Decisions concentrated at the top
Without formal delegation every decision converges on the owner: teams wait, and leadership is absorbed by daily operations at the expense of strategic direction.
Effect: slower decisions and limited team autonomy
Services and method
Six levers for orderly growth
Available individually or combined in a Fractional COO engagement. The starting point is strategy; the end point is an autonomous organization, able to operate without my oversight.
The starting point
Three structural frictions
Growth in clients, headcount and complexity puts pressure on an operating structure designed for a smaller company. The result is organizational friction, longer decision cycles and a progressive erosion of margins.
An organization built up in layers
Roles defined in response to urgencies, overlapping responsibilities and unclear reporting lines: the formal org chart does not match how the company actually works.
Effect: overhead growing faster than revenue
Misaligned processes and departments
Sales, operations and administration work without shared objectives and metrics: handovers generate delays, errors and rework.
Effect: delays, margin erosion and client dissatisfaction
Services
The six levers
The core of the engagement
Processes and operational efficiency
Process mapping, removal of unnecessary steps and bottlenecks, standard operating procedures and, once the process has been redesigned, an independent assessment of what is worth digitalising and what is not.
- Shorter cycle times
- Fewer errors, waste and rework
Organization and roles
Design of an organizational structure consistent with strategy: org chart, roles and job descriptions, reporting lines, team sizing and development path for the management team.
- Clear org chart and roles
- Structure sized for growth
Governance and delegation
Decision rules, delegation levels, committees and meetings that actually add value. The founder steps out of daily operations without losing control, and the company gains the documented structure that lenders and investors can assess.
- Responsibility matrices (RACI)
- Effective meetings and committees
KPIs and management control
A few indicators that matter, up-to-date dashboards and a clear review rhythm, so decisions rest on facts rather than impressions.
- Dashboard for the Board
- Performance by department and project
Supporting levers
Strategy and execution
Translating vision into priorities, measurable objectives and an operating plan. Management alignment and a regular review rhythm to stay on course.
- Strategic and operating plan
- Shared objectives and priorities
Costs and efficiency
Review of overhead and suppliers, elimination of waste and non-value-adding spend, alignment of costs with the new operating model.
- Operating cost reduction
- Supplier renegotiation
No hiring required
Fractional COO: part-time operational leadership
1–2 days a week embedded in the organization, alongside the CEO: I lead the transformation across the six levers with direct oversight of the agreed operational objectives.
- No hiring, severance or recruitment costs
- Flexible monthly fee
- Executive expertise available immediately
The end point
Your Target Operating Model
The levers converge into a documented operating model (processes, organization, governance and KPIs), supported by coaching for management and practical training for the teams, so the company retains operational autonomy once the engagement ends.
- Processes
- Clear flows, standard procedures and handovers.
- Organization
- Org chart, roles and responsibilities consistent with strategy.
- Governance
- Decision rules, delegation and meetings that work.
- KPI
- Dashboard and review rhythm to decide on data.
The economic return
Better processes are not a cost: they are margin
An effective operating model produces economic benefits as a direct consequence: lower costs for the same volume of work and freed-up capacity to support growth without a proportional increase in structure.
1 · Effectiveness
Leaner processes, clear roles
Fewer steps and shorter waiting times, with decisions assigned to the right level.
2 · Efficiency
Less waste and fewer errors
Rework, duplication, overtime and firefighting all decrease.
3 · Costs and capacity
Lower costs, time freed up
Operating costs fall and the same headcount can handle more clients, orders and projects.
4 · Result
More margin, sustainable growth
Revenue grows without a proportional increase in structure: the difference turns into profitability.
Method
The 90-day roadmap
Three measurable phases, from a fragmented operating structure to an autonomous organization.
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1–14
Phase 1 · Days 1–14
Diagnostic Sprint
Interviews with leadership and managers, mapping of processes, organization and decision-making, analysis of overhead costs and identification of the three highest-impact priorities.
Deliverable: diagnostic report and roadmap agreed with the leadership.
-
15–45
Phase 2 · Days 15–45
Redesign
Redesign of critical processes and of the organizational structure: roles, responsibilities and delegation rules. Field testing of new procedures and first actions on costs.
Deliverable: tested processes, new org chart, responsibility matrix (RACI) and first results.
-
46–90
Phase 3 · Days 46–90
Stabilization and handover
Release of the Target Operating Model, launch of governance and of the KPI dashboard. Coaching for management on delegation and decisions, training for teams on procedures and tools.
Deliverable: documented operating model, Board dashboard, autonomous teams.
Ways to work together
Four options, from regular strategic sessions with the leadership to an operational presence in the company.
Advisor to the owners
Ongoing support for the owner and partners: a monthly meeting on KPIs, priorities and plan progress, and support with key decisions on processes, organization and governance. I attend shareholder or board meetings in an advisory capacity.
Fractional COO
1–2 days a week alongside the CEO, directly overseeing the agreed objectives.
Diagnostic Sprint
In 14 days: critical issues, priorities and a 90-day roadmap.
Targeted projects
Processes, organization and roles, governance and delegation, KPIs and management control.
Advisor to the owners, step by step
An outside perspective, with continuity, at the owners' table.
Who it is for: owners and partners of family- or founder-led SMEs who want a structured sounding board on the decisions that matter: growth, organization, generational handover, entry of investors.
How it works
- Start. A review of figures, organization and plan. If there is no baseline yet, we begin with the Diagnostic Sprint.
- Every month. A meeting with the owners, built around a few KPIs and the status of priorities, in person or remotely.
- Every quarter. A check of processes, organization and governance against the Target Operating Model, and the corrective actions to take.
- Between meetings. Discussion on request for decisions that cannot wait.
What you get: meetings with a clear agenda, documented decisions, KPIs reviewed regularly and a timely warning when processes or structure can no longer support growth.
The role is advisory: decisions remain with the owners and management.
Comparison
Three ways to bring operational expertise into the company
Role, cost, flexibility and start-up time compared, to identify the model best suited to your growth stage.
| Criterion | Traditional consulting | Full-time employed COO | Fractional COO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role | Diagnosis and recommendations: execution, and the risk that the plan is never implemented, remain with the client | Ongoing management, often absorbed by routine matters | From diagnosis to hands-on execution, with direct oversight of agreed objectives through to handover |
| Cost | Medium-high, with a fixed project budget agreed upfront | High and fixed: executive salary, social contributions, severance and recruitment costs | Monthly fee proportional to the days on site |
| Flexibility | Limited to the project scope | Permanent contract, high exit costs | Adjustable commitment, 30 days' notice to terminate |
| Start-up time | Weeks between scoping, proposal and first outputs | Months between recruitment, onboarding and full effectiveness | Operational within days; clear action priorities in 14 days |
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions on scope, timing and form of the engagement.
Which companies is this service designed for?
For growing SMEs and startups — industrial, commercial and services — with up to 250 employees, which already have a structured team but processes, roles and decision rules that have not kept pace with growth. Typically family- or founder-led companies, where the owner is still the bottleneck for too many decisions.
You have worked with large groups: does your method work in an SME?
Yes, and that is exactly the value I bring. From large organizations I take the rigour: clear processes, defined accountability, reliable controls and figures. I leave the bureaucracy behind: in an SME the tools must be simple, right-sized and usable by the team from day one. The goal is not to turn your company into a multinational, but to give it the solidity to grow.
What is the difference between a Fractional COO and a consultant?
A consultant analyses and recommends; a Fractional COO joins the organization in an operational role, leads implementation with the team and is accountable for the agreed results. It combines the method of management consulting with the continuity of an internal manager.
How soon are the first benefits visible?
Within the first 14 days you receive the map of critical issues and the action priorities. Between day 15 and day 45 the first quick wins on processes, roles and costs are delivered; a fully operational model is the 90-day goal. Actual timing depends on the size and complexity of the company.
How does the Fractional COO work with internal managers?
The role does not replace internal managers and does not create hierarchical conflicts. It works alongside the CEO: clarifying responsibilities, removing overlaps and supporting managers so they can make decisions based on clear standards, without going through the founder for every choice.
Do you also deal with digitalisation and software?
Yes, as part of the work on processes. First the process is redesigned, then we assess what to digitalise: I identify where a digital tool can reduce time or costs, define the requirements and compare the solutions available on the market against documented criteria. I do not carry out implementations and have no commercial agreements or commissions with suppliers or software vendors: the choice and the contract remain with the company.
What happens after the 90 days?
The goal is your autonomy: the operating model is handed over with documented processes, org chart, responsibilities and dashboard. You can continue on your own or keep a light presence: one day a week as Fractional COO, or the role of advisor to the owners, with a monthly review meeting on KPIs and priorities.
Do you also work with companies abroad or remotely?
Yes. I work in Italian, English and French and can support companies in Italy and abroad. The model is hybrid: on-site presence at key moments and remote work for the rest of the activities.
What is the contractual arrangement?
A B2B professional services contract with monthly invoicing. It is not an employment relationship: no severance, employee contributions or exit costs. The agreement can be adjusted or terminated with 30 days' notice. For tax matters specific to your company, please consult your accountant.
Let's talk about your company
A preliminary 30-minute conversation, with no obligation, to identify where processes and organization are stuck. I reply within 1 business day.