Fractional CCO cost · UK 2026
What a fractional chief commercial officer costs in the UK.
Most firms make you book a call to hear the price. Here are the market rates, what a full-time hire really costs, and my own prices. No call required.
The short answer
How much does a fractional chief commercial officer cost in the UK?
Most UK fractional chief commercial officers and commercial directors charge £900 to £1,500 a day. On a monthly retainer for one to two days a week, that usually lands at £4,000 to £8,000 a month.
My price: £3,000 a month for one day a week, £5,500 for two. Month to month, no notice period, excluding VAT.
Sources: Leadership Services, fractional director day rates 2026 (Aug 2026).
Pricing models
Day rate or retainer.
A day rate suits a short job with a clear end. A retainer suits building something that has to keep running. A commercial engine is the second kind.
A retainer also kills the meter. You want your CCO thinking about your pipeline on a Tuesday evening, not deciding whether that thought is billable.
Per month
What the day rate adds up to.
| Day rate | 1 day a week | 2 days a week |
|---|---|---|
| £900 | £3,900 | £7,800 |
| £1,200 | £5,200 | £10,400 |
| £1,500 | £6,500 | £13,000 |
| My price | £3,000 | £5,500 |
The comparison
What a full-time commercial director really costs.
A senior commercial director in London earns £100,000 to £140,000 base, and a blue-chip lead £120,000 to £160,000 (Advocate Group). Here is year one at £140,000:
| Item | Year one |
|---|---|
| Base salary | £140,000 |
| Employer National Insurance (15% above £5,000) | £20,250 |
| Pension, statutory minimum (3% of qualifying earnings) | £1,321 |
| Bonus at 20% (typical range 20-40%) | £28,000 |
| Recruitment fee at 25% of the first-year package | £42,000 |
| Total | about £231,600 |
Two days a week at my price is £66,000 a year. At a market rate of £1,200 a day it is about £110,000.
Full-time is the right answer once the engine exists and needs someone every day. Before that, you are paying £230,000 for someone to find out what needs building. Fractional or full-time: how to decide →
A full-time commercial director is a great hire. For a company that already has an engine.
The rule I work by
What moves it
Five things that change the price.
- -Days per week. The biggest lever by far.
- -Scope. Marketing, sales and pricing as one engine costs more than one of them alone.
- -Stage and complexity. PE-backed and multi-country work sits at the top of the range.
- -IR35 status. UK interim day rates average £949 outside IR35 and £830 inside (IIM survey 2026).
- -London on site. London and specialist work can add £150 to £400 a day (Leadership Services).
IR35
IR35 in two paragraphs.
If you are a medium or large company, you decide whether the engagement is inside or outside IR35, and you must give a status determination statement (GOV.UK). If you are small, the contractor’s own company decides. The small-company thresholds rise to £15m turnover and 50 employees from April 2026.
One trap: if you formally appoint a fractional executive as a statutory director of your company, the role is treated as inside IR35. Keep the fractional role an executive or advisory role unless you mean it. This is general information, not tax advice.
Why the price is here
Why I publish my prices.
Because the discovery-call dance is a tax on trust. If my fees scare you, we shouldn’t be on a call together. If they don’t, we can spend that hour on your business instead of mine.
FAQ
Fractional CCO cost questions.
How much does a fractional CCO cost per month in the UK?
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A standard one to two days a week engagement usually costs £4,000 to £8,000 a month in the UK. Mine is £3,000 a month for one day a week and £5,500 for two, excluding VAT, month to month.
What is a typical fractional commercial director day rate?
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The UK planning range for fractional directors is £900 to £1,500 a day, with most engagements between £1,000 and £1,400. London and specialist work can add £150 to £400 a day.
Is a fractional CCO cheaper than a full-time commercial director?
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Yes. A senior London commercial director on £140,000 costs about £231,600 in year one once you add employer National Insurance, pension, bonus and a recruitment fee. Two days a week of fractional leadership costs a quarter to a half of that.
How many days a week does a fractional CCO work?
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One or two days for most founder-led businesses. If you need three or more, you are ready for a full-time hire, and a good fractional CCO will help you make it.
Is there a minimum term?
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Not with me. Month to month, no notice period. If it isn't working, you stop.
What is the difference in cost between a fractional CCO and a fractional CMO?
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Day rates overlap. The difference is scope: a CMO owns marketing, a CCO owns marketing, sales and pricing as one engine. Fractional CMO cost UK →
Sources
Market figures are quoted from the sources below and checked on 28 September 2026. My own prices are the ones I actually charge. All prices exclude VAT.
- Leadership Services, fractional director day rates 2026, Aug 2026
- fractional-csuite.com, UK rates tool, June 2026
- Advocate Group, UK commercial director salary benchmarks 2025-2026, Nov 2025
- GOV.UK, rates and thresholds for employers 2025 to 2026
- GOV.UK, workplace pensions: what you and your employer pay
- executiverecruitment.co.uk, executive search costs in the UK, Sep 2026
- Tile Hill, summary of the IIM interim management survey 2026
- GOV.UK, understanding off-payroll working (IR35)
- Greenberg Traurig, threshold changes to UK off-payroll rules, Mar 2026
- Qdos, IR35 and office holders