Fractional VP of People
Fractional VP of People. Culture That Scales.
Senior people leadership that scales your talent function, builds your culture, and ensures your team is the competitive advantage your business needs — without the full-time C-suite cost.
Why people leaders choose Fractionus
- Vetted operators only. We shortlist experienced VPs of People with track records scaling teams in your industry and growth stage.
- Fast start. Typical kickoff in days — critical during rapid headcount growth or a culture reset.
- Flexible engagement. 2–3 days/week, day rate or retainer.
- Clear outcomes. Hiring framework, onboarding process, performance system, and culture foundations your team can maintain.
What is a Fractional VP of People?
A Fractional VP of People is a senior HR and people executive who partners with your leadership team part-time to own the strategy and execution of your people function. They sit above the administrative HR work — setting the talent strategy, designing the culture, and ensuring the people systems scale with the business.
Where they go deep
- Talent strategy and workforce planning
- Hiring process design, employer brand, and recruiter management
- Onboarding programme and time-to-productivity frameworks
- Performance management and review cycle design
- Culture design, values embedding, and engagement strategy
- Leadership development and manager coaching
- Compensation benchmarking and equity plan design
- HR compliance, employment law, and policy framework
Fractional CSIO
Ex-SoundCloud
Fractional CRO
Ex-Heineken
Fractional CXO
Ex-McKinsey
Fractional GTM
Ex-Salesforce
Fractional Head of AI
Ex-GE Capital
Fractional COO
Ex-Glossier
Fractional CTO
Ex-Afterpay
Fractional CTO
Ex-Google
Fractional CPO
Ex-Pleo
Fractional CTO
Ex-BMW
Fractional CPO
Ex-Lego
Fractional CFO
Ex-We Are Brands
When to hire a Fractional VP of People
- You’re scaling fast and hiring is breaking down. A fractional VP of People installs the process, the sourcing strategy, and the assessment frameworks before the next growth phase.
- Culture is deteriorating as the team grows. Culture is a product — it requires intentional design and active maintenance. A fractional VP of People owns that.
- You’re transitioning from founder-led people management. One of the most important transitions in a company’s life. A fractional VP of People manages it without the full-time risk.
- You have an HR coordinator but no senior people leader. Coordination without strategy creates people debt. A fractional VP of People closes that gap.
What does engagement look like?
Most companies engage a fractional VP of People at 2–3 days per week — enough to own the function, lead hiring, and be present in leadership conversations. Common formats: monthly retainer or quarterly sprints around a specific people initiative.
90-Day deliverables typically include
- People function audit and priority issues list
- Hiring process redesign and assessment framework
- Onboarding programme and 30/60/90 day plan template
- Performance management cycle design
- Culture and values assessment with action plan
- Compensation benchmarking review
Fractional VP of People
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Why the fractional model is surging
People leadership is one of the most impactful and underinvested functions in scaling companies. A full-time VP of People at the right level costs $160K–$220K+ — and many companies aren’t ready to justify that before Series B. The fractional model gives scaling companies access to the people expertise that builds the talent and culture foundation for the next growth phase, at the stage they need it.
How Fractionus works
- Brief us once. Your headcount, growth stage, current people challenges, and team structure.
- Shortlist in days. Meet 2–3 vetted fractional VPs of People matched to your industry and stage.
- You choose. Interview, check fit, and select your leader.
- We handle everything else. Paperwork, billing, and smooth scale-up/scale-down.
What you’ll get — and measure
- Time-to-hire and offer acceptance rate tracked against baseline
- Employee engagement and retention metrics improved and monitored
- A performance management system your managers can run confidently
- A talent and culture foundation that scales to the next headcount milestone
Fractional leaders from top brands
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about working with a Fractional VP of People through Fractionus
Is a VP of People the same as a CHRO?
Very similar at most growth-stage companies. A CHRO is a C-suite title that typically implies board-level engagement and responsibility for shaping culture at an organisational level. A VP of People is senior people leadership with full ownership of the function — for most companies below 300 people, the VP of People is the right level.
Can a fractional VP of People also manage our existing HR team?
Yes. Running the people function and managing any existing HR or talent team is a core part of the role.
How quickly can we start?
Most clients meet shortlists within a week and kick off within days after selection.
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