andremagrini.com

REVENUE LEADERSHIP

How to Hire a Fractional CRO or Head of Sales

For a CEO choosing commercial leadership, define whether the gap sits inside sales execution or across the revenue organization. Then evaluate candidates against a written mandate, relevant operating evidence and the capacity to do the work.

How to Hire a Fractional CRO or Head of Sales hero image

A candidate evaluation record

Compare candidates using the same questions: What commercial decisions did they own? What was the starting situation? Which team executed? What evidence supports the reported result? What executive coverage can they provide? Who can verify the account with permission? Record each answer as evidenced, self-reported or unresolved, and identify the source. Do not convert a company result into personal attribution.

Turn the selection into a written mandate

Name the sponsor, operating responsibilities, authority, deliverables, review cadence, available internal team, data access and commercial terms. Document what requires CEO approval and how decisions transfer at handover. Resolve capacity and conflicts before starting. The agreement should reflect the work the company needs, regardless of the title.

How do you choose between a sales trainer, sales consultant and fractional CRO?

Choose a sales trainer for a defined skill gap, a sales consultant for analysis and recommendations, and a fractional CRO when the company needs continuing executive ownership of revenue decisions. Before hiring, agree on decision authority, functional scope, operating cadence, deliverables and the evidence used to review progress.

Write the mandate

Name the decisions that need ownership, the executive sponsor, team responsibilities and the evidence available. Decide whether sales management or broader revenue coordination is the gap.

Evaluate operating evidence

Ask what the candidate personally owned, what the company achieved, which dates and metrics can be checked, and which reference is authorized to discuss them. Separate the company result from the candidate's contribution.

Agree terms before signing

Fees and availability are confirmed in a written proposal after the scope discussion. The proposal specifies time commitment, decision authority, deliverables, client responsibilities, confidentiality, review cadence and handover. A diagnostic is an option when the mandate needs definition, not an automatic prerequisite.

Scope and exclusions

This service is not outsourced prospecting, commission-only closing or a stand-alone sales workshop. It does not guarantee revenue. A company that needs daily executive coverage should evaluate a full-time or interim role.

Evidence and limits

The self-reported AGI Brazil leadership experience covers sales organization, channels and management cadence.

Discuss the mandate and fit

Describe your company, commercial constraint and the leadership scope you are considering.

Discuss Fractional CRO scope