Why hire a Part-time (Fractional) Marketing Manager instead of a full-time employee?
At some point, most growing businesses reach the same conclusion:
We need more marketing support.
The real question isn’t whether you need help - it’s what kind of support makes sense for your business right now.
What is a Part-time (Fractional) Marketing Manager?
A part-time marketing manager, often referred to as a fractional marketing manager, is an experienced marketing leader who works with your business on a flexible, part-time basis.
Instead of hiring someone full-time, you get access to senior-level expertise for a set number of days or hours each month purely focused on strategy, leadership and results.
A fractional marketing manager isn’t a junior resource or an extra pair of hands. They operate at a leadership level, taking ownership of direction, priorities, and outcomes, while working alongside your existing team, agencies or suppliers.
In short: you get the experience you need, without the full-time commitment.
What a fractional Marketing Manager actually does
A fractional marketing manager steps into your business much like an in-house marketing lead would, just without the full-time overhead.
That typically includes:
Setting and owning marketing strategy
Aligning activity with wider business goals
Prioritising what matters (and stopping what doesn’t)
Managing agencies, freelancers or internal resources
Creating structure, processes and accountability
Reporting clearly on performance and impact
The focus is always on making marketing work harder for your business without adding unnecessary complexity.
The full-time hire assumption
Hiring a full-time Marketing Manager often feels like the obvious next step. But for many SMEs, it comes with challenges that aren’t always considered upfront.
A full-time role typically includes:
A £50,000+ salary
Employer National Insurance and pension contributions
Recruitment and onboarding costs
Training, development and benefits
A long-term commitment - whether the role is fully utilised or not
Once everything is factored in, the true cost of a full-time hire is often closer to £60,000–£65,000+ per year.
That’s a significant investment - especially if your marketing function is still evolving.
The cost comparison
This is where the difference becomes clearer.
My Part-Time (Fractional) Marketing Manager support ranges from £1,499 to £3,499 per month, depending on the level of involvement your business needs.
That gives you:
Senior-level marketing leadership
Strategic oversight and hands-on support
Clear reporting and accountability
All for a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire and with the flexibility to scale support up or down as your business grows.
Why cost isn’t the only factor (but it matters)
This isn’t about choosing the cheapest option.
It’s about choosing the right level of support for where your business is now.
Many SMEs don’t need someone working on marketing every day. What they really need is:
Clear priorities
Ownership of outcomes
Better decision-making
Someone experienced enough to know what not to do
Fractional support delivers exactly that.
A smarter way to scale
For many growing businesses, part-time marketing leadership is a sensible stepping stone.
It allows you to:
Build structure and consistency
Improve performance and confidence
Make informed decisions about future hires
You’re not avoiding a full-time role - you’re setting yourself up to make the right one when the time comes.
Final thought
If you’re weighing up whether to hire full-time or bring in part-time support, the real question isn’t cost - it’s what will deliver the most value right now.
For many SMEs, a part-time (fractional) marketing manager is the smarter place to start.
If you’re unsure which route makes sense for your business, a short conversation can help you work it out — without pressure or commitment.