Fractional Chief Product Officer (CPO)

Drive innovation and product success with expert leadership. Accelerate development, optimise processes, and dominate your market.
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Strategic Product Leadership for Growing Startups

In today's fast-paced tech landscape, a robust product strategy is crucial for sustainable growth. Many startups and growing companies need top-tier product leadership to innovate and stand out, but can't justify the expense of a full-time Chief Product Officer (CPO). Our Fractional CPO services bridge this gap, offering a solution that combines senior-level expertise with cost-effective flexibility.

Key Responsibilities of Fractional CPOs

Our experienced Fractional CPOs take on a wide range of critical product responsibilities:

  • Define and execute product strategy aligned with business goals
  • Lead product discovery and prioritisation efforts
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact features
  • Implement agile methodologies and best practices
  • Analyse product performance and user feedback
  • Develop product roadmaps and feature prioritisation
  • Conduct market research and competitive analysis
  • Establish product development processes and frameworks
  • Guide product teams through development cycles
  • Facilitate product launches and go-to-market strategies

The Power of Strategic Product Leadership

A Fractional CPO brings more than just product management skills; they deliver a comprehensive vision that aligns your product development with your business objectives. Our seasoned product executives offer:

  • Data-Driven Strategy Development: Leverage market insights and user data to craft product strategies that deliver measurable results.
  • Customer-Centric Design and Development: Ensure your products meet and exceed user expectations.
  • Agile Implementation and Process Optimisation: Maximise efficiency and speed-to-market.
  • Technology Stack Evaluation and Integration: Stay ahead with the right tools and technologies.
  • Team Leadership and Skill Development: Elevate your existing product team's capabilities.

By engaging one of Shepherd's vetted Fractional CPOs, you're partnering with a strategic leader who can transform your product function into an innovation engine.

The Benefits of Engaging a Fractional CPO

  • Cost Effective: Access senior-level product leadership without the financial burden of a full-time executive.
  • Flexible Engagement: Tailor the engagement to your specific needs and scale as your business grows.
  • Fresh Perspectives: Benefit from diverse experience and innovative product approaches.
  • Immediate Impact: Leverage the Fractional CPO's experience to drive results quickly.

Who can benefit from Fractional CPOs?

Shepherd's Fractional CPO are designed to address the unique product challenges faced by tech startups across various growth stages:

Early-stage

  • Startups defining their initial product offering
  • Companies needing guidance on MVP development and iteration
  • Founders seeking product-market fit

Growth-stage

  • Startups looking to scale their product development efforts
  • Companies facing challenges in product roadmap prioritisation
  • Businesses needing help with user experience optimisation

Expansion-Stage

  • Tech companies expanding their product lines or entering new markets
  • Startups requiring assistance with product international expansion strategy
  • Businesses looking to optimise their product development processes

Established

  • Companies seeking fresh perspectives on their product strategies
  • Businesses facing increased competition and the need for product differentiation
  • Tech firms looking to revitalise their product offerings

By offering flexible, expert marketing leadership, Shepherd's Fractional CPOs can help tech startups navigate the complex challenges of each growth phase, from initial market validation to sustained expansion and beyond.

Why Shepherd?

We speak startup

Shepherd's curated network of 150+ fractional leaders aren't your typical leaders, they thrive in the scrappy nature of startups. They're resourceful. They own outcomes and dive deep into the nitty-gritty alongside you.

Swipe their playbook

Imagine having access to the playbooks used to drive the go-to-market success of some of the leading tech companies. No more second-guessing whether you're doing it right. Leverage their experience to scale growth.

Bang for your buck

Tap into a diverse experience and skillset tailored to your evolving business needs—all at a fraction of the cost of a full-time hire. You get 100% brainpower without breaking your bank.

Super flexible terms

No long-term contract and fancy offices required. Start with a day or two a week, for as long as you need. Scale up or down your team as you grow, or even assemble an A-team for special projects.

Rapid deployment

You've already got enough on your plate —don't waste time sourcing and interviewing candidates. Get matched with experienced fractional operators in days, not months.
Start hiring now

Frequently Asked Questions.

Still have questions?
Get in touch and we’ll respond ASAP.
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How often will the Fractional CPO be available?
Availability varies based on your needs, typically 10 to 20 hours per week, adjustable based on project demands.
Can a Fractional CPO help with specific product initiatives?
Yes, our CPOs can focus on specific initiatives or provide comprehensive product leadership, including new product launches, feature development, or product redesigns.
What are the typical pricing models for a Fractional CPO?
We offer three flexible pricing structures: daily rate, monthly retainer, and project-based pricing. We'll work with you to find the most suitable arrangement for your business.
  • Daily rate: This option is ideal for clients who need intensive, focused work on specific days.
  • Monthly retainer: Usually between AUD 4,600 to AUD 8,000 per month, this option provides ongoing strategic support and leadership.
  • Project-based: For specific product initiatives or product launch, your fractional CPO can provide a custom quote based on the scope and duration of the project.
Pricing can be customised based on the scope of work and your specific needs. We're committed to providing value and will work with you to find the most suitable arrangement for your business.
How long does a typical Fractional CPO engagement last?
Engagements can range from 3 months to over a year, depending on your company's needs and goals. Common engagement models include:
  • Part-time, flexible engagement: Ideal for ongoing strategic support.
  • Full-time, fixed engagement: Typically for 6 to 9 months, suited for time-sensitive challenges.
  • Project-based: For specific marketing initiatives or transformations.
Will the Fractional CPO work with our existing product team?
Absolutely. Our Fractional CPOs are experienced in collaborating with and mentoring in-house product teams, helping to upskill your existing team while providing strategic direction.

Through regular meetings, product reviews, and ongoing communication, your Fractional CPO will stay in sync with your team.
How do you measure the success of a Fractional CPO engagement?
Success is measured through agreed-upon KPIs and OKRs, which might include metrics like product adoption rates, user satisfaction scores, or time-to-market for new features.

Your fractional CPO will provide you with a Statement of Works at the start of the engagement, which will be reviewed and updated at every milestone and checkpoint.
Can a Fractional CPO help with our product development tools and processes?
Definitely. Our Fractional CPOs are well-versed in various product development methodologies and tools, and can help optimise your product development stack and processes.
Do fractional leaders have other jobs?
Yes — most of our fractional leaders work with multiple clients. The breadth and depth of their experience is what makes them a compelling option for a startup wanting to get from A to B quickly.

Many in our network have left the 9-5 grind to intentionally work in the startup ecosystem as an independent consultant, freelance exec, and advisor. Some are also exited founders.

This means they understand the importance of prioritisation and speed-to-value, rather than getting sucked into the bureaucracy and company politicking.

Their ultimate goal is to help startups succeed, and to eventually replace themselves with someone who can take the reins, in-house.
How is Shepherd different to other talent recruitment platforms and agencies?
We're about helping you find the best fractional leader in days, not months.

Shepherd delivers a video-first matchmaking experience, enabling you to find the right match asynchronously.

We vet and meet all of the fractional leaders to ensure we can match you with the best of the best. They are all former Director+ level leaders with track records of helping startups achieve great outcomes from scratch.

No generic freelancers here —just experienced operators with passion for startups, ready to roll up their sleeves, dive deep, and make a real impact.

Shepherd is not suited for task-oriented projects with set deliverables and milestones (you've got Upwork or Expert360 for that).
Can I pause and stop at any time?
Yes — just give us 2 weeks' notice.  
What's the catch?
Nope — it's free to get started.

Let's smash goals together.

Ready to drive velocity?

Great — let's get to work.
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