7 Emerging Fractional C-Suite Roles You Haven’t Considered Yet (AI to People Ops)
The C-suite is expanding. Just a few years ago, the leadership team was a predictable trio: the CEO, the CTO, and the CFO. But as technology, markets, and workplace dynamics evolve, new strategic needs have emerged. For a lean startup, hiring a full-time executive for each new discipline is impossible. The solution? A new wave of fractional leaders who bring hyper-specialized expertise precisely when and where it’s needed.
Beyond the well-understood fractional CFO or CMO, a host of new roles are gaining traction. These leaders address critical, modern challenges—from implementing AI to building a world-class remote culture. In this post, we explore seven of these emerging fractional roles that can give your startup an unfair advantage.
1. The Fractional Chief AI Officer (CAIO)
What they do: A fractional CAIO is your strategic guide to the AI landscape. They don’t just follow trends; they build a coherent AI strategy that aligns with your business goals. This includes identifying opportunities for AI-driven efficiency, overseeing data governance, managing AI-related risks, and educating your team on leveraging AI tools responsibly.
When to hire one: You’re seeing competitors launch AI-powered features and feel you’re falling behind. Your team is using AI tools in an ad-hoc way, creating potential data security risks. You believe AI can transform your operations but have no idea where to start.
2. The Fractional Chief Revenue Operations Officer (CROO)
What they do: Revenue Operations is the backbone of a scalable go-to-market machine. A fractional CROO integrates your sales, marketing, and customer success operations. They own the tech stack (CRM, marketing automation), define and track key metrics (from lead to renewal), and create a single source of truth for all revenue-related data.
When to hire one: Your sales and marketing teams have conflicting data. Your forecast accuracy is low. You’re experiencing friction in your customer lifecycle, from lead hand-off to onboarding. You have the sales and marketing leaders, but no one to connect the operational dots between them.
3. The Fractional Chief People Officer (CPO)
What they do: This isn’t just HR administration. A strategic, fractional CPO architects your company culture, designs your compensation and career-leveling frameworks, and builds a talent acquisition engine that attracts A-players. They are the stewards of your most valuable asset: your people.
When to hire one: You’re scaling from 15 to 50+ employees and your informal culture is starting to break. You’re losing good candidates to competitors. You need to build a performance review process that feels fair and motivating, not bureaucratic.
4. The Fractional Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
What they do: In an era of constant cyber threats, a fractional CISO implements the security frameworks needed to protect your company and customer data. They conduct risk assessments, manage compliance requirements (like SOC 2 or GDPR), develop incident response plans, and build a culture of security awareness.
When to hire one: You’re handling sensitive customer data. A key enterprise prospect is asking for your security credentials and you don’t have them. You are entering a regulated industry like fintech or healthtech.
5. The Fractional Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
What they do: Increasingly, customers and investors expect businesses to have a plan for environmental and social impact. A fractional CSO develops and executes your ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) strategy. This can range from measuring your carbon footprint to ensuring ethical supply chains and publishing an annual impact report.
When to hire one: Your customers are asking about your environmental policies. You want to attract mission-aligned talent and investors. You are in an industry like manufacturing, CPG, or logistics where sustainability is a key differentiator.
6. The Fractional Chief of Staff
What they do: A fractional Chief of Staff acts as an operational force multiplier for the CEO. They help run key strategic projects, prepare for board meetings, improve internal communication cadences, and ensure the leadership team is aligned and executing on its priorities. They don’t just manage the CEO’s schedule; they manage the CEO’s strategic bandwidth.
When to hire one: The CEO has become the bottleneck for decisions. Strategic initiatives are stalling due to a lack of cross-functional coordination. The leadership team is spending more time in meetings than executing.
7. The Fractional Head of Remote
What they do: A fractional Head of Remote intentionally designs the remote-first or hybrid work experience. They establish communication norms, select the right collaboration tools, create virtual team-building rituals, and ensure equitable access to opportunities, regardless of location.
When to hire one: Your remote or hybrid team feels disconnected. New hires are struggling to onboard effectively. You are seeing productivity and morale dip, and you suspect your ad-hoc remote setup is to blame.
Conclusion: Build a Modern Leadership Team
Strategic leadership is no longer monolithic. The most agile and successful startups are building a C-suite that reflects the complexities of the modern business landscape. Fractional hiring makes this possible, allowing you to access world-class, specialized talent without the commitment of a full-time salary. By adding these emerging roles to your leadership toolkit, you can solve critical challenges, seize new opportunities, and build a more resilient, future-proof company.
Ready to explore how a specialized fractional executive can help you scale?
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: How do I know which specialized fractional role I need first?
A: Start with your most significant business bottleneck. If you're struggling with go-to-market efficiency, consider a fractional CROO. If you're facing security compliance hurdles, a fractional CISO is your priority. A discovery call with Solace can help diagnose the most pressing need.
Q2: Are these roles just for tech startups?
A: Not at all. While tech startups were early adopters, we're now placing fractional leaders in CPG, manufacturing, professional services, and non-profits. A fractional CSO, for example, is highly valuable in supply-chain-heavy industries.
Q3: How does Solace vet for these niche skill sets?
A: Our vetting process goes beyond the resume. We have a network of subject-matter experts who help us assess candidates in these specialized fields. We look for a proven track record of solving the specific challenges associated with each role in a startup environment.
