Fractional operations support
Senior operations help at the pace a growing business can actually absorb.
Between doing it yourself and hiring somebody
There is an awkward stage most growing businesses pass through. Operations has outgrown the founder doing it in the evenings, but a full time operations director is a long way from justifying itself, and the wrong hire at that point is expensive in every sense.
Fractional support is the bridge. You get the judgement of somebody who has run operations at director and board level, for a day or two a month, without adding a senior salary to the payroll before the business is ready for one.
What it looks like in practice
I take a day or two a month, starting with a standing monthly session where we go through how the business is running, keep the improvements moving rather than letting them slide behind the urgent work, and I am on the end of the phone in between for the decisions that would otherwise sit on your desk for a fortnight.
It tends to work better than a project, because the awkward things get chipped away at steadily instead of building up into another piece of work. It also means somebody is watching the operational numbers every month rather than once a year when something has already gone wrong.
Who it suits
Owners and managing directors who are still the final word on operational decisions and would rather not be. Businesses growing quickly enough that the structure needs revisiting more than once a year. Teams with a capable operations manager who would benefit from somebody more senior to think things through with, which is often the cheapest way to develop the person you eventually promote.
Most engagements start with an operations review, because it is easier to keep improvements moving when we both already agree on what matters.
Common questions
Is this the same as a fractional operations director?
In practice yes, though I avoid the title because what you are buying is the judgement and the time rather than a seat on the board.
How much time do you commit?
A day or two a month on a regular pattern, with a standing monthly session, and availability by phone in between.
Is there a minimum term?
Three months to begin with, then rolling. Less than that and there is not enough time for anything to change.
Can it run alongside other work?
Yes, and it often does. A process build fixes one thing properly, while fractional support keeps everything else moving.
What does it cost?
A monthly retainer agreed up front, so it is predictable and considerably less than a senior hire.
Start with a conversation
Half an hour on the phone is usually enough for us both to work out whether there is something worth doing here.