Part-Time CEO Recruitment
Part-time CEOs are the solution that mid-market companies and scaling start-ups have been looking for. The post-pandemic push for more flexible working has led executive professionals to search for portfolio roles that offer opportunities to expand their skills and experience. Part-time CEO positions provide companies with an affordable way to access industry-leading talent.
At Exec Capital, we’re seeing a sharp rise in demand for part-time CEOs. These executives provide companies with guidance and experience during crucial growth periods, offering advice to inexperienced founders without a long-term commitment.
These part-time CEOs come without any long-term commitment and offer founders a chance to develop their relationship with the CEO before making a permanent appointment.
Exec Capital is one of the UK’s leading CEO recruitment agencies, specialising in part-time and interim CEO positions. We offer a 360-degree approach to recruitment with executive search and traditional recruitment services for C-suite positions, including part-time CEOs.
Let us help you recruit a part-time CEO today by contacting our team today at 0203 834 9616 for a no-obligation consultation.
What is a Part-Time CEO?
Part-time CEOs fulfil the same roles and responsibilities as their full-time counterparts. The only difference is that they work either a few hours or days a week, reflecting the company’s needs and financial capacity. A part-time CEO can offer interim leadership for companies with a skills gap or in a transition period as they grow and expand. These industry-leading talents are recruited for their specialist knowledge and expertise, helping companies unlock their potential.
Fractional recruitment makes CEOs more accessible for scaling companies with a limited budget and without the workload of a full-time C-suite position. Hiring a part-time CEO is therefore a win-win for your company, providing an experienced leader to develop your overarching strategy as an investment that pays for itself.
Part-time CEOs are often known as ‘super temps’, providing the same benefits as a full-time CEO at a more affordable rate. They operate like consultants, rather than traditional employees. Most part-time CEOs are paid on an hourly rate or a fee-for-service basis, often working with multiple companies at once. Hiring a fractional CEO also removes the need to pay for equipment, training, or other expenses.
These CEOs will usually oversee the implementation of new guidelines, strategies, and structures within the company. Many might be the first C-suite appointment made to the company, giving them a key role in engaging with stakeholders and potential investors.
Why We’re Seeing More Part-Time CEOs
At Exec Capital, we’re seeing a sharp rise in clients searching for part-time CEOs to build their leadership teams. This trend is consistent across every industry and throughout multiple company sizes and types. The flexibility of a part-time CEO role is shown to attract industry-leading talent and bring more diversity to companies.
Part of the demand for part-time CEOs is driven by companies who want to adapt the role to suit their current needs. These fractional positions offer scalability for mid-market companies, allowing them to transition part-time CEOs to more permanent, full-time contracts as the workload and company’s financial viability increase.
Companies experiencing an unexpected founder exit, or a skills shortage can tailor the role of a part-time CEO, writing the job description accordingly. It’s why a part-time CEO could be recruited at almost any stage in a company’s growth and development. There’s no right time to start hiring a part-time CEO, but most companies choose to do so when a skills gap begins to negatively impact its growth or when the founder’s workload increases.
Many companies approach the concept of a part-time CEO as being similar to ‘renting’ a C-suite executive – getting the benefit of their skills and experience without the financial burden or the long-term commitment of a full-time role. Companies that choose to recruit part-time CEOs avoid relocation costs and typically experience a quicker turnaround time when recruiting.
Why You Should Hire a Part-Time CEO
The post-pandemic flexible working revolution means that it’s not just first-time CEOs who are exploring part-time positions. Companies can explore a wealth of talent from throughout industries, recruiting leaders from within their sector. The knowledge and experience a part-time CEO can bring to your business is invaluable as an investment that positively impacts every aspect of your company.
Part-time CEOs provide structure, strategy, and industry insight to companies while offering mentorship and guidance to first-time founders and mid-level employees. Fractional CEOs have experienced many of the teething problems and issues that can delay growth and development in companies, enabling them to navigate your organisation through these challenges.
Start-ups and SMEs focusing on their growth strategy will experience more sustainable scalability with a part-time CEO on board. These executives bring credibility to your organisation, along with their network of contacts and relationships with financial institutions, industry leaders, and potential investors.
Investing in a part-time CEO is a practical decision for companies. Founders and leadership teams can quickly find themselves working with limited resources and balancing an increasingly heavy workload. A part-time CEO can focus on the day-to-day operations of the business, allowing the founder to focus on the big picture and creating a more cohesive working environment.
Part-Time CEO Opportunities
About the Founder
Adrian Lawrence FCA — Exec Capital
Adrian Lawrence is the founder of Exec Capital and a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW verified). He has placed fractional and interim CEOs with businesses at every growth stage — from founder-led companies stepping back from operations for the first time through to PE portfolio companies requiring rapid senior leadership. Fractional CEO engagements work best where the business needs board-level commercial authority and strategic decision-making on a defined-day basis, without the cost and commitment of a full-time appointment. His research on executive recruitment has been published on ResearchGate. Exec Capital is a member of the Recruitment & Employment Confederation.
Speak to Adrian: 020 3834 9616 · recruitment@execcapital.co.uk
At Exec Capital we have a dedicated programme for fractional CEO opportunities, making industry-leading talent more accessible to SMEs and start-ups. Our experienced executives can be hired on a fractional basis from 1 to 4 days per week.
Are you interested in taking the next step in your career? Do you want the flexibility of working as a fractional CEO with a remote, hybrid, or in-house opportunity? Get in touch with our team today to explore our part-time CEO opportunities.
Recruit a Part-Time CEO Today
Exec Capital is a full-service recruitment agency that specialises in C-suite and executive recruiting for companies across every industry sector, including part-time CEOs. We offer a hands-on approach with 360-degree recruitment, providing support throughout every step of the hiring process. We recruit for the full suite of senior management roles, including remote, hybrid, and in-house positions.
Start your part-time CEO recruitment today by calling our team at 0203 834 9616 for a no-obligation consultation.
Recent Placements
PE-backed technology business — Fractional COO
A private equity-backed SaaS business with £12m ARR required a fractional Chief Operating Officer to build the operational infrastructure ahead of a Series B raise. The brief required someone with prior experience of scaling a SaaS business through the same growth stage and comfort working alongside an institutional investor board. Exec Capital placed a fractional COO with two prior SaaS scale-up appointments, engaged within five weeks of instruction on a three-day-per-week basis.
Founder-led professional services firm — First CEO appointment
A founder-led professional services business with 80 staff sought its first external Chief Executive to allow the founding partners to transition into strategic and client-facing roles. The brief required a CEO with sector-relevant experience, the credibility to lead an existing senior team, and the commercial instinct to grow revenue without disrupting a high-retention client base. Exec Capital conducted a direct search and placed a permanent CEO from within the sector within ten weeks.
Listed financial services business — Interim CFO
An AIM-listed financial services business required an interim CFO at short notice following an unplanned departure, with a board reporting cycle and an investor update due within six weeks. The candidate needed to satisfy FCA fit and proper requirements and have prior experience in a regulated entity. Exec Capital placed an interim CFO with AIM and FCA-regulated background within eight days of instruction, who subsequently supported the permanent CFO search process.
International business expanding into the UK — Country CEO
A European technology business entering the UK market required a UK Country CEO to establish the business, build the initial team and lead early commercial relationships. The candidate needed direct experience of building a UK business from a standing start within a comparable sector, and the board credibility to represent the business at senior client level. Exec Capital conducted a retained search and presented a shortlist of three candidates within three weeks, with the appointment made within seven weeks of instruction.
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