Fractional COO for professional services organizations where operational foundations and ownership no longer match the complexity the business is carrying.
Is this for your organization?
This is likely to resonate if your organisation has grown successfully, but its operational foundations have not kept pace with ongoing change.
You may recognize several of the following patterns:
The same operational issues resurface, even after decisions have been made
Capable teams rely on workarounds and a few key individuals to keep things moving
Leadership decisions are revisited or re-explained because clarity and ownership do not hold
Simple changes require disproportionate coordination and effort
The organization continues to perform, but only by leaning heavily on people rather than structure
This is a good fit for organizations that are open to exploration and judgement, rather than committed upfront to implementing a predetermined solution.
What this creates
The aim of a fractional COO engagement is not short-term improvement, but durable change that continues to work well beyond the end of the collaboration.
When our partnership is successful, organizations are left with:
Operational foundations that stand the test of time
Structures and ways of working that are sound, reliable, and able to absorb day-to-day demands
Clear ownership and decision-making that sticks
Decisions are made at the right level, and are understood across the organization
Ways of working people continue to use
Changes are adopted because they fit how the organization operates and deliver impact
Leadership capacity returned to where it belongs
Senior leaders regain time and mental space to focus on the direction and future of the business
Ultimately, success means the organization is left with stable operational foundations that support growth.
How we work together
My approach is grounded, systemic, and pragmatic.
Sustainable change depends on understanding what the organisation is trying to achieve, and how it actually operates today. I work closely with leadership to clarify short-, medium-, and long-term priorities, while drawing on the insight of teams, customers, and the broader operating context to understand how the system performs in practice.
This shared understanding anchors decisions and keeps operational change aligned as circumstances evolve.
For leaders who want dedicated space to work through their own decision-making alongside organizational change, I also offer executive coaching as a complementary engagement.
Clarity before action
I focus on understanding how things really work in practice before intervening, including decision-making, ownership, constraints, and informal workarounds.
This insight is informed by leaders, teams, and customers, and allows change to address root causes rather than symptoms.
Change that holds in practice
I balance people, operations, and technology carefully, involving teams as active contributors rather than passive recipients of change.
New ways of working are shaped with those closest to the work, so they are practical, credible, and adopted.
Staying engaged through stabilization
I remain involved long enough for new structures and ways of working to stabilize in practice, so progress holds without ongoing intervention or dependency.
This ensures changes are understood, embedded, and able to withstand normal operational pressure once the organization moves forward.
Built for independence
I aim to leave behind clarity and capability that endure, with structures and ways of working that enable teams to operate confidently and consistently over time.
This allows the organization to sustain progress without continual external input as the organization evolves.
This creates coherence between the strategy and day-to-day operations, and allows organizations to absorb change without disruption.
Why work with me
I bring systemic judgement to complex situations, and an ability to hold the needs of leaders, teams, customers, and the organization as a whole, without defaulting to one perspective at the expense of others.
I bring an external perspective that helps surface what has become normalized internally, while staying grounded in the realities leaders and teams are operating within.
Clients value that I:
See the whole system, not isolated parts
I look beyond individual functions or solutions to understand how decisions, processes, and behaviours interact across the organization, and what that means in practice for different stakeholders
Bring a human-centred lens grounded in experience
I take teams and customers seriously as sources of insight, drawing on years of senior client-facing and leadership work to design changes that people can actually adopt.
Design solutions that work end to end
Rather than optimizing in isolation, I pay attention to journeys, handovers, and downstream impact , so changes support the organization as a whole, not just one area.
Work across levels without losing coherence
I move comfortably between strategic intent and operational detail, helping ensure that decisions made at the top translate into ways of working that make sense on the ground.
Apply judgement in context, not templates
I don’t reuse solutions for the sake of efficiency. Each engagement starts with the reality in front of us, and solutions are shaped accordingly.
This combination allows organizations to move forward with clarity and confidence in unfamiliar or demanding situations.
Client perspective
“What set Astrid apart was not just her expertise in delivery and stakeholder engagement, but her ability to draw on a coaching mindset. She took the time to understand individual concerns and goals, which built trust and ensured alignment across teams and partners.”
“Astrid is a visionary with a grounded, human-centred approach. Her impact is systemic. She leaves behind capable teams, clear structures, and strong foundations for scalability.”
The perspectives below reflect feedback from leaders and colleagues I’ve worked closely with in senior operational and advisory roles.
“Her calmness, deep expertise, and ability to manage multiple complex initiatives ensured stakeholders felt aligned and confident throughout each phase of the work.”
“Astrid has an exceptional ability to look beyond immediate needs and design systems that support both current operations and future growth.”
“Astrid brings both technical depth and strong leadership, and I would highly recommend her.”
Let’s Work Together
If you are navigating increasing complexity in your role or organization and want a thoughtful, grounded partner to work through it, the next step is a conversation.
