Engagement / 02 · Fractional CMB
Senior paid media leadership. Fractional cost.
A Fractional Chief Media Buyer gives your agency the judgment of a full-time Head of Paid Media — across multiple accounts, on a steady cadence, behind your brand — without the recruiting cycle, the six-figure salary, or the single point of failure.
Build vs Borrow
Full-time HPM vs. Fractional CMB.
The job is the same. The economics, the speed, and the risk profile are not.
| Dimension | Full-time hire | Fractional CMB |
|---|---|---|
| Time to start | 60–120 days recruiting | Inside 1 week |
| Annual cost | $220k+ loaded | Fractional retainer |
| Leverage | One person, one focus | Senior judgment across accounts |
| Risk | Single point of failure | Office-backed continuity |
| Ramp | 3–6 months | Diagnose & Architect in week one |
| Range of accounts | Limited to one head | Multi-account by design |
Scope / What they own
The full job. None of the payroll.
Owns
Strategy
Channel mix, budget logic, audience architecture, and the 90-day roadmap on every account.
Owns
Execution oversight
Senior QA on every launch. No mystery campaigns, no broken pixels, no surprise spend.
Owns
Optimization
Weekly reviews on bids, pacing, search terms, lead quality, creative — owned, not delegated to autopilot.
Owns
Reporting & narrative
A monthly scorecard and plain-language story your account managers can deliver as their own.
Owns
Stakeholder defense
Talking points for your team, pre-call prep for big QBRs, and a senior voice when a client pushes back.
Owns
Scale decisions
Quarterly review of what to scale, what to cut, and what new channel to pressure-test next.
Cadence
A steady rhythm you can plan around.
You hear from us before you have to chase. Every account runs on the same operating cadence.
Weekly
Optimization review
Bids, pacing, search terms, lead quality, creative iteration.
Bi-weekly
Account stand-up
Senior + your AM. What changed, what's at risk, what we're shipping next.
Monthly
Scorecard & narrative
Plain-language report your AM can deliver to the client.
Quarterly
Scale plan
What to scale, what to cut, what new channel to test.
Engagement / Sizing
Sized to the accounts, not the package.
Retainers scale with account count, ad spend under management, and the depth of stakeholder engagement. We size every Fractional CMB engagement on the Media Office Call — no off-the-shelf tiers.
Lean
1–2 accounts
Senior strategy + monthly scorecard
Standard
3–5 accounts
Weekly cadence + monthly narrative
Office
6+ accounts
Pod-level coverage with senior lead
Status / Open for engagements
Put a Chief Media Buyer behind your brand.
30 minutes with a senior buyer. We'll listen, ask hard questions, and tell you whether a Fractional CMB is the right next move — or whether you should start with a Blueprint instead.
30-minute discovery · No obligation · Engagements are limited