Fractional Manager:
senior expertise,
only the time you need
Bring in a seasoned manager a few days a week or a month to structure a function, lead a project or support a key phase — without a full-time hire.
A flexible, cost-effective and long-term solution
Partner of Bpifrance·▶ Featured on Mieux TV and in Forbes
Definition
What is fractional management?
An agile alternative to a permanent hire: a seasoned manager
for the time you choose, with clear objectives and a flexible framework
Fractional Manager: Definition and How It Works
A fractional manager (also called a fractional executive or part-time executive) is a seasoned executive or senior manager who shares their time between several companies on a regular basis (a few days a week or a month), typically for 6 to 24 months.
Unlike a consultant, who makes recommendations and stays outside the organisation, a fractional manager is first and foremost « hands-on »: they join your organisation chart, take decisions, roll out concrete actions and drive lasting change.
Fractional Manager
- Duration6 to 24 months or more
- Intensity1 to 3 days / week or / month
- ContextStructuring, steering, follow-up
- TargetSMEs, mid-caps, scale-ups
- LogicContinuity and support
- BudgetOptimised (vs permanent or full-time hire)
Interim Manager
- Duration3 to 18 months (9 months avg.)
- IntensityFull-time (5 days / week)
- ContextInterim cover, transformation, turnaround
- TargetAll types of companies
- LogicFast action and immediate impact
- BudgetShort, intensive investment
Fractional management use cases
Why hire a fractional manager?
6 key situations where fractional management is particularly relevant
to structure, secure or accelerate your company
Structure a key function
Create or structure a Finance, HR or IT department when the company is growing but a full-time hire is not yet justified. A seasoned manager lays the foundations, deploys the tools and trains the teams
Lead a strategic project over time
Run a high-stakes project over several months: ERP roll-out, digital transformation, quality certification, building a leadership team. A regular presence ensures consistency and progress
Coach and upskill
Support a more junior in-house manager with the perspective and experience of a recognised professional. Ideal to secure a step up in responsibility or an internal promotion
Improve performance continuously
Entrust the follow-up of a strategic support function (quality, finance, procurement, supply chain, IT) to an expert present a few days a week, rather than spreading it across non-specialist in-house resources
Act before a crisis
It is better to bring in a fractional manager early, as a preventive measure, than to wait for a crisis and react in a hurry. This strategic approach maximises impact and limits risk
Control your budget
Access a high-level senior profile at an optimised cost: you only pay for the time actually needed, with no social charges or long-term commitment. Ideal for tight budgets
Our methodology
The MANAGERIM approach to Fractional Management
A structured 5-step approach to identify, deploy and follow up the fractional manager who precisely fits your context and your company culture
Tailored scoping of the assignment
With our client, we define: situation, challenges, objectives, schedule, location, required profile, intensity of involvement. This step is crucial: a clear framework guarantees real, measurable impact
Responsive selection from our pool
Targeted sourcing within our community of managers who have chosen fractional work. Signature of a non-disclosure agreement and in-depth interviews by our team to validate the fit with your brief
Presentation of 2 to 4 vetted profiles
Submission within 24 to 72h of a calibrated shortlist (profile, daily rate, availability, possible intensity). The client selects the best manager. Set-up of a flexible service agreement with a clear, shared roadmap
Fast start & continuous quality follow-up
Operational onboarding of the manager from day one. Continuous quality follow-up by the MANAGERIM team through MANAGERIM best practices, methodologies and reporting tools. Intensity adjusted if needs change
Review, handover & recommendations
Formal review of the assignment: objectives achieved, improvement action plan, recommendations for the next steps. Handover to in-house teams, with the option to extend or adapt the assignment
Cost & Daily rate
How much does a fractional manager cost?
A transparent daily rate, invoiced only for days actually worked
Fractional manager daily rate at MANAGERIM €900 to €1,400 excl. VAT per day, depending on function and profile
The daily rate of a fractional manager typically ranges from €900 to €1,400 excl. VAT per day, depending on the function (CFO, CHRO, CIO, Sales Director…), the manager's seniority and the location. You only pay for days actually worked, with no social charges or recruitment costs.
Function entrusted
Finance, HR, IT, sales, marketing, supply chain, QHSE, management control…
Manager's seniority
Director or Manager level, Middle-Top or Top Management, experience of similar contexts
Intensity of involvement
From a few days a month to 3 days a week, adjustable during the assignment
Location
The manager's proximity to your site, hybrid format on site and remote
Indicative example: a fractional CFO at €1,100 excl. VAT per day, 2 days a week (around 8 days a month), represents a budget of around €8,800 excl. VAT per month, with no social charges or recruitment fees.
Comparison
Fractional manager or permanent hire?
Two ways to strengthen a key function, two different commitments
| Criterion | MANAGERIM fractional manager | Permanent hire |
|---|---|---|
| Lead time | Shortlist within 24 to 72h, start as soon as you decide | 2 to 6 months on average |
| Time on site | 1 to 3 days a week, or a few days a month | Full-time |
| Level of experience | Seasoned manager, often over-qualified for a full-time role | Calibrated to the role's budget |
| Cost | Daily rate €900 to €1,400 excl. VAT, only for days worked | Salary, social charges and recruitment cost |
| Commitment | B2B service agreement, adjustable intensity, flexible notice | Employment contract, probationary period |
| Follow-up | Continuous quality follow-up by the MANAGERIM team, replacement guarantee | In-house integration and management |
Our expertise
Fractional management explained by MANAGERIM
Sébastien Baciocchini, head of MANAGERIM, presented fractional management on the Zoom Expert programme of Mieux TV (Pluxee)
As featured on
Mieux TV · Pluxee
Sébastien Baciocchini, CEO and founder of MANAGERIM, explains fractional management on the Zoom Expert programme (June 2025).
3 key principles for success
- Scope the assignment: clear objectives guarantee real, measurable impact
- Anticipate the need: it is better to bring in a fractional manager early than in the urgency of a crisis
- Make the most of their impact: treat the fractional manager as a strategic lever, not a stopgap
3 mistakes to avoid
- Not defining a clear framework: a vague assignment leads to a loss of efficiency
- Waiting for a crisis: acting reactively limits the reach of the actions
- Underestimating their impact: fractional management is a genuine transformation lever
Why MANAGERIM
MANAGERIM's 4 strengths in fractional management
A premium European interim management firm that also fully masters the specific codes of fractional management for SMEs, mid-caps and scale-ups
An exclusive pool of fractional managers
Our firm brings together a wide range of managers and functional and sector experts who have chosen to work on a fractional basis. Premium profiles who made this choice as a career strategy or for a better balance
Flexible, tailored contract
B2B service agreement with rigorous formalisation (objectives, roadmap) and full flexibility: estimated duration, adjustable intensity, flexible notice, possible extension
Senior expertise & cultural fit
Our team knows how to find the fractional manager who fits your needs and your company culture. Agile, committed profiles with experience of situations similar to your company's context
Long-term continuity
Continuous quality follow-up by the MANAGERIM team throughout the assignment. Whenever your needs change (intensity, scope, duration), we adapt the formula
Geographic coverage
Geographic proximity: a key criterion for fractional management
A fractional manager visits several clients each week. The manager's immediate geographic proximity is therefore a criterion
even more decisive than in interim management
Local fractional managers across Europe
We deploy fractional managers close to your sites in every major European market: Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, in all their regions.
Cross-border and multi-site assignments are also covered, in a hybrid format combining on-site days and remote work.
🇪🇺 Europe — local fractional managers
Germany (Munich, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Berlin) · Switzerland (Zurich, Basel, Geneva) · Italy (Milan, Turin, Rome) · Spain (Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia) · Benelux (Brussels, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Luxembourg) · United Kingdom & Ireland (London, Dublin) · Austria & Portugal (Vienna, Lisbon) · and the rest of Europe.
🇫🇷 France — all regions
Paris headquarters and fractional managers in every French region: Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Nantes, Strasbourg…
💻 Hybrid format & cross-border assignments
1 to 2 days a week on site + remote work, including for cross-border and multi-site assignments.
Our clients
Who is fractional management for?
Fractional management particularly appeals to SMEs, scale-ups and organisations in a growth or structuring phase
SMEs
Structuring key functions, supporting growth, professionalising processes
Start-ups & Scale-ups
Hypergrowth phase, fundraising, first creation of a Finance/HR/IT function
Mid-caps
Reinforcement of support functions, steering of cross-functional projects, mentoring of in-house managers
Large corporations
Smaller subsidiaries and business units, long-term projects, niche functions
They trust MANAGERIM
A few references among our clients: SMEs, mid-caps and international groups
Case studies
MANAGERIM fractional management assignments
Concrete, anonymised examples of fractional management assignments
carried out by our managers for our clients
Fractional CFO · Scale-up
Financial structuring of a hypergrowth scale-up
A fractional CFO (2 days/week) was deployed to structure financial steering, make reporting reliable and prepare a Series B fundraising
Fractional CHRO · SME
Creating the HR function in an industrial SME
A fractional CHRO (3 days/week) created the HR function from scratch: pay policy, recruitment processes, training plan, social dialogue
Fractional CIO · Mid-cap
Digital transformation
An outsourced fractional CIO (3 days/week) led a CRM roll-out and the digitalisation of customer processes over 18 months
Fractional QHSE · SME
Leading ISO 9001 and 14001 certification
A fractional QHSE Manager (2 days/week) led a dual certification, structured the quality system and trained operational teams
Sales Director · Mid-cap
Structuring a growing sales force
A fractional Sales Director (3 days/week) structured the sales force, deployed a CRM, professionalised pipeline management and coached the sales team
Office Manager · Start-up
Setting up the administrative organisation
A fractional Office Manager (2 days/week) structured the administration of a 25-person start-up
Fractional functions
The functions covered by our fractional managers
Our fractional managers work across every company function.
Top Management and Middle Management covered
Finance
Fractional CFO / Finance Manager
Chief Financial Officer or Finance & Administration Manager
Human Resources
Fractional CHRO / HR Manager
Chief Human Resources Officer or HR Manager
Information Systems
Fractional CIO / IT Manager
Chief Information Officer or IT Manager
Projects
Fractional Project Director
Steering of cross-functional or strategic projects
Sales
Fractional Sales Director
Sales force structuring, pipeline management
Marketing
Fractional Marketing Director (CMO)
Brand strategy, digital marketing, product launches
Procurement & Supply Chain
Procurement & Supply Chain Director
Procurement optimisation, supply chain structuring, sourcing
Quality & HSE
Fractional QHSE Manager
Quality, HSE, ISO certification, regulatory compliance
Management Control
Fractional Management Controller
Reporting, budgeting, operational performance
Administration
Fractional Office Manager
Administrative, legal and HR structuring
FAQ
Everything you need to know about Fractional Management
Answers to our clients' most frequent questions
about fractional management
What is a fractional manager?
What are the benefits of a fractional manager?
What is the difference between fractional management and interim management?
What is the difference with a consultant?
Which functions can be entrusted to a fractional manager?
How many days a week or a month?
How much does a fractional manager cost?
How much does a fractional CFO cost?
How long does a typical fractional assignment last?
Fractional manager or permanent hire: which should you choose?
Why work with a fractional management firm?
How quickly can MANAGERIM deploy a fractional manager?
What contract for a fractional manager?
Where do you deploy fractional managers?
Take action
Hire a Fractional Manager
Do you need a specialised manager
but not necessarily full-time?
MANAGERIM helps you identify and deploy, within 24 to 72 hours,
the fractional manager who fits your context
- Are you looking to structure a key function (CFO, CHRO, CIO…) without a full-time hire?
- Do you want to lead a strategic project over time with a seasoned senior manager?
- Do you want access to specialised expertise while keeping control of your budget?
INTERIM MANAGER
For urgent situations, crises, major transformation or turnaround
INTERIM EXPERT
To deploy rare, highly specialised expertise on a critical challenge
OUR FUNCTIONS & SECTORS
CFO, CHRO, CIO, Sales, Marketing, Industry, Tech, Healthcare, Retail, Construction, Energy