engagement options

Retained Strategic Leadership

Our Retained Leadership model gives you a Fractional CMO — a senior marketing leader who integrates into your business for the long-term to drive growth, transformation, and board-level confidence.

Consistent direction. Full integration. Strategic traction.

When Retained Leadership Makes the Difference

Some challenges can’t be solved in a day or a project. They need ongoing leadership, consistency, and accountability to deliver results.

Retained leadership is ideal if:

  • You need long-term marketing direction without hiring a full-time CMO
  • Your team needs hands-on leadership, mentoring, and structure
  • You’re preparing for M&A, funding, or international expansion
  • Marketing needs to be tied directly to board and investor expectations

What You Get

Fractional CMOs don’t just advise — they lead from the inside. You’ll have a senior marketer embedded into your business, bringing strategic clarity and operational traction.

Typical outcomes include:

  • Building or restructuring the marketing function
  • Leading go-to-market delivery and demand generation
  • Aligning sales, product, and marketing around shared goals
  • Reporting directly to the board and investors

This is true leadership, not external consulting.

Why Choose This Engagement Model?

Leadership - Embedded direction from a Chartered, board-level CMO

Alignment - Cross-functional orchestration across sales, product, and marketing

Traction - Demand engines, teams, and systems that scale

Assurance - Board-ready reporting and investor confidence

Pricing for Retained Leadership

Retained engagements for our Chartered Fractional CMOs typically range
from £4,000–£12,000/month (+VAT) depending on scope, complexity and urgency.

See the table below for an illustration of rates and scenarios.

Engagement Tier Typical Range
(+VAT)
Focus
Foundational Leadership £4,000 –
£7,500
Function buildout, brand positioning, demand generation
Growth Leadership £7,500 –£12,000 GTM leadership, cross-functional orchestration, capability & martech optimisation
Transformation Leadership £12,000+ (custom) Strategic transformation, exit readiness, board/investor leadership

Important Notes:

Includes: SOSTAC strategy planning, Embedded presence (remote/on-site/hybrid), Monthly roadmap and KPI tracking, Team oversight and vendor co-ordination, Board reporting and cross-functional alignment

Minimum Term: 6 months

Early Exit: 1x monthly fee if cancelled before month 4.
After month 4 providing 30 days' notice carries no additional fees.

Our project was to create a top-level marketing strategy which, once built, we could drive forward ourselves. And I can honestly say the work has been transformational for Yellowtail. After each workshop with VCMO, both Dennis Hall and I would be amazed at how much we'd achieved. We worked hard! But the results are worth it.

Sarah Steele
Operations Director, Yellowtail Financial Planning
Read the Case Study

Shout out to Paul Mills who bravely took on running a positioning workshop with us yesterday. Is there anything harder than doing the thing your client does for others for them?! Great work. Really thought provoking, and so important to have facilitated by someone with an external perspective!

Bryony Thomas
CEO, watertight business thinking

Paul is a professional strategic marketeer who is able to apply his expertise with marketing budgets large and small. The commercial impact of Shaw & Co's rebrand, which was initiated, designed and implemented by Paul, has been to differentiate us positively in a sector where few have succeeded. He delivers what he promises, on time and on/under budget, to a high quality. Paul made a positive impact on our business that will last.

Rod Leefe
chair, shaw & co

VCMO's audit brought clarity to a complex set of challenges. They cut through the noise and delivered a clear, prioritised roadmap that we could act on immediately. Their ability to engage across teams and translate insight into action was exactly what we needed.

Dr. Ross Burn
Co-founder, Catsci limited  
Read the Case Study

Lydia possesses a deep understanding of marketing strategies and has consistently delivered exceptional results. Her ability to analyse market trends, create engaging campaigns, and drive customer acquisition is truly impressive. Her dedication, attention to detail, and strong communication skills make her an invaluable asset to any organisation. I cannot recommend Lydia enough for her expertise, professionalism, and exceptional work ethic.

Alan Leckey
Business Consultant, CCO - the Collaboration Company  

Paul Mills wasn't just an outsourced marketing leader — he was a mentor. His support helped me enhance my technical marketing skills and shape a more strategic mindset, as well as build my  confidence with senior leadership and deliver higher-impact work. He is dependable and skillful, and his guidance has made me feel more capable and prepared for future challenges.

Caitlin Daniels
marketing manager, catsci limited
Read the Case Study

VCMO brings knowledge, insight and practical experience to the table, but also something else, which is quite rare, the unwavering commitment to finishing the job without compromising on the quality of the output. Their work for Yellowtail has been exemplary and we're seeing the results already.

Dennis Hall
founder, yellowtail financial planning

Ruth brought great experience and insight to my firm over many years. Her considered and thoughtful approach to problem solving are a real strength and her experience of marketing and business development in the legal sector was invaluable.

Gavin Tyler
Managing Partner, Cripps

VCMO helped us think beyond our capabilities and reframe how we communicate the true value of what we do. Paul's workshop unlocked fresh ideas resulting in a more strategic approach to our content plan and go-to-market materials. The quality of the output and power of the messaging is really impressive.

Peter Ridgway
Business Development Director, Reach Separations
Read the Case Study

VCMO has been instrumental in reshaping how we approach marketing at Lucent. Their strategic clarity, attention to detail, and ability to deliver at pace have been exceptional. Paul's embedded himself seamlessly into the team and quickly earned trust — not just from me, but from our wider staff and partners. The website and content strategy he led have already started delivering results, and I now feel far more confident in how we grow the business over the coming years.

Steven Rowe
Founder - Lucent Financial Planning
Read the Case Study

VCMO helped me find the words and structure to communicate what I do — and who I do it for — in a way that finally connects. I’ve had more inbound enquiries since the website relaunch than in the previous two years.

Lee Spencer
aka The rowing marine
Read the Case Study

Not sure if retained leadership is right for your business? Get in touch to explore this and our other engagement options.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Fractional Edge is our montly newsletter sharing expert opinion on the latest trends in fractional leadership, curated marketing content from leading sources, VCMO events, and much more. Subscribing is quick — just add your name and email.