An experienced chief of staff for one to three days a week. They run the operating rhythm, prepare the board pack, drive cross-team projects and make sure decisions actually happen.
Tell us what you need and our team will introduce you to people who fit.
Or browse profiles yourself
A fractional chief of staff is an experienced operator who works part-time as the CEO's senior right hand. They run the leadership operating rhythm, prepare board and investor materials, drive cross-functional projects and track decisions to completion. US engagements typically cost $5,000–$14,000 a month, with most between $7,000 and $10,000.
A chief of staff multiplies the CEO's time. They don't run a department; they make sure the leadership team works as a team. That means agendas and follow-ups for leadership meetings, quarterly planning, board decks, and the projects that fall between teams because nobody owns them.
The fractional version suits a CEO who needs that extra capacity for a specific period: installing an operating rhythm, running a fundraise, standing up board reporting, or getting through a reorganization. Once the systems are in place, many companies either hand them to an internal operator or hire a full-time chief of staff.
It's a lighter, more CEO-facing role than a fractional COO, who usually manages department heads and owns operational results directly.
TL;DR
A fractional chief of staff typically costs $7,800–$10,100 a month for about 13 hours a week, based on GoFractional's average rate of $172 an hour. Published US ranges run $5,000–$14,000 a month for one to three days a week, usually month to month with 30 days' notice.
Typical monthly retainer
$7,000–$10,000/mo
Hourly rate in live job posts
$150–$195/hr
Monthly cost in live job posts
$7,800–$10,100/mo
| Pricing model | Typical range | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Light support (about 1 day/week) | $4,000–$6,000 per month | Meeting cadence, notes, follow-through on the top priorities |
| Standard (about 12–13 hrs/week) | $6,000–$12,000 per month | Owning the operating rhythm, cross-team projects and leadership reporting |
| Embedded (3+ days/week) | $12,000–$14,000+ per month | A fundraise, merger or leadership transition |
| Full-time chief of staff | About $240,000 per year loaded | A CEO who needs a daily partner for the long term |
Full-time chiefs of staff averaged $167,954 in base salary in 2025, according to the Chief of Staff Network. Fully loaded, that's about $240,000 a year, plus a search of 45 to 75 days. A fractional chief of staff at $8,000–$9,000 a month costs under half of that.
On MentorCruise: 29 matching mentors list monthly plans from $100 to $500 (median $240). Plans cover regular calls and chat, so they suit advisory-level support. For more hours, ask for a custom engagement.
Light support costs about half of a standard engagement.
A chief of staff who runs planning and board work costs more than one who mainly coordinates.
More direct reports and more teams mean more coordination.
Fundraises, acquisitions and reorganizations take extra hours.
The job is defined by the CEO, but these areas come up in almost every engagement.
Weekly leadership meetings with agendas, decisions and owners, plus quarterly planning.
Board decks, investor updates and the data behind them.
Owning the initiatives that span several teams and would otherwise stall.
Making sure what was agreed actually happens, and flagging when it doesn't.
Protecting the CEO's calendar for the work only they can do.
Fundraise logistics, offsites, reorganizations and new market research.
These roles overlap, but they solve different problems.
| Role | Focus | Best when | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fractional chief of staff | CEO capacity, operating rhythm, cross-team projects | Work is slipping between people | $5,000–$14,000/mo |
| Fractional COO | Owns operations and manages department heads | Operations themselves are breaking | $6,000–$18,000/mo |
| Executive assistant | Calendar, inbox, travel and logistics | The CEO's admin load is the problem | Full-time salary or VA rates |
If the CEO is drowning in admin, start with an executive assistant. If work is slipping between leaders, a chief of staff. If the operations themselves need an owner, a COO.
These are the most common signs.
When not to hire one: In very small teams, a chief of staff usually has too little to coordinate. A good executive assistant or project manager is often enough.
Six or more leaders report in, and the CEO is the only connection between them.
Leadership meetings run long, decisions get revisited, and follow-ups are lost.
The CEO loses a week each quarter assembling the board deck.
Cross-functional work has no owner and keeps slipping.
Senior operators who have done this job. Many offer an intro call, so you can check fit before you commit.
Ask about specific outcomes, not credentials. A good candidate will tell you what didn't work as readily as what did.
Which CEOs have you worked for, and at what company size?
What operating rhythm would you set up in the first month?
How do you handle board and investor materials?
How do you work with leaders who don't report to you?
How would you hand off when we hire full-time?
Still have questions? Email our team and we'll help you work out what you need.
A fractional chief of staff typically costs $7,800–$10,100 per month for about 13 hours a week, based on an average rate of $172 an hour. Published US ranges run $5,000–$14,000 a month, with most retainers between $7,000 and $10,000.
A fractional chief of staff works part-time as the CEO's senior right hand: running the leadership operating rhythm, preparing board materials, driving cross-team projects and tracking decisions to completion.
A COO owns operations and usually manages department heads directly. A chief of staff works on the CEO's behalf across the whole leadership team, without owning a department.
No. An executive assistant handles the CEO's calendar, inbox and logistics. A chief of staff works on strategy, planning and cross-team execution.
Usually when the CEO has six or more direct reports, leadership meetings don't produce decisions, or board and fundraising work is pulling them away from customers and team.
Use the form on this page to describe your leadership team and what's slipping, and we'll introduce you to experienced chiefs of staff who fit. You can also browse chief of staff mentors directly.
We've already delivered 1-on-1 mentorship to thousands of students, professionals, managers and executives. Even better, they've left an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 for our mentors.
Get matched
Tell us what you're working on and we'll introduce you to people who have done this job before.
