Fractional CMO

<p>Engagement Type: Fractional&nbsp; |&nbsp; Days: 2–3 days per week&nbsp; |&nbsp; Location: Sydney (on-site preferred)</p><p>Budget: $8,500–$12,500 per month&nbsp; |&nbsp; Start: July 2026 (preferred)</p><p></p><strong>About the Organisation</strong><p>This is a fast-scaling, founder-led fitness business with eight locations across Sydney. Starting as a small bootcamp over a decade ago, the business has grown into what it describes as a 'super boutique' — delivering boutique-quality fitness experiences at commercial scale.</p><p>In the past year alone, the business doubled its member base and workforce, opening three new locations. It is now preparing to open a further three to five locations over the next 12 months. Alongside this physical expansion, the organisation is launching several new sub-brands, creating a genuine multi-brand marketing challenge.</p><p></p><strong>The Opportunity</strong><p>The Head of Marketing is departing at the end of June, creating a need for experienced senior marketing leadership on a fractional basis. The co-founders — one of whom has been deeply embedded in marketing strategy for many years — are now focused on location acquisition and broader business growth, creating a genuine gap in day-to-day strategic marketing leadership.</p><p>This role is not a seat-filler. The organisation is at an inflection point: multi-brand, multi-location, high growth, and in need of someone who can architect strategy, lead a capable in-house team, and lay the foundations for a permanent CMO hire over the next 12–18 months.</p><p></p><strong>The Existing Marketing Team</strong><p>You will step into an established and well-resourced in-house team, including:</p><ul><li><p>Digital Growth Manager (with a direct report Content Creator focused on TikTok)</p></li><li><p>Senior Graphic Designer</p></li><li><p>PR &amp; Communications Manager</p></li><li><p>Campaign Marketing Lead</p></li><li><p>In-house Videographer</p></li></ul><p><br>Additional agencies and specialist talent are engaged on a project basis. This is a team that has been built for growth — your role is to align, elevate, and direct it.</p><p></p><strong>Brand Landscape</strong><p>The organisation currently operates one primary fitness brand across multiple locations. Over the next 12 months, the brand portfolio will expand significantly:</p><ul><li><p>Existing fitness brand (3 legacy locations, expanding)</p></li><li><p>One Coach — newly launched</p></li><li><p>One Coach Academy — launching soon</p></li><li><p>Two further potential brands in development</p></li></ul><p><br>The successful candidate will need to think across all of these simultaneously — building frameworks that scale, not just campaigns that fire.</p><p></p><strong>What You'll Be Doing</strong><p></p><h2><strong>Strategic Leadership</strong></h2><ul><li><p>Develop and own the 12–18 month marketing strategy across all brands and locations</p></li><li><p>Advise the co-founders and senior leadership on brand positioning, competitive landscape, and growth opportunities</p></li><li><p>Set the strategic direction for customer acquisition, retention, and lifetime value across the member base</p></li></ul><h2><strong>Team Leadership &amp; Mentoring</strong></h2><ul><li><p>Lead and mentor the existing in-house marketing team, driving performance and cohesion</p></li><li><p>Establish clear KPIs and performance frameworks across the department</p></li><li><p>Actively support the recruitment brief for a permanent Head of Marketing / CMO</p></li></ul><h2><strong>Brand &amp; Multi-Brand Management</strong></h2><ul><li><p>Oversee the launch and ongoing positioning of new sub-brands</p></li><li><p>Ensure brand integrity and consistency across an expanding portfolio</p></li><li><p>Develop scalable brand systems that can support rapid location rollout</p></li></ul><h2><strong>Growth &amp; Acquisition</strong></h2><ul><li><p>Drive membership growth strategy across existing and new locations</p></li><li><p>Oversee digital acquisition channels, including paid and organic search, social media, and email</p></li><li><p>Identify and leverage non-traditional channels suited to the 'super boutique' positioning</p></li></ul><h2><strong>Systems &amp; Operations</strong></h2><ul><li><p>Implement or refine marketing systems, processes, and reporting infrastructure</p></li><li><p>Ensure the team has the tools, dashboards, and accountability structures to operate at scale</p></li></ul><p></p><strong>What We're Looking For</strong><p>We are not looking for a big-agency CMO or a corporate-background marketer. We want someone who thrives in founder-led, fast-moving small businesses — someone who has been there before and knows how to build marketing that works under resource pressure.</p><ul><li><p>Proven senior marketing leadership in a small business, startup, or founder-led environment</p></li><li><p>Comfortable operating as a generalist strategist who can also direct specialists</p></li><li><p>Experience managing or building multi-brand or multi-product marketing strategies</p></li><li><p>Strong commercial acumen — you connect marketing activity to business outcomes</p></li><li><p>Excellent communicator who can hold their own in the room with co-founders</p></li><li><p>Experience setting up marketing systems, KPIs, and performance frameworks</p></li><li><p>Sydney-based, with the ability to work on-site 2–3 days per week (Surrey Hills area)</p></li></ul><p><br>Experience in fitness, health, or membership-based businesses is a bonus, not a requirement. We actively welcome candidates who bring fresh thinking from adjacent industries — luxury hospitality, retail, lifestyle, wellness, or premium consumer brands.</p><p></p><strong>Culture &amp; Fit</strong><p>This is a business that was built from the gym floor up. Culture is taken seriously here — the Head of People &amp; Culture is leading this process, and culture fit is weighted heavily alongside technical capability. The ideal candidate is someone who can match the energy and pace of a business that is genuinely moving fast, while bringing the strategic calm that an experienced senior marketer provides.</p><p></p><strong>Engagement Terms</strong><ul><li><p>2–3 days per week on a monthly retainer basis</p></li><li><p>Budget range: $8,500–$12,500 per month, depending on experience and scope</p></li><li><p>Minimum 3-month engagement, with the expectation of extending through to permanent CMO placement</p></li><li><p>Sydney-based and available to work on-site (Surrey Hills)</p></li></ul><p></p>