Fractional C-Suite · Australia

Fractional C-Suite executives. Without the full-time cost.

We embed experienced CEO, COO, CCO, CSO, CTO and CFO-level operators directly into Australian scale-ups — one seat, a few, or the full bench — so you get the calibre of a complete executive team without the cost, risk, or time of six separate hires.

OPERATOR-LED

Every seat is filled by someone who has run the function before — not matched by an algorithm from an open marketplace.

EMBEDDED, NOT OUTSOURCED

Your fractional executives sit inside your leadership rhythm — meetings, decisions, and accountability — not on the sidelines.

AUSTRALIA-WIDE

Based in Sydney, with executives in Melbourne & Brisbane, we work with scale-ups across Australia — every seat draws on the wider Equity Connect ecosystem when your business needs more than one function solved at once.

the model

Executive leadership, sized to where you actually are.

Most scale-ups hit the same wall: the business has outgrown founder-only leadership, but it isn’t yet big enough — or ready enough — to justify one, let alone six, full-time executive salaries.

Fractional C-Suite closes that gap. You get senior operators across CEO, COO, CCO, CSO, CTO and CFO functions, engaged for the days you actually need them — days a week, not a five-day commitment you can’t yet justify. As the business grows, the bench grows with it.

The Old Way

One full-time executive hire

3–6 months to recruit and ramp

Fixed salary, regardless of workload

One person's experience

Fractional C-Suite

One role, a few, or the full bench

Embedded in weeks

Scoped to what the business needs now

Backed by the wider operator network

WHERE WE EMBED

Build your bench.

Select any combination of the six — start with the one gap you feel most, and add seats as the business grows. Nothing here is bundled.

Try it — pick your seats

Tap a role to add or remove it from your bench and see how the engagement takes shape.

Seats selected

CEO

CFO

COO

CCO

CTO

CSO

Select a role above to start building your bench — from a single seat to the full suite.

Leadership

Fractional CEO

Vision, direction, and accountability across the leadership team
Board and investor-facing strategy and reporting
Aligns the business behind one plan, one set of priorities

Finance

Fractional CFO

Cash visibility, forecasting, and board-ready reporting
Financial structure and capital readiness for raise or exit
Turns the numbers into decisions, not just statements

Operations

Fractional COO

Systems, process, and execution discipline day to day
Removes bottlenecks between strategy and delivery
Builds the operating rhythm the business runs on

Commercial

Fractional CCO

Pricing, positioning, and go-to-market structure
Partnerships, channel strategy, and market expansion
Owns the commercial plan the sales team executes against

Technology

Fractional CTO

Technical strategy, architecture, and platform decisions
Builds and mentors the technical team as it scales
De-risks infrastructure ahead of growth or diligence

Sales

Fractional CSO

Sales leadership, pipeline discipline, and forecasting accuracy
Builds and coaches the sales team as headcount grows
Turns the commercial plan into closed revenue, deal by deal

WHY ECA

Not a marketplace. Not a full-time hire. An embedded team.

The fractional executive market has grown quickly — and most of it is either a directory of independent freelancers or a large-scale placement firm. ECA’s Fractional C-Suite sits deliberately between those two, and closer to how we already work.

Freelance marketplaces

Traditional full-time hire

How you're matched

Freelance marketplacesSelf-service directory or algorithm

Traditional full-time hireRecruiter-led search, months long

Who you're working with

Freelance marketplacesAn independent contractor, one person

Traditional full-time hireOne employee, one perspective

Commitment

Freelance marketplacesVaries, often unstructured

Traditional full-time hireFull-time salary, long notice periods

Commercial Structure

Freelance marketplacesHourly or flat platform fee

Traditional full-time hireFixed salary plus equity/bonus

Beyond the seat

Freelance marketplacesNothing – you're on your own

Traditional full-time hireNothing beyond the one hire

ECA Fractional C-Suite

ECA Fractional C-SuiteMatched by operators who've done the role

ECA Fractional C-SuiteA seat backed by the full ECA operator network

ECA Fractional C-SuiteScoped to the business, scaled as it grows

ECA Fractional C-SuiteAligned to outcomes – see Our Model below

ECA Fractional C-SuiteAccess to the broader Equity Connect ecosystem

HOW IT WORKS

From gap to embedded, without the usual drag.

Discovery & Fit

We assess the business, identify where the real leadership gaps are, and confirm which seats — one or several — will move the needle first.

Match & Structure

We assemble the right operators for those seats from our network, and structure the engagement — cadence, scope, and commercial terms — around your business.

Embed & Execute

Your fractional executives join your leadership rhythm and get to work — accountable for outcomes, backed by the wider ECA ecosystem as needs evolve.

WHO IT'S FOR

Built for businesses already in motion.

Fractional C-Suite is for leadership teams that have outgrown founder-only decision-making, but aren’t ready to carry a full executive payroll.

COMMERCIAL MODEL

Priced like everything else we do — aligned to outcomes.

Fractional C-Suite follows the same commercial philosophy as the rest of ECA’s advisory work. Every engagement is scoped seat by seat, so you’re never paying for capacity you don’t need.

No list pricing, no bundled packages. Depending on the seat and the situation, engagements may include performance-based incentives, deferred fee structures, or equity participation — the same model that underpins every ECA engagement. We’ll structure it around what the role needs to deliver, not a fixed monthly rate card.

QUESTIONS

Before you book a call.

Can I start with just one role and add more later?

Yes — that's how most engagements start. Many clients begin with the one seat solving the most urgent gap, then add others as priorities shift or the business grows.

How much time does a fractional executive actually give us?

It depends on the role and what the business needs right now. We scope time commitment during Discovery & Fit and adjust it as priorities change — you're never locked into a fixed weekly minimum that doesn't match reality.

Do they sit inside our leadership team, or advise from the outside?

Inside. Fractional executives join your leadership rhythm — meetings, decisions, reporting — the same way a full-time hire would, just for the time that's been scoped.

Can a fractional engagement convert to full-time?

Where it makes sense for both sides, yes. It's a natural next step once a business has grown into needing the role full-time — we'll discuss this as part of the engagement, not lock you into either path upfront.

How is this different from just hiring a consultant?

A consultant advises from the sidelines. A fractional executive owns the outcome — they're accountable for the function, sit inside the leadership team, and execute alongside you, not just recommend from a distance.

Do you only work with businesses in Sydney?

No — we work with scale-ups across Australia, from Sydney and Melbourne to Brisbane and Perth. Engagements are delivered on-site, remotely, or a mix of both, depending on the role and the business.

Build the leadership team your growth actually needs.

Start with the one seat that matters most, or bring in the full bench. Either way, it starts with a conversation about where the gaps really are.