The Leadership.
Fractional and Accountable.
I join your business for three to six months to run your data, systems or delivery function. I lead the team, make decisions and take responsibility for delivery, then hand over to your team or a permanent hire.
Priced through a Statement of Work. In place within weeks.
Two ways
I can help.
Fractional Programme Lead
For an ERP, finance system or core platform replacement that needs experienced day-to-day leadership.
Talk about your systems programme →Fractional Data & Operations Lead
For a data migration, reporting rebuild or operations team that needs a senior lead through go-live and the weeks that follow.
Talk about your data and operations work →What I do
I become part of your leadership team. I take responsibility for the people, decisions and ways of working, including the data and supplier work. When we need more people, my team at Stratford Ellis can help.
What it produces
We build towards a handover from the start. The team should be able to keep running the function when I leave.
What it isn't
Not a report-and-leave job. I take responsibility for the outcome, embedded in your leadership team.
Typically three to six months · Embedded, part-time each week · Agreed Statement of Work
The experience
I bring.
I've spent ten years leading migrations, core system replacements and reporting rebuilds, including the operating models around them. That covers ERP, finance, CRM and data platforms in regulated organisations.
I look at how the systems, data and people fit together, where the plan could run into trouble and what a decision is likely to cost. I've built systems and been the customer responsible for integrating them.
When this
is useful.
Urgency
Your lead has left and the work needs someone now. A permanent hire could take three to six months.
Leader bottleneck
You're running the programme alongside your own job and need someone to take responsibility for it.
Capable but untested team
Your team is capable but hasn't delivered a migration at this scale before.
Board or investor signal
Your board or investors want to see stronger delivery leadership in practice.
Transformation mandate
You're introducing a new system, data platform or operating model and need experience your team doesn't yet have.
Stabilisation
A migration has stalled, go-live has been difficult or the programme needs steadying.
Silent dysfunction
Leadership and delivery have different accounts of what's happening, and the team needs help discussing it openly.
Internal candidate
You have someone who could lead the function in twelve months and want support developing them before handover.
Tell me where
you need help.
Describe what's happening with delivery. I'll help you work out whether a fractional lead is the right fit.
What people
ask first.
- What is a fractional delivery lead?
- A senior leader who works part-time for a defined period. I join the leadership team, run the work and take responsibility for the outcomes. This engagement typically lasts three to six months.
- When should I bring one in?
- When a data, systems or operations programme is holding the business back and you aren't ready for a full-time hire, or don't need one.
- How does the role relate to consulting or project management?
- My remit includes running the team, setting the plan and taking responsibility for delivery. I also lead decisions about systems, data, the operating model and accountability. We make those responsibilities explicit in the scope.
- Is this an interim role?
- An interim lead temporarily fills a full-time role. A fractional engagement is part-time, with the same need for clear responsibility and an agreed handover.
- How does Stratford Ellis fit in?
- You'll work with me personally as the lead. Stratford Ellis is the consultancy and team behind me, and can provide additional delivery support when needed.
- How long does it last, and what does it cost?
- Usually three to six months. We agree the scope, outcomes, price and handover in a Statement of Work. Pricing is based on the engagement rather than a day rate.