What a fractional Director of Operations does
A fractional Director of Operations holds the operations seat in your company part-time. Instead of a consultant who writes a report and leaves, you get a senior operator on your floor on a set day each week, owning the results with your team.
In practice, that means I:
- Run the weekly operations meeting and keep a short list of priorities everyone can see.
- Own a handful of KPIs: on-time delivery, backlog, scrap and rework, labor and overtime, in a simple daily or weekly view.
- Fix the schedule so the floor builds in the right order, and quotes promise dates the shop can hit.
- Tighten quality, finishing and shipping so product leaves complete, clean and on time.
- Coach supervisors and leads so problems get solved at the floor level instead of landing on the owner.
- Clean up the systems: ERP and spreadsheets, inventory and purchasing, and adding practical tools and AI where they save real time.
Who it's for
Small and mid-size manufacturers, fabricators and distributors, usually 20 to 250 people, where operations has outgrown the owner's spare time but a full-time executive isn't the right move yet.
The owner is the plant manager
Every decision routes through you, and the business can only grow as fast as your day allows.
Your ops leader just left
You need steady leadership now, and a clear picture of the job before you hire the next person.
You're growing or moving
A new building, a new line or a big new customer, and the old way of running the shop won't stretch.
Private-equity or new owners
New owners want reliable numbers and a 90-day plan, and the team needs someone to make it real.
Same problems, every month
Late orders, rework and expediting that never go away, no matter how hard everyone works.
Data you don't trust
An ERP or spreadsheet that says one thing while the floor says another.
Fractional, full-time, interim or consultant?
Owners usually weigh four options. Here is how they compare.
| Option | Time in the business | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Fractional Director of Operations | 1–2 set days a week, ongoing | You need senior ops leadership and accountability, but not 40 hours a week of it. |
| Full-time Director of Operations or COO | Full-time, permanent | The role is well defined, permanent and big enough to fill a week. |
| Interim plant manager | Full-time, for a few months | A seat is empty and someone has to run the site day to day while you hire. |
| Traditional consultant | A study, then recommendations | You want an outside analysis and have people who can carry out the plan. |
Many owners use "fractional COO" and "fractional Director of Operations" for the same thing. My focus is the plant: the floor, the schedule, quality and shipping, and the numbers behind them.
How an engagement works
1. Free 30-minute ops call
What's breaking, what it's costing you, and whether I'm the right fit. If I'm not, I'll say so.
2. Two-week on-site assessment
About four days on your floor: walking the process, pulling the data and talking with the people doing the work. You get a written report with your biggest problems, the quick wins and a 90-day roadmap.
3. Fix and build, a day or two a week
We work the roadmap together: scheduling, shop-floor flow, quality, shipping and KPIs, using lean and continuous-improvement tools where they fit.
4. Hand off
I train your team, document the systems and step back. An ongoing retainer is optional.
Fractional operations pricing
Starting prices, so you know the range before we talk. Final pricing is set after the free call and confirmed in a short written agreement.
2-week ops assessment
Written report, quick wins and a 90-day roadmap. Credited in full if you start a retainer within 30 days.
Fractional ops leader
- 1 or 2 set days a week on-site
- 3-month start, then month to month
- Cancel with 30 days' notice
Project sprint
4–8 weeks on one problem with a clear finish line: shipping and freight damage, a scheduling board or KPI dashboard, ERP/CRM cleanup, or a new line or move.
What I focus on
Production scheduling
One schedule the floor trusts, realistic promise dates and fewer hot jobs.
Shop-floor flow
Layout, WIP and handoffs between departments, so work moves instead of waiting.
Quality & rework
Root cause on repeat defects, clear checks and an owner for each problem.
Shipping & logistics
Packing, staging and loading so orders ship complete, clean and on time.
Inventory & supply chain
Purchasing, stocking levels and supplier follow-up tied to the real schedule.
Safety, ERP & tools
OSHA-minded safety habits, ERP systems like SAP and JD Edwards, and practical tools and AI.
Serving manufacturers in Greenville & Hunt County, the east side of DFW, Sulphur Springs & Paris and Tyler.
Common questions
How long do I have to commit?
The retainer starts with three months so the fixes have time to stick, then goes month to month. Either side can end it with 30 days' notice. Assessments and project sprints are one-time engagements with a clear finish line.
Which day or days will you be on-site?
We agree on a set day, or two, each week, so your team knows when I'm on the floor. Between visits I'm available by phone and email for questions and decisions that can't wait.
What do you need from us to get started?
Access to the floor, a point person who can pull the numbers you already have, and time with your leads and a few operators. Spreadsheets, ERP reports or a whiteboard are all fine as a starting point.
Can you help us hire a full-time operations leader later?
Yes. When the business is ready for a full-time ops leader, the documented systems and KPIs make that hire easier, and I can help define the role so the new leader steps into a working system.
How much does a fractional COO or operations director cost?
Mine starts at $4,000 a month for one day a week on-site, with two days a week priced higher. The 2-week assessment is $3,500–5,000 flat and is credited toward a retainer started within 30 days. Fixed-price sprints start at $6,000.
Let's talk about your floor.
Book a free 30-minute ops call. Tell me what keeps breaking, and I'll tell you honestly whether I can help and what the first step would be.