use the interim period to document systems, stabilize the function, and onboard the permanent hire well.
FCP Euro, a direct-to-consumer automotive parts retailer, needed a CTO fast. But CEO Scott Drozd did not want to lock into a permanent decision too early. A mis-hire at that level would have impacted the entire organization.
That is when FCP Euro found Go Fractional.
Go Fractional provided a strategic, low-risk talent solution through interim hiring.
| Factor | Go Fractional | Executive staffing agency | Retained search firm | Internal acting leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement model | Embedded senior operator, fixed term | Placed contractor from a roster | Permanent hire after long search | Existing employee covers two roles |
| Vetting | Curated network of vetted operators | Roster-based, variable depth | Deep vetting, slow process | Already known internally |
| Seniority level | Director through C-suite | Mixed—often mid-level | C-suite | Usually one level below the seat |
| Time to start | 72 hours to interviews; 1–3 weeks to start | 2–6 weeks | 60–120 days for a permanent hire | Immediate |
| Cost structure | Monthly retainer | Retainer plus agency markup | Percentage of first-year compensation | Hidden cost—their primary role suffers |
| Duration | 3–12 months, defined end date | Variable | Permanent | Until burnout |
| Best for | Critical seats during a real transition | Lower-stakes operational coverage | When you're ready to commit permanently | Short, low-stakes coverage only |
Bring in a full-time senior operator to stabilize the function, lead the work, and prepare a clean handoff.
Keep the function moving with an experienced leader dedicated to the role for a defined term.
Jumping in is easy — no upfront deposit or long contracts required. Engage month to month, for as long as you need.
A dedicated executive recruiter verifies each candidate's qualifications, availability, and interest before sending them your way.
Our funnel is built for speed. Most companies start interviews within the week.
Browse 15,000+ leaders by function, or skip the search and let us match you.
Tell us what you need, meet screened leaders, and start with a simple engagement built around the way you want to hire.
We understand your hiring needs and help finalize your job description.
We source top talent who are ready to step in.
Bring your full-time leader on board with a defined end date.
Tell us the role. Meet a proven operator this week.
No deposit · Dedicated executive recruiter · Match replacements at no cost
Hiring at the role level? Each role page carries its own pricing and FAQs.
Compare the other engagement models.
Bring in a senior leader full-time for 3–12 months to lead the function, own the work, and stabilize the business until your permanent hire is in place.
FCP Euro, a direct-to-consumer automotive parts retailer, needed a CTO fast. But CEO Scott Drozd did not want to lock into a permanent decision too early. A mis-hire at that level would have impacted the entire organization.
That is when FCP Euro found Go Fractional.
Go Fractional provided a strategic, low-risk talent solution through interim hiring.
“It's a can't-lose scenario. You either get the learnings from the subject matter expert, or you get the full-time capability. It provided a ton of flexibility, much faster speed to market, and conservation of time and resources.”
Browse 15,000+ leaders by function, or skip the search and let us match you.
