What affects the price?
- Time commitment — a day a month costs less than two days a week.
- Scope — broad strategic oversight versus a specific, defined project.
- Duration — ongoing retainers are usually better value than short bursts.
- Depth of delivery — advisory input versus rolling up sleeves and running things.
How it compares to a full-time hire
The maths
A full-time commercial or strategy director in Greater Manchester typically costs £65,000–£90,000 in salary alone — before employer National Insurance, pension contributions, holiday, and recruitment fees, which can add 20–30% again. A fractional arrangement gives you comparable seniority for the time you actually need, usually at 40–70% less in total cost, with none of the fixed commitment or recruitment risk.
You're not paying for someone to sit at a desk five days a week. You're paying for senior thinking applied to the things that move your organisation forward — and nothing else.
How an engagement starts
- Free discovery call — a no-obligation conversation to understand what you need.
- Scoped proposal — a clear, fixed-price proposal tailored to your situation.
- Agree & begin — once you're happy, we start, with clear expectations on both sides.
- Review & flex — regular reviews, with the freedom to scale up, down or stop.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum commitment?
Engagements are designed to be flexible. Retainers typically work best with a short initial period so we can build momentum, but there's no lengthy lock-in — the model is built around your needs, not mine.
Do you offer a free consultation?
Yes — every engagement begins with a free, no-obligation discovery call. You'll only ever receive a fixed, agreed price before any work begins.
Can you combine models?
Often, yes. A common pattern is a fixed-scope project (such as a MAT IT spend review) that then moves into ongoing advisory or embedded support once the value is clear.
You get the experience of a director, for the time you actually need a director — and not a penny more.