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Fractional & Interim Hiring

Senior leadership when you need it, without committing to a full-time hire.

What we cover

  • Fractional C-suite
  • Interim leadership
  • Post-MVP & scaling
  • Project-based mandates
  • Across functions

Bringing in a fractional or interim executive is one of the fastest-growing ways to add senior leadership to a business. It puts an experienced operator in the seat for the stage you are in, whether you are post-MVP and testing the market, scaling toward your next round, or covering a critical seat while you run a permanent search.

For 25 years AC Lion has placed the executives who scale digital and technology businesses. We bring that same network and rigor to fractional and interim mandates, matching you with leaders who have done it before and can deliver from day one.

It is a topic we know well: our Talent Spotlight series, hosted by founder Alan Cutter, digs into how and when fractional leaders create the most value for growing companies.

25+ YrsRecruiting digital talent
6XForbes Best Executive Recruitment Firms
400k+Active talent network
50k+Key decision-makers
$300M+In compensation negotiated
EQ™Proprietary assessment platform
25+ YrsRecruiting digital talent
6XForbes Best Executive Recruitment Firms
400k+Active talent network
50k+Key decision-makers
$300M+In compensation negotiated
EQ™Proprietary assessment platform

When it makes sense

The right time to bring in a fractional leader.

Drawn from AC Lion's Talent Spotlight conversation with veteran COO Jeremy Stein on the fractional trend.

01

Post-MVP, testing the market

Once there is an MVP and you are testing the market, a fractional leader can partner with your CRO and CMO to map the processes that let you scale.

02

The CEO stays in charge

A fractional executive makes it clear the CEO is in charge. They are the trusted partner who turns the vision into reality, freeing the founder to stay externally focused.

03

Built to scale revenue

A strong operator is revenue-focused: aligned with sales from prospecting through delivery, and building a back office that delivers on every deal rather than limiting growth.

04

Right decisions, early

The early calls on technology, org design, and process are the hardest to undo. A seasoned fractional leader helps you make them right the first time.

Who we place

Fractional and interim leaders across the C-suite.

Experienced operators placed for the seat and the stage you need, full-time-equivalent or a few days a week.

Operations & growth

  • Fractional COO
  • Fractional CRO
  • Fractional CMO
  • Interim GM

Finance & technology

  • Fractional CFO
  • Fractional CTO
  • Interim VP Engineering
  • Interim Head of Data

Interim & project-based

  • Interim VP Sales
  • Interim Head of People
  • Transformation lead
  • Integration / M&A lead

What they deliver

An operator's playbook, in the seat from week one.

The toolkit an experienced fractional leader brings, drawn from the operating game plan Jeremy Stein described.

Planning & KPIs

Yearly planning, KPI identification, and OKR implementation that give the business a clear operating rhythm.

Process & handoffs

Interdepartmental handoffs, communication protocols, and the back-office processes that let you deliver on what sales brings in.

Team & culture

Employee engagement, commission and bonus design, and Voice of Customer, building a culture of achievement and accountability.

Proof

Trusted by the teams we hire for.

DDailymotion
AC Lion saved me so much time. They consistently presented high-quality candidates that were good matches for our needs. I ended up with a great hire in no time. Would recommend and partner with again!
Aubrey Bowser, Global Director of Product Management and Design
TTripleLift
AC Lion has been a fantastic partner for us. Through the years, they have consistently delivered some of our highest performing talent.
Eric Berry, Co-Founder & CEO
GGrapeshot
Over the last few years, I have had the opportunity to build out a team and nearly everyone I have hired has come through AC Lion. AC Lion makes the process easy and seamless. I recommend them to both businesses and individuals looking to make a change.
Nicole Brodeur, Director of Account Management

How the search runs

A fractional search built to move fast.

The same disciplined method we use across thousands of placements, tuned for the speed a fractional or interim mandate demands.

Step 01

Align on the mandate

A consultative kickoff to pin down the seat, the stage, the time commitment, and what good looks like for your business.

Step 02

First-look calibration

Within a day or two we put real operator profiles in front of you, so we calibrate before scaling the search.

Step 03

Tap the network

We draw on 25 years of executive relationships to reach seasoned fractional and interim leaders, on and off the market.

Step 04

Vet and present

Structured assessment against the mandate, so the shortlist is genuinely qualified for the stage and the seat.

Step 05

Place and stand behind it

We manage the engagement terms and the close, then back the placement with a guarantee and 3- and 6-month follow-ups.

Build the leadership you need now

Need senior leadership without a full-time hire?

Tell us the seat, the stage, and the time commitment. We will shape the search and surface operators who can deliver from day one.

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