FRACTIONAL COOFrom roadmap to execution.
Some leadership teams need the clarity of the Ops Diagnostic and can take the work forward internally. Others need experienced operating leadership to carry it through.
Fractional COO engagements begin with the Ops Diagnostic. The work that follows is built around what the business actually needs, with SALT stepping in to lead the priorities that require ongoing attention, coordination, and execution.
WHEN SALT STAYSSome priorities need an owner.
A roadmap creates clarity. Execution still requires someone to carry the work across the business.
Fractional COO support is designed for companies that need senior operating capacity to move priority work forward, particularly when it spans teams, systems or functions and doesn't sit neatly with one existing leader.
The role is shaped by the findings of the Ops Diagnostic, not a predetermined Fractional COO scope.
FROM ROADMAP TO EXECUTIONThe Diagnostic sets the priorities. The Fractional COO engagement carries them forward.
The work looks different in every business, but may include:
Operating priorities
Turning the roadmap into a working agenda and keeping the highest-priority initiatives moving.
Leadership + accountability
Clarifying ownership, strengthening decision-making and helping leadership stay aligned around what matters.
Management systems
Building the rhythms, reporting and operating practices leadership needs to run the business well.
Cross-functional execution
Leading work that crosses teams or functions and needs experienced ownership to move forward.
HOW IT WORKS Inside the business, without becoming the business.
Fractional COO engagements are hands-on. SALT works alongside the leadership team, takes ownership of agreed priorities and helps build the structures needed to carry them forward.
The goal is not to make SALT indispensable. It is to leave the business stronger, clearer and better able to operate without us.
THE ENGAGEMENTBuilt around the work, not a set number of hours.
There is no standard Fractional COO package.
Scope, cadence and length are determined by the priorities identified through the Ops Diagnostic and the level of operating leadership required to move them forward.
Engagements are structured around clear priorities and outcomes, with the scope revisited as the work progresses.
INVESTMENTDefined around the mandate.
Fractional COO engagements are, at minimum, a three-month commitment, giving SALT enough time to move priority work from roadmap into execution.
After the initial term, engagements can continue based on the needs of the business.
Scope and investment are confirmed following the Ops Diagnostic, once the mandate and level of involvement are clear.
FAQA few things worth knowing.
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No. Fractional COO engagements begin with the Ops Diagnostic.
The Diagnostic gives SALT the context needed to understand the business, identify the priorities and determine whether ongoing operating leadership is actually what the organization needs.
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Not necessarily. SALT isn't stepping into a vacant executive seat by default.
The engagement is built around a defined operating mandate identified through the Diagnostic. In some businesses that may look similar to a traditional COO role. In others, SALT may lead a smaller set of cross-functional priorities alongside the existing leadership team.
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That depends on the mandate.
SALT works closely enough with leadership and the relevant teams to take meaningful ownership of the work, without creating unnecessary meetings, processes, or dependency.
The appropriate cadence and level of involvement are established when the engagement is scoped.
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Fractional COO engagements begin with a three-month commitment. Beyond that, the length of the engagement depends on the work identified through the Diagnostic and what it will take to carry it through.
The intention is to stay for as long as the work requires, not to create an indefinite advisory relationship.
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Wherever possible, the systems, ownership, and operating practices developed through the engagement stay with the business.
The goal is for SALT's role to become less necessary over time, not more.
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Fractional COO engagements are priced around the scope and level of operating leadership required rather than an hourly rate.
Investment is determined after the Ops Diagnostic, once there is enough context to define the mandate properly.