Client Onboarding Guide #2
Your job brief is your first impression with fractional talent. Get it wrong, and A-players scroll past. Get it right, and you'll have seasoned executives competing to work with you.
The difference isn't what you might expect. It's not about offering the highest rates or the sexiest company name. The best fractional leaders are drawn to clarity, challenge, and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Your job brief needs to demonstrate all three.
Why fractional job briefs are different
Traditional job descriptions are shopping lists of requirements and responsibilities. Fractional briefs are strategic documents that sell both the problem and the solution approach.
Traditional job descriptions ask: "Can you do this job?"
Fractional briefs ask: "Do you want to solve this specific challenge with us?"
The best fractional talent has options. They're not desperately job hunting – they're selectively choosing engagements that excite them. Your brief needs to make the case for why this opportunity deserves their attention.
The anatomy of a compelling fractional brief
1. Start with the context, not the role
Skip the generic company overview. Jump straight into the strategic context that makes this engagement necessary.
Instead of: "We're a fast-growing SaaS company looking for a fractional CMO..."
Try: "Our product-led growth engine has hit a plateau at $2M ARR. We're generating over 500 sign-ups monthly but struggling to convert trials into paid customers. We need strategic marketing leadership to diagnose conversion bottlenecks and build systematic growth processes."
This immediately tells fractional leaders:
- What stage you're at ($2M ARR)
- What's working (signups)
- What's not (conversions)
- What type of challenge they'd be solving
2. Define the problem, not just the role
Experienced fractional leaders want to understand the underlying business challenge, not just tick boxes on a job description.
Problem-focused brief: "Our sales team is hitting their activity metrics but missing revenue targets by 20%. We suspect it's a combination of lead quality, sales process gaps, and poor handoff between marketing and sales. We need someone to diagnose the revenue leaks and implement systematic fixes."
Role-focused brief: "We need a fractional head of sales to manage our sales team and hit revenue targets."
The first version attracts problem-solvers. The second attracts order-takers.
3. Be specific about scope and constraints
Fractional leaders excel when they understand exactly what they're responsible for and what remains with you. Vague boundaries create friction and disappointment.
Clear scope example: "You'll own:
- Analysing our current sales funnel and identifying conversion gaps
- Redesigning our sales process and implementing new tools
- Training our 3-person sales team on new processes
- Establishing sales metrics and reporting systems
We'll handle:
- Day-to-day sales team management
- Individual deal support and customer relationships
- Sales hiring and compensation decisions"
4. Specify the time commitment and timeline
Don't make fractional leaders guess how much of their time you need. Be specific about both weekly commitment and engagement duration.
Specific timing: "This is a 15-20 hour per week engagement over 6 months, with potential to extend based on results. We expect 2-3 hours of weekly meetings plus independent work time."
Vague timing: "Part-time engagement, flexible hours."
5. Describe your working style and expectations
Fractional relationships succeed when working styles align. Be upfront about how you operate.
Working style clarity: "We prefer asynchronous communication via Slack during business hours, with one weekly 90-minute strategy session. We document everything in Notion and use Zoom for team meetings. We're comfortable with fractional leaders working independently between check-ins."
Communication preferences: "We value direct feedback and expect weekly progress updates. If you prefer highly collaborative environments with frequent touch-points, this might not be the right fit."
6. Share what success looks like
Define specific outcomes you're hoping to achieve. This helps fractional leaders self-select based on their track record and confidence in delivering results.
Outcome-focused success metrics: "Success in this role means:
- Identifying and fixing the top 3 revenue leaks in our sales process
- Improving sales team conversion rates from 12% to 18%
- Implementing scalable processes that work with minimal ongoing oversight
- Training our team to maintain and iterate on new systems independently"
8. Be honest about challenges
A-players aren't scared of difficult situations – they're attracted to them. But they want to know what they're signing up for.
Honest challenge disclosure: "Full transparency: Our sales data is messy, our CRM needs work, and our team has been resistant to process changes in the past. We're looking for someone who's comfortable working with imperfect systems and can navigate change management sensitively."
What NOT to include in fractional briefs
❌ Exhaustive requirements lists
"Must have 10+ years experience in B2B SaaS, prior fractional experience, experience with our specific tech stack, MBA preferred..."
Fractional leaders bring transferable expertise. Focus on problem-solving capability, not checkbox requirements.
❌ Full-time job descriptions copy-pasted
If your brief could work for a full-time role with minor edits, you're not thinking fractionally.
❌ Vague outcome expectations
"Drive growth," "improve performance," "provide strategic guidance" – these tell fractional leaders nothing about what success actually looks like.
❌ Rate shopping language
"Looking for competitive rates," "budget-conscious," "cost-effective solution" – this signals you're optimizing for price over value.
❌ Cultural fit over-emphasis
Long paragraphs about company culture and "being part of the family" can actually deter fractional leaders who value professional boundaries.
The universal fractional brief template
Use this template for any fractional role – just customise the specifics:
Business Context: [Current stage, key metrics, recent milestones or challenges that led to this need]
The Challenge:
- We need [function] leadership to [specific problem/opportunity].
- Our current situation:
- [what's working, what's not, key pain points with metrics where possible]
- [what's working, what's not, key pain points with metrics where possible]
- [what's working, what's not, key pain points with metrics where possible]
What You'll Own:
- [Specific responsibility 1 with clear outcomes/deliverables]
- [Specific responsibility 2 with clear outcomes/deliverables]
- [Specific responsibility 3 with clear outcomes/deliverables]
- [2-3 additional key responsibilities]
What We'll Handle:
- [Day-to-day operational tasks that remain internal]
- [Other functions/responsibilities you're retaining]
- [Support/resources you'll provide]
Success Looks Like:
- [Specific, measurable outcome 1 with timeframe]
- [Specific, measurable outcome 2 with timeframe]
- [Specific, measurable outcome 3 with timeframe]
- [Process/system outcome that outlasts the engagement]
Engagement Details:
- [X] hours per week for [Y] months
- $[X-Y] daily or monthly budget
- [Meeting cadence and communication preferences]
- [Any specific tools, systems, or working style notes]
Video Brief: Watch our 2-3 minute video brief where [founder name] explains the challenge, context, and what we're looking for: [video link]
Red flags that scare away A-players
- "We need someone to wear many hats" Translation: We don't know what we need and will pile unlimited scope on you.
- "Fast-paced startup environment" Translation: We're disorganised and will expect you to work in chaos.
- "Opportunity for equity upside" Translation: We want full-time commitment for part-time pay.
- "Looking for someone passionate about our mission" Translation: We expect emotional investment beyond professional engagement.
- "Must be available for urgent requests" Translation: We don't respect fractional boundaries.
The brief review checklist
Before posting your brief, ask:
Problem clarity:
- [ ] Can someone read this and immediately understand the business challenge?
- [ ] Is it clear why you need fractional vs. full-time help?
- [ ] Would an experienced leader find this problem interesting to solve?
Scope definition:
- [ ] Is it obvious what the fractional leader will own vs. what stays with you?
- [ ] Are success metrics specific and measurable?
- [ ] Is the time commitment and duration clear?
Practical details:
- [ ] Is your budget range stated or easily inferred?
- [ ] Are working style expectations clear?
- [ ] Have you been honest about challenges and constraints?
Attractiveness test:
- [ ] Would a busy, successful fractional leader want to take this on?
- [ ] Does this sound like an opportunity to create a meaningful impact?
- [ ] Is the challenge worthy of senior-level expertise?
Sample brief: Before and after
❌ Before: Generic and uninspiring
"We're a growing SaaS startup looking for a fractional CMO to help with marketing. Must have B2B experience and be comfortable in a fast-paced environment. Responsibilities include strategy, execution, and team management. Part-time role with potential for equity. Looking for someone passionate about our mission."
✅ After: Specific and compelling
"Our B2B productivity tool has reached $1.5M ARR through founder-led sales, but we're hitting growth ceiling without systematic marketing. We're generating awareness but struggling with lead quality – only 3% of demos convert to paid customers.
The Challenge: Build marketing systems that generate qualified leads for our sales team while establishing thought leadership in the productivity space.
What You'll Own:
- Auditing current marketing performance and identifying gaps
- Developing an integrated demand generation strategy
- Implementing lead scoring and nurturing systems
- Creating content strategy and working with our freelance writers
What We'll Handle:
- Day-to-day content creation and social media
- Event planning and PR outreach
- Marketing technology management
Success Looks Like:
- Doubling qualified lead volume within 4 months
- Improving demo-to-customer conversion from 3% to 8%
- Establishing systematic processes that our team can maintain
Engagement Details:
- 20 hours per week for 6 months (potential extension)
- $8-12K monthly budget
- Weekly strategy sessions + independent execution time
- We work async-first with strong documentation practices"
The bottom line
A great fractional brief is part problem statement, part project scope, part cultural preview. It should leave qualified candidates thinking, "This is exactly the kind of challenge I want to tackle."
Remember: You're not just filling a role – you're inviting someone to solve meaningful problems with you. Make that invitation compelling.
Next up: Setting rates and terms that work. Learn how to structure agreements that attract top talent while protecting your interests.
