Fractional CMO Job Description: A Template You Can Copy

The short version

• Most fractional CMO postings fail because they read like a full-time job description with “part time” pasted on top.
• A good one names the business problem, the hours, the reporting line, and three to five KPIs the person will own.
• Ask for proof of results at companies your size, not a list of software skills.
• The template below is ready to paste into a posting or send to candidates directly.

A fractional CMO job description has one job: get the right senior marketer to raise their hand and get the wrong ones to pass. Most postings miss because they copy a full-time CMO description, add “15 hours a week,” and list 40 responsibilities no part-time person could cover. The good candidates read that and assume you don’t know what you want.

Below is a template built for small and mid-size companies hiring their first part-time marketing leader. Edit the brackets and cut anything that doesn’t apply.

Before you write it, answer four questions

The description gets easy once you know these answers. If you can’t answer them, that’s useful information too. It might mean you need a short paid assessment before a full engagement.

1. What’s broken? “Leads dropped 25% after we lost our agency” is a real problem. “We need to grow” isn’t.
2. What does success look like in 12 months? Pick a number: booked jobs, qualified pipeline, cost per acquisition.
3. Who will do the work? An agency, an in-house coordinator, freelancers, or the CMO themselves.
4. What’s the budget? For the CMO’s fee and for marketing spend. Candidates will ask both.

If you’re still unsure what the role covers, read what you get with fractional CMO services before you post anything.

The fractional CMO job description template

Title: Fractional Chief Marketing Officer (part time, contract)

Company: [Company name], a [type of business] serving [market/region] with [revenue range or team size].

Why this role exists: We’re at [current state, e.g. $6M revenue, two locations, $15,000 a month in ad spend managed by an outside agency]. Marketing has [the problem: no clear owner / rising cost per lead / no reporting tied to revenue]. We need a senior marketing leader to own strategy, budget, and results on a part-time basis.

Responsibilities

• Build and own a 12-month marketing plan tied to revenue targets
• Set and manage the marketing budget across channels
• Manage our agency and freelancers, including scope, performance reviews, and contract decisions
• Set up or fix tracking so every lead is tied to a source (call tracking, CRM stages, GA4)
• Report monthly to [owner/CEO] on spend, leads, pipeline, and revenue from marketing
• Advise on hiring for in-house marketing roles and help interview candidates

Key performance indicators

• [Marketing-sourced revenue or booked jobs] per month
• Cost per acquisition by channel
• Lead to close rate, measured with sales
• Payback period on marketing spend

Hours and schedule

[8 to 15] hours per week, mostly remote, with one standing weekly meeting and one monthly review. Occasional on-site days in [city] as needed.

Reporting line

Reports to [owner/CEO]. Works closely with [sales lead / operations manager / office manager]. Manages [agency name, freelancers, in-house coordinator].

Qualifications

• 10+ years in marketing, with at least 3 in a leadership role owning budget and results
• Track record at companies between [$X and $Y] in revenue, ideally in [your industry or a close cousin]
• Comfortable reading ad account data and CRM reports without an analyst
• Has managed agencies and knows what good agency work costs
• Can show results with numbers: before and after, with context

Engagement terms

Monthly retainer in the range of [$X to $Y]. Initial 90-day term, then month to month with 30 days’ notice. Contractor relationship.

How to apply

Send a short note on how you’d spend your first 30 days with us, two examples of comparable engagements with results, and your typical monthly rate.

Why each section matters

“Why this role exists” does the filtering

This paragraph is where strong candidates decide if they’re a fit. A CMO who specializes in SaaS demand generation will self-select out of a home services posting, and that’s what you want. Be specific about your size, spend, and the actual problem.

Fewer responsibilities is better

Six bullets is plenty. A part-time leader at 10 to 15 hours a week can’t run social media, write blog posts, manage ads, and set strategy. List what they own. Let them propose who does the rest.

KPIs show you’re serious

Candidates who have done this before want to know how they’ll be judged. Revenue-linked numbers attract people who are comfortable being measured. If your posting lists “brand awareness” as the main KPI, expect applicants who prefer not to be measured. Our post on vanity metrics covers which numbers to skip.

Put the rate range in

Typical fractional CMO retainers for small and mid-size companies run roughly $5,000 to $15,000 a month. Posting a range saves everyone a call. If you’re not sure what’s realistic, the fractional CMO cost calculator gives you a ballpark based on hours and scope.

Mistakes that keep good candidates away

• Asking for a “player-coach” who will also do all the execution at a strategy rate
• Listing 15 tools as requirements (good CMOs learn your stack in a week)
• Hiding the budget, then rejecting everyone above it
• Requiring full-time availability for Slack messages
• Asking for a free 90-day plan as part of the application

That last one deserves a note. Asking how someone would approach the first 30 days is fair. Asking for a detailed plan with channel budgets before you’ve shared your data is spec work, and experienced people will pass.

What to do once applications come in

Shortlist three to five people. Get on a 45-minute call with each and ask them to walk through one past engagement from start to finish: what was broken, what they changed, what happened to the numbers, and what they’d do differently. Check one reference per finalist, ideally the owner or CEO they reported to.

Watch for a few red flags on those calls. Vague answers about results (“we grew the brand a lot”) usually mean the numbers weren’t good or weren’t tracked. Candidates who pitch a channel before asking about your data are selling a playbook they run everywhere. And anyone who can’t explain how they’d measure their own work in your business will be hard to hold accountable six months in. The best candidates ask you more questions than you ask them.

For the full process, see our guide on how to hire a fractional CMO.

FAQ

How long should a fractional CMO job description be?

One page, about 400 to 600 words. Long enough to be specific, short enough that a busy senior candidate reads all of it.

Should I list the salary or rate?

Yes. A monthly retainer range filters candidates faster than anything else in the posting.

Where should I post a fractional CMO role?

LinkedIn works, and so do fractional talent networks. Referrals from your accountant, banker, or peers in your industry often produce the best fits.

Do I need a separate contract?

Yes. The job description sets expectations. The contract sets scope, term, notice, and fees, and should be reviewed by your own counsel.

If you’d rather skip the posting and talk to a fractional CMO directly, reach out. We’ll tell you if we’re a fit based on your answers to those four questions.