Fractional Marketing Director — UK

A fractional marketing director who works inside your business.

Not a consultant handing you a deck. Not an agency waiting for a brief. A senior marketing director embedded in your team — thinking commercially, taking ownership and driving results.

Start a conversation What is a fractional MD?
Marie Ree, fractional marketing director
What is a fractional marketing director?

Senior CMO-level leadership, on a part-time basis.

A fractional marketing director is a senior marketing leader who works with your business on a retained, part-time basis — typically one to three days per week. You get the strategic thinking, commercial judgment and hands-on leadership of a seasoned CMO without the £100k+ salary that comes with a permanent hire.

The word "fractional" simply means you are buying a fraction of someone's time. But the quality of that time is not diluted. You get a senior professional who is genuinely invested in your business, embedded in your team and accountable for marketing performance.

At Ree Marketing, fractional means something more specific still. We do not operate from the outside. We attend your leadership meetings, learn your business, understand your pipeline and work like a permanent team member — just without the overhead.

10+ Years senior marketing
50+ Businesses helped
CIM Qualified
What a fractional marketing director does

Strategic leadership across your whole marketing function.

A fractional marketing director is not a single-channel specialist. They lead the whole marketing function — setting direction, managing execution and connecting marketing to commercial outcomes.

01

Marketing strategy

Setting the direction. Defining positioning, messaging, channel priorities and a 12-month roadmap aligned directly to business goals and revenue targets.

02

Leadership and oversight

Sitting in leadership meetings, challenging assumptions and making the right marketing calls at the right time. Real board-level presence without the board-level cost.

03

Team and agency management

Managing your in-house team, briefing your agencies and holding external partners to account. Better briefs mean better work means less wasted budget.

04

Execution and delivery

Fractional does not mean advisory only. We get involved in the actual work — campaigns, content, launches — wherever the business needs hands-on support.

Understanding your options

Fractional marketing director vs the alternatives.

There are several ways to access marketing expertise. Here is how they compare — honestly.

Criteria
Fractional MD
(Ree Marketing)
Full-time hire
Marketing agency
Cost
Flexible retainer
£80–120k salary + benefits + NI
Monthly retainer + project fees
Speed to start
Weeks
3–6 months to recruit
Weeks, but onboarding takes months
Business knowledge
Deep — we embed
Deep over time
Surface-level — work from briefs
Strategic ownership
Full ownership
Full ownership
Executes within scope only
Flexibility
Scale up or down
Fixed — employment contract
Fixed scope — changes cost more
Is this right for you?

You need a fractional marketing director if...

You are growing fast

Revenue is increasing but marketing cannot keep up. You need senior resource now — not after a six-month recruitment process.

No senior marketing leader

You have a team or agencies doing activity but no one senior enough to set direction, make the right calls and align marketing to the wider business strategy.

Marketing is not delivering

You are spending on marketing but not seeing the results. You need experienced eyes, an honest assessment and a clear plan to fix what is broken.

You are between hires

Your marketing director has left and you need cover while you recruit. We can step in immediately and provide continuity without losing momentum.

Entering a new market

Launching into a new geography, customer segment or product category. You need sharp positioning, the right strategy and experienced execution from day one.

Preparing for investment or exit

You need to build a credible, scalable marketing function that stands up to investor or acquirer scrutiny. We build the structure and the story.

How an engagement works

From first call to embedded leadership.

01
Week 1–2

Discovery call and scope

A straightforward conversation about your business, your goals and where marketing is today. No pitch, no jargon. We work out whether we are a good fit and what the right level of engagement looks like for your situation.

02
Week 2–4

Marketing audit

We review your current activity, your market, your customers and your commercial goals. This gives us a clear, honest picture of what is working, what is not and where the real opportunity lies. You get a written assessment and clear recommendations.

03
Month 2

Strategy and roadmap

Based on the audit, we build a marketing strategy aligned directly to your business goals. Positioning, messaging, channel priorities, 12-month roadmap and budget framework. You know exactly what we are doing, why, and what success looks like.

04
Ongoing

Embedded delivery and leadership

We work inside your business — typically one to three days per week — leading delivery, managing your team and suppliers, attending leadership meetings and reviewing performance monthly. The engagement evolves as your business does.

Common questions

What businesses usually ask us.

How much does a fractional marketing director cost?

Engagements are priced on a monthly retainer based on the number of days per week your business needs. This is significantly less than the cost of a full-time Marketing Director hire — typically a fraction of a £80–120k salary, without the additional NI, pension and benefits costs. We can discuss specific pricing on a discovery call once we understand your situation.

How long is a typical engagement?

Most clients work with us on a rolling monthly retainer after an initial three-month commitment. Some businesses work with us for six to twelve months to build a complete marketing function, then transition to a lighter oversight role. Others bring us in on an ongoing basis as a permanent part of their leadership team.

Do you work remotely or on-site?

Both. We flex around what your business needs. Many clients combine on-site attendance for key meetings and planning sessions with remote work in between. We are based in Hertfordshire and work with businesses across the UK.

What sectors do you work in?

We work across B2B and B2C, with a strong track record in professional services, tech, consumer brands and fast-growth SMEs. The principles of good marketing leadership translate across sectors — and a fresh perspective from outside your industry is often an advantage.

What if I already have a marketing team or agency?

That is not a problem — it is often ideal. A fractional marketing director provides the strategic leadership and senior oversight that a junior team or execution-focused agency cannot provide themselves. We work with your existing resources, raise the quality of briefs and improve the outcomes you get from them.

Read: how fractional MD costs compare
Client reviews

What clients say about working with us.

5.0 ★★★★★ on Google

★★★★★
"Marie is absolutely fantastic. A sharp, experienced marketer who can jump in quickly, think strategically and execute with excellence."

Kate

★★★★★
"She is incredibly diligent, organised and truly brilliant at shaping brand positioning and expanding market presence."

Clara

★★★★★
"Having worked with Marie on several projects I cannot express highly enough the professional marketing edge she brings to the table."

Mark

Read all reviews
Ready to talk?

Get senior marketing leadership working for your business.

Start with a conversation. No hard sell, no obligation — just a straightforward discussion about what your business needs and whether we are the right fit.

Start a conversation See the full service