Use this copyable brief to describe the fractional CMO engagement you want candidates to assess. It is a CMO Index suggested template, not a universal job description or a promise of results. Fill in only responsibilities the company intends to assign; adapt it to your approval, procurement and legal processes. For a role overview, see what a fractional CMO does. For candidate selection, use the hiring guide.
Copyable role brief
- Role and sponsor: Fractional Chief Marketing Officer. Reports to [role/name]. Executive sponsor and final scope decision-maker: [role/name].
- Business context: [Company, offer, customers, current marketing team and suppliers, relevant stage or change.] Known constraints: [budget authority, geography, product, legal or operational requirements.]
- Reason for engagement: [Specific leadership gap or decision the business needs help with.] What is already known: [customer evidence, prior work, current results and their sources.] Open questions or assumptions: [list.]
- Mandate and purpose: The CMO will [lead/recommend/coordinate] work on [defined priorities] to help the business answer [business question]. Expected outputs are [named plans, decisions, reviews or other deliverables]. Out of scope: [production, channel management, hiring, budget approval, legal review, or any other work not included.]
- Responsibilities: The CMO is responsible for [specific strategic decisions or coordination]. The CMO may recommend [decisions] and may approve or commit [items] only within this written authority: [limits and process]. Responsibilities reserved to company leadership or another function: [list].
- Decision and approval path: For each priority, record: CMO recommends [ ]; [role] approves [ ]; [person/team] executes [ ]; [person/role] provides evidence [ ]; [person] reviews [ ]. Escalate disagreements or blocked decisions to [role] through [process].
- Named execution owners: [Name/role] owns [work]. [Name/role or supplier] owns [work]. The CMO will [coordinate/review/execute only the agreed items]. Backup owner for essential activity: [name/role]. Dependencies on product, sales, finance or other teams: [list].
- Capacity and availability: Agreed capacity and how it is allocated: [range or named deliverables/meetings]. Working days and time-zone overlap: [details]. Routine response window: [agreement]. Urgent requests and planned absences: [contact/coverage process]. Conflicts or outside commitments to disclose and manage: [process].
- Evidence and baseline: Business question and measures to review: [list]. Baseline period, data source, definitions and owner: [details]. Known gaps, attribution limits or other changes that may affect results: [list]. Do not treat the measure alone as proof that the CMO caused a business outcome.
- Access and information: Systems and records required for the mandate: [list]. Company approver for each access request: [role]. Use the organization's approved account, privacy and security process. Do not share credentials through this brief. Data handling, confidentiality and retention requirements: [link to company policy or agreement].
- Review, changes and exit: Review cadence and participants: [details]. At each review, record work completed, decisions, evidence, blockers and next owners. Scope changes require [approver] and a written update. Initial term or review date: [date/condition]. Exit notice and transition steps: [agreement]. Handover includes [plans, decision history, definitions, files, open work and supplier contacts] in company-controlled storage; access is adjusted by the authorized company owner.
Turn the brief into a candidate conversation
Give every candidate the same completed brief and invite them to mark unclear assumptions, missing inputs and work they would exclude. Ask how they would approach the stated decision, what evidence they would want, and which work requires a specialist or internal executor. Request examples only when the candidate is permitted to share them, and ask what their own contribution was. A profile or work sample is a starting point for discussion, not independent verification of fit.
Before agreeing, check that the mandate, authority and capacity match. If the company expects the CMO to direct work but no one can execute it, name that gap. If the CMO is expected to make a decision, ensure the organization has delegated that authority. If a task needs legal, security, finance or technical expertise, identify the qualified owner rather than assigning it by implication.
Use a short review record to compare the agreed scope with actual work: priority, expected output, owner, status, evidence source, blocker and next decision. The engagement measurement guide offers a way to review outcomes and limitations. For candidate profiles, browse the neutral CMO Index directory; published profile details are not a ranking or endorsement.