FRACTIONAL MARKETING SOLUTIONS :
Fractional Marketing Director
The Part-Time Solution.
Without the Full Time £80k to £120k Costs.
Flexible Marketing Director leadership for growing businesses needing strategic direction, agency management, lead generation support or temporary senior marketing cover.
- Strategic Marketing Leadership
- Agency & Team Management
- Lead Generation & Growth
FOCUS ON THE 20%
THAT CREATES 80%
OF THE RESULTS
Richard Milestone:
~ Fractional Marketing Director
As the co-founder of a leading UK Google Premier Partner agency, I spent 12 years building and leading one of the UK’s recognised digital marketing businesses.
Combined with more than 20 years of senior commercial and marketing experience, I’ve worked with organisations ranging from FTSE 100 companies to ambitious SMEs, providing strategic leadership that delivers measurable business growth.
I now provide business growth and marketing support in a Fractional capacity.
How Does A Fractional Marketing Director Work?
I work in exactly the same way as a full-time Marketing Director, just for fewer days each week. I become part of your leadership team, attend board and senior management meetings, work alongside your people and take ownership of your marketing, commercial direction and performance.
Rather than simply advising from the outside, I’m involved in the decisions that matter. I work with your internal team, coordinate external agencies and specialist suppliers, challenge ideas, review performance and make sure everyone is working towards the same commercial objectives.
The reality is that working on a fractional basis often creates a stronger commercial focus than a traditional full-time role. When time is limited, every meeting, every decision and every project has to add value. There’s simply no room for unnecessary activity, internal politics or marketing for marketing’s sake.
Instead, I concentrate on the work that genuinely moves the business forward. I focus on priorities, commercial performance, accountability and measurable progress, making sure every hour invested delivers the greatest possible return.
You receive the same leadership, accountability and commercial thinking as a full-time Marketing Director, often delivered with greater focus, better prioritisation and considerably less wasted time.
Why Choose a Fractional Marketing Director?
Every growing business reaches a point where stronger marketing leadership becomes essential.
That’s exactly where I come in. I work as your Fractional Marketing Director, becoming part of your leadership team and providing the same strategic direction, commercial accountability and experienced decision making you’d expect from a full-time Marketing Director. The difference is simple. You gain the leadership your business needs, for only the time you actually need it.
01 Strategy & Priorities
Marketing Directors provide direction.
Setting the marketing strategy, priorities and commercial roadmap so every activity supports business growth.
02 Commercial Accountability
Marketing Directors provide accountability.
Takes ownership of marketing performance, budgets and delivery, ensuring every decision supports commercial objectives.
03 Leadership & Experience
Marketing Directors provide leadership.
Brings senior marketing experience, commercial thinking and confident decision making without learning on the job.
04 Flexible Commitment
Only pay for the time you need.
Access experienced Marketing Director leadership one day a week or several days each month without employing full-time.
05 Lower Cost & Lower Risk
Reduce cost without compromising expertise.
Avoid recruitment fees, salary, National Insurance, pension and long-term employment costs while retaining senior leadership.
06 Scales With Your Business
Scale support as your business grows.
Increase or reduce Marketing Director support as priorities, budgets and growth plans change, giving complete flexibility.
Comparing the Costs - Full Time vs Fractional
A full-time Marketing Director isn’t the right solution for every business. Salary is only part of the investment. Recruitment fees, employer’s National Insurance, pension contributions, holidays, sickness, training and long-term employment costs can significantly increase the true cost of a permanent appointment. A Fractional Marketing Director gives you the same senior leadership, commercial accountability and strategic direction, but only for the time your business actually needs.
| Option | Typical Annual Cost | Recruitment Required | Long-Term Commitment | Flexibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Director | £80k – £125k+ | ✔ | ✔ | Low |
| Fractional Marketing Director | c. 25% - 50% Cost | ✘ | ✘ | High |
Flexible Support Options
Marketing Director Without The £80,000–£125,000 Salary
1 DAY PER WEEK
£2,600 PCM
Strategic Oversight
Ideal For SMEs
£31,200 per annum
1.5 DAY PER WEEK
£3,900 PCM
Strategic Oversight
Ideal For SMEs
£46,800 per annum
2 DAYS PER WEEK
£5,200 PCM
Leadership & Accountability
Growing Businesses
£62,400 per annum
2.5 DAYS PER WEEK
£6,500 PCM
Leadership & Accountability
Growing Businesses
£78,000 per annum
3 DAYS PER WEEK
£7,800 PCM
Embedded Suppor
Larger Organisations
£93,600 per annum
Your Fractional Marketing Director Takes Responsibility For
When I become part of your business, my role is to provide the leadership, direction and commercial accountability that keeps your marketing aligned with your business objectives. Whether I’m working alongside your existing team or managing external agencies, I take ownership of the activities that drive sustainable business growth.
Executive Marketing Leadership
Rather than acting as another external adviser, I become part of your leadership team, helping shape strategy, challenge decisions, review performance and keep your marketing focused on commercial outcomes.
My role is to make sure every part of your marketing is working together towards the same business objectives.
- Marketing Strategy & Priorities
- Commercial Performance
- Agency Management & Accountability
- Marketing Budgets & ROI
- Team Leadership & Development
- Business Growth Planning
Is a Fractional Marketing Director not quite the Right Fit?
If a Marketing Director role is not quite what your business requires at this time, I can also operate in a Fractional CMO capacity bringing more focus to Board Level programmes and delivery, or equally a more hands on Fractional Marketing Manager capacity. And finally, if you require a fixed term of 3, 6, 9 or 12 months I can operate in an Interim Marketing Director capacity.
LET'S DISCUSS YOUR BUSINESS
You've seen how Fractional Marketing leadership works. The next step is to discuss what your business actually needs.
Every business is different. Some need a Fractional Marketing Director one day a week, others require strategic oversight, agency management or a more hands-on commercial leadership role.
In a short introductory call, I'll learn about your business, objectives and current marketing challenges before recommending the most appropriate level of support. If I don't believe a Fractional Marketing Director is the right solution, I'll tell you.
There's no obligation, no sales pitch and no fixed packages. Just honest, experienced advice to help you decide the right way forward.
Book a free 15-minute introductory call and I'll assess your current position, discuss your commercial objectives and recommend the level of senior marketing support that's right for your business.
Frequently asked questions
A Fractional Marketing Director provides senior marketing leadership on a flexible, part-time basis. Rather than employing a full-time Marketing Director, you gain strategic direction, commercial accountability, agency management and practical marketing leadership for only the time your business actually needs.
A Fractional Marketing Director is ideal for businesses that need experienced marketing leadership but don’t yet require, or can’t justify, a full-time executive. Many growing SMEs benefit from senior expertise without the long-term employment costs and commitments.
Costs vary depending on the level of support required. A full-time Marketing Director earning £100,000 typically costs considerably more once Employer’s National Insurance (approximately £14,500), employer pension contributions (around £5,000), recruitment fees of 20-25% (up to £25,000) and additional costs such as equipment, software, training, holiday, sickness and HR administration are taken into account. The true first-year investment can easily exceed £140,000. Fractional Marketing Leadership provides the senior expertise your business needs at around 25-75% of that cost, allowing you to invest only in the level of support your business actually requires.
A full-time Marketing Director becomes a permanent employee with all the associated costs and commitments. A Fractional Marketing Director provides the same level of strategic leadership and accountability but on a flexible basis, making it easier to scale support as your business evolves.
A Marketing Consultant typically provides independent advice and recommendations. A Fractional Marketing Director becomes part of your leadership team, taking ownership of marketing strategy, managing delivery, leading agencies or internal teams and driving measurable business performance.
Yes. Many businesses already have internal marketing staff or specialist agencies. My role is to provide leadership, direction and accountability, ensuring everyone is aligned around your commercial objectives and delivering measurable results.
Absolutely. Managing agencies is often one of the most valuable parts of the role. I can oversee PPC, SEO, web development, creative, PR and other specialist suppliers, ensuring they deliver value, remain accountable and support your wider business objectives.
Yes. Whether you’re covering maternity leave, recruiting a permanent Marketing Director, supporting rapid growth or managing organisational change, I can provide interim marketing leadership for as long as required.
I’ve worked with organisations ranging from FTSE 100 companies to ambitious SMEs across a wide range of sectors. Every engagement is tailored to the size, objectives, commercial challenges and growth ambitions of the individual business.
Every engagement begins with an initial discussion about your business, objectives and current marketing challenges. From there, I’ll recommend the most appropriate level of support, whether that’s one day per week, several days each month or a focused interim assignment.