Fractional Head of eCommerce
Embedded leadership for organisations where eCommerce is, or should be, a material part of the business.
A Fractional Head of eCommerce is an embedded leadership role focused on the commercial performance and direction of an organisation's eCommerce operation.
Rather than operating as an external agency or project resource, the role sits close to the business and is involved on an ongoing basis. It brings senior judgement to decisions around growth, margin, technology, and operations - and carries accountability for how those decisions translate into real outcomes.
In practice, this means being part of the leadership conversation. The role works across teams, systems, and partners, helping align activity to commercial priorities and ensuring eCommerce evolves deliberately rather than reactively.
The intent is to provide ownership - so that eCommerce is managed as a core part of the business, not a collection of disconnected initiatives.
As eCommerce becomes a more material part of revenue, the need for senior ownership increases.
Many organisations reach a point where execution capability exists, but leadership context does not. Teams are busy, agencies are active, and platforms are in place - yet there is no single role accountable for how growth, margin, technology, and operations connect.
Hiring a full-time Head of eCommerce is not always practical. The role can be difficult to recruit for, expensive to get wrong, and often requires a breadth of experience that is hard to find in one individual. At the same time, relying solely on external agencies leaves critical decisions without clear ownership.
A fractional model provides senior leadership without the commitment or risk of a permanent hire. It allows organisations to access experienced judgement, continuity, and accountability - while retaining flexibility as the business and eCommerce operation evolve.
The Fractional Head of eCommerce is accountable for the performance and direction of the eCommerce operation as a whole.
This includes responsibility for how growth, margin, technology, and operations connect across the eCommerce business.
- Revenue growth and unit economics - ensuring acquisition, conversion, retention, and fulfilment decisions work together commercially rather than in isolation.
- Channel, platform, and partner context - holding visibility across the wider ecosystem and helping prioritise activity based on impact rather than urgency.
- Technology direction - ensuring systems support the operating model, data visibility, and long-term scalability of the business.
- Strategic trade-offs - guiding decisions between speed, cost, flexibility, and sustainability with a clear view of downstream implications.
Above all, the role is accountable for outcomes. Success is measured by how effectively eCommerce contributes to the wider business - not by the volume of activity or delivery of individual initiatives.
The fractional Head of eCommerce role provides ownership, not advice or delivery in isolation.
- Agencies focus on execution within a defined scope.
- Consultants provide recommendations and analysis.
- Both typically operate on a project or engagement basis.
- Responsibility for outcomes ultimately sits with the organisation.
- A fractional leadership role is embedded and ongoing.
- It holds context across decisions and initiatives.
- It carries accountability for how those decisions translate into outcomes.
- Rather than handing over recommendations, it stays engaged as plans meet reality.
The distinction is not capability, but responsibility - ensuring eCommerce decisions are owned, carried through, and measured by their real impact on the business.
At Berridge Strategy Group, the Fractional Head of eCommerce role is delivered through an embedded, hub-and-spoke model.
Richard Berridge remains the primary point of accountability and is directly involved in leadership discussions, decision-making, and prioritisation. This ensures continuity of context and clear ownership of outcomes over time.
Where specialist capability adds value, the wider BSG team is engaged to support execution or deep technical work - whether across platforms, data, marketing, or systems. This allows the role to move seamlessly between leadership and delivery when required, without losing accountability or fragmenting responsibility.
Execution is not the defining feature of the role, but it is not avoided.
When hands-on involvement improves outcomes, the capability exists within BSG to support it - always guided by commercial priorities and leadership oversight.
This role is typically a good fit for organisations where eCommerce is, or should be, a material part of revenue.
It often resonates with organisations that have active eCommerce operations but lack senior ownership across growth, margin, technology, and operations.
- Retailers and consumer-facing brands where eCommerce has become a significant channel but leadership ownership remains unclear.
- Distributors or wholesalers building or expanding direct-to- customer capabilities.
- Businesses where teams and agencies are active, but leadership context is missing - making it difficult to prioritise effectively or assess performance with confidence.
- Organisations where eCommerce has outgrown its original remit and now requires more deliberate commercial and operational management.
The model is particularly relevant where leadership wants accountability and continuity without committing to a full-time executive hire.
Start a conversation.
If this model reflects what your organisation is looking for, an initial conversation can help determine whether a fractional Head of eCommerce is likely to be a good fit.
The first step is an exploratory discussion to understand the current eCommerce operation, the decisions in front of it, and the context in which those decisions are being made.