Services
Fractional Head of Data
Senior data leadership on a flexible basis — for organisations that need experienced direction on strategy, governance, and delivery, but aren’t ready to hire full-time.
You need a senior data leader. You’re not ready to hire one.
That’s a common position for a growing organisation — and a solvable one. This engagement gives you the strategic ownership and hands-on direction your data agenda needs, without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire.
Who this is for
This engagement is for senior operational leaders — COOs, Finance Directors, MDs — in organisations of £5m–£50m revenue who need experienced data leadership but aren’t in a position to hire a full-time Head of Data.
The organisations that benefit most tend to be in one of these situations:
- Data work is happening — but without a clear owner, consistent direction, or anyone accountable for progress
- A data strategy exists on paper but isn’t being delivered — because nobody has the seniority or bandwidth to drive it
- Leadership is making decisions on incomplete or disputed figures — and nobody internally has time to resolve it
- A junior analyst or BI developer is doing good work but needs senior direction they’re not getting
- There’s pressure to prepare for AI or advanced analytics — but the foundations aren’t in place and nobody owns getting them there
- A full-time Head of Data hire is on the roadmap — but not yet the right moment, and the gap is causing problems now
What usually triggers it
Most organisations reach this point in one of three ways. A project delivered something useful but left nobody to maintain or build on it. Growth has reached a stage where data is too important to leave without senior leadership — but not yet important enough to justify a full-time salary. Or a junior hire proved too wide a gap: good work, wrong level.
The underlying problem is the same in each case: data work without senior ownership drifts. Priorities shift. Decisions get deferred. Progress stalls. A fractional arrangement stops that from happening — without requiring a permanent hire before the organisation is ready for one.
What the engagement involves
The Fractional Head of Data engagement is a retainer arrangement — typically starting at two to four days per month, adjusted as the organisation’s needs change. It is not a project with a defined end. It is ongoing senior ownership of the data agenda, structured to fit around the business.
Strategic ownership
I take ownership of the data strategy — keeping it current, prioritising the right things, and making sure the work being done is connected to the outcomes the organisation actually needs. That includes attending leadership meetings, advising on data-related decisions, and ensuring the board has a clear, honest picture of where the data programme is and where it is going.
Governance and standards
Data work without governance accumulates debt quickly. I establish and maintain the standards that keep data trustworthy — data quality oversight, documentation of key definitions, clear ownership of critical data assets, and a governance model that the organisation can actually maintain rather than one that exists only on paper.
Delivery leadership
Where technical delivery is happening — whether that’s internal analysts, contracted developers, or platform work — I provide the senior direction that keeps it on track. I define the right approach, review the work, and intervene when something is heading in the wrong direction. I am not a passive advisor. I am accountable for the quality of what gets built.
Team and capability development
Where there is an internal data team — however small — I work alongside them rather than around them. That means mentoring, clear tasking, honest feedback, and building the internal capability that reduces dependence on external support over time. The goal is an organisation that can eventually run its data agenda independently, not one that is permanently reliant on outside help.
What success looks like
The measures of success for this engagement are operational, not technical. Over time, a well-run Fractional Head of Data arrangement should produce:
- A data strategy that is being actively delivered, not just documented
- A board that receives clear, consistent data reporting and acts on it
- An internal team that knows what it is working on and why
- Data quality that is improving, not drifting
- Fewer escalations and surprises — because problems are caught and addressed early
- An organisation that is building genuine data capability, not permanent dependency
“David felt like a member of the team, rather than an external person working for us. He came to us at a time when we were working to a very tight deadline and needed someone that could hit the ground running. Super-reliable, and if there were other areas where he could contribute, he would.”
Rab Singhania, Director of Data & Analytics, ArvatoConnect
What this engagement is not
- A project engagement with a defined end — this is ongoing leadership, not a one-off piece of work
- A replacement for a full-time hire indefinitely — the goal is to build the organisation’s capability, not create permanent dependency
- Hands-off advisory — I am accountable for the direction and quality of the work, not just the recommendations
- A junior resource management role — this is senior leadership, not project coordination
- The right starting point if the strategy hasn’t been defined yet — in that case, the Data Strategy Accelerator is the better first step
Scope and structure
- Retainer basis — typically two to four days per month as a starting point
- Scope and cadence agreed at the outset, reviewed regularly as needs change
- Delivered remotely with on-site attendance for leadership meetings and key sessions
- Direct access — no account managers, no handoffs, no junior intermediaries
- Can run alongside or follow on from a Data Strategy Accelerator engagement
If you need senior data leadership but aren’t ready to hire, let’s talk.
A discovery call is a straightforward conversation about where your data agenda is stalling and whether a fractional arrangement is the right fit. No obligation, no jargon.
Not sure if this is the right starting point?
The Data Strategy Accelerator is designed for organisations that need to understand what’s wrong before committing to ongoing leadership. It’s a faster, lower-commitment way to get clarity first.