Direct answer
A Fractional marketing leader is an experienced senior marketer who joins a business for a defined period or number of days to provide leadership, direction and hands-on support against a specific business need.
Unlike a traditional consultant, they're usually embedded in the business and involved in making the plan happen, not simply recommending what somebody else should do.
When does Fractional make sense?
It works when the business needs senior marketing leadership but another permanent senior hire is too early, too slow or simply isn't the right answer.
That might be because a Marketing Director has left, the business is growing faster than the team, a founder is carrying too much or the marketing function needs experienced direction before the permanent structure is clear.
How is Fractional different from consultancy?
The line isn't absolute, but there's an important practical difference.
A consultant will often diagnose a problem and recommend what should happen.
A Fractional leader is typically closer to the day-to-day business.
They might attend leadership meetings, mentor the team, challenge decisions, build the roadmap, manage stakeholders and help deliver it.
They're still there next week when reality kicks in.
What makes it work?
Start with an outcome, not a vague number of days.
What does the business need to be different three or six months from now?
Then give the person enough access, information and authority to make themselves useful.
Otherwise you've just hired an expensive person to sit in meetings.