The gap between a junior recruiter and a Head of People is where most growing startups get into trouble. A Fractional TA Director fills that gap, bringing the strategy, process ownership, and stakeholder management of a Director-level hire, on a retained basis that scales with your needs.
Most early-stage companies hit a point where a single recruiter isn't enough, but a full-time TA Director isn't yet justified either.
Without a senior TA voice in the room, every manager runs the process their own way. Standards drift. Great candidates slip through. Decisions feel subjective.
Recruitment is reactive. Roles open in crisis, processes are cobbled together, and there's no plan for what hiring needs to look like six months from now.
Without a direct sourcing strategy, you default to agencies. At 15–20% per hire, a 10-hire year costs £60–100k+ in fees alone, before salary costs.
In-house recruiters are capable, but without senior leadership they default to execution. The strategic layer (process design, stakeholder management, employer branding) remains unfilled.
A full-time TA Director is the right answer eventually. It's not always the right answer now.
| Full-time TA Director | Fractional TA Director | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | £90,000–120,000 salary + on-costs | From £30,000/year (£2,500/mo × 12) |
| Time to start | 2–3 months (notice + onboarding) | Within 2 weeks |
| Notice period | 3 months (often longer at Director level) | 30 days after initial 3-month term |
| Strategic depth | Deep, with full internal context over time | Deep from day one. No ramp-up on fundamentals |
| Availability | Full-time, 5 days/week | Dedicated days per week, agreed upfront |
| Right for | 50+ person companies with sustained hiring volume | Series A–B companies scaling from 20–50 people |
The exact scope is agreed at the start of each engagement based on your priorities. These are the typical areas covered.
Series A or B companies hiring 10–40 people per year across multiple functions
Founders who want to own hiring decisions but need strategic TA input to make them well
Companies with 1–2 in-house recruiters who need senior leadership and direction
Organisations spending 10%+ of their hiring budget on agency fees and looking to reduce dependency
People leads who want TA taken off their plate without giving up visibility
Not for companies that need full-time recruitment execution. This is strategic leadership, not hands-on sourcing
The retainer is based on the number of dedicated days per week, the complexity of your hiring function, and the scope agreed at the start of the engagement. Every arrangement is different. Fees are discussed and fixed before work begins.
Every engagement starts with a conversation about where you are now, what you need from a TA lead, and whether the scope and timing makes sense. No commitment, just 20 minutes.
Book a free 20-min callNo commitment. Typical first engagements begin within 2 weeks of the discovery call.