What’s a Fractional Chief Communications Officer?

A Mixing Board Member Perspective

Communications is having a well-deserved moment. 

The importance of what we offer is more recognized than ever. Reputational missteps and blunders can seriously injure brands. A strong narrative and storytelling differentiate and elevate them.

With a firmer seat at the table, how we work and the services we offer are shifting, too. New service models are emerging to meet evolving needs. 

Enter… the Fractional Chief Communications Officer. But what is a fractional leader? When do you hire one? How does it offer from other employees or non-permanent hires?

Two Mixing Board members – Sarah Kissko Hersh (Type A Consultancy) and Roberto Munoz (Munoz Communications) – break it down.  

Sarah Kissko Hersh: So, we've both been in the Fractional Chief Communications Officer space for a bit now...are you still fielding a lot of questions about what the term "fractional" means? I'm realizing that it's not as widely-known of a term as I thought it was. How do you define what a fractional executive does?

Roberto Munoz: I tell clients: it’s an executive-level leader without the full-time financial commitment. Fractionals have all the same responsibilities as our in-house counterparts, but we’re part time. We’re embedded for an ongoing or project basis and usually oversee a significant scope of work. It’s different from a freelancer who’s typically hired for only a specific task. 

Sarah: The key differences between a freelancer and a consultant are the level of seniority and the fact that they aren't add-ons to the internal team, they work as a part of the internal team. 

Roberto: Fractionals differ from consultants who aren't necessarily leading internal teams or directly representing the company. Consultants usually have defined timelines and narrower scopes. 

Here’s another question I’m asked: When should a client hire a fractional CCO? What’s your take? 

Sarah: Companies might have a need for fractional help at a lot of different times, but there are a few inflection points that might make the need especially pressing. Things like:

• An unanticipated staffing gap, maybe a key leader just resigned or was promoted and there isn’t any internal backfill for that person

• When the staffing need is more senior than the budget allows 

• When a challenge arises that you can't be solved by the current PR team—whether that’s because of a bandwidth shortage or a skills gap

Roberto: I agree fractionals really shine during inflection points or transformation. Name your tune:  Market disruption, culture shifts, re-branding, M&As, integrations. Others can’t hire a full-time senior exec due to hiring freezes, layoffs or budget cuts. What do they have in common? The need for more senior support than what they currently have. 

Sarah: Exactly. Or maybe a company is entering a new market or introducing a new product or business line and needs short term help to get through the launch until things normalize. What do you think the most essential attributes are in a fractional executive?

Roberto: There are three “must haves”:  Experience, leadership, and agility. Someone who’s extremely capable and has managed the complexities of the role. We have to jump in, diagnose and develop a strategic plan – fast. Speed and adaptability are essential – quick on your feet, rolling with the punches, and able to respond to fluctuating needs.

Sarah: True. Fractionals have to size up the situation quickly while being mindful of the culture they are stepping into. No one wants someone coming in with guns blazing without having taken the time to get the lay of the land. 

Roberto: At the same time we often don’t have the luxury of time. I’ve found companies looking for fractional support needed it…yesterday. So, we have to establish credibility right out of the gate. Leadership (and the extended team) must immediately have faith in your abilities and recommendations. Some are able to build so much trust with a client, they’re asked to stay on permanently. It’s not always what fractionals initially set out to do, but I’m not in the business of closing doors.

Sarah: Not every fractional executive is eventually hoping the work becomes a full time gig, some of them want to stick with a fractional role in the long term, while there are some who are there knowing that the goal is to work themselves out of the role. 

Roberto: Completely agree. A big part of the job is preparing for your exit. Documenting processes, developing multi-year strategic plans, and upleveling teams. Done well, we leave the business stronger than we found it. Sometimes, we even hire our permanent replacements. 

Sarah: And it’s not that PR is rocket science, but there are nuances to it that differ from an outsider’s assumptions about PR. So, it’s helpful to have an experienced PR person involved in the hiring process for that role, and even more so if they also have insights gained from working inside the company. 

There’s a ton of upside to hiring a fractional employee, but the biggest headwind we face right now is awareness of what the role is and that it even exists in the first place. I’m hoping this explanation of the ins and outs of fractional work will look pretty dated quickly, like pre-2020 conversations proving that remote work and productivity aren’t mutually exclusive.

Roberto: Exactly. Remote working and a wider definition of how, where, and why we do work has really opened the door for fractionals. I don't think it will take that long for this to catch on. There’s too much upside for too many companies – and folks like us in the industry. 

Sarah Kissko Hersh is a fractional Chief Communications Officer serving clients around the country across multiple industries.

Roberto Munoz is a C-Suite communications leader with 20+ years’ experience protecting and promoting top global brands.