THE FRACTIONAL CAO
THE CHALLENGE
McKinsey recently purported that “the analytics translator is the new must-have role.”1
TMA would argue that the analytics practice lead has always been the ‘must have role’ — with effective translation as just one of many byproducts.
Most organizations have analytics project leads. But few organizations possess a true analytic practice lead and visionary. The broader practice lead must possess adequate skill and experience in tactical and strategic aspects as well as the ability to synchronize top-down and bottom-up approaches while resolving dysfunction in the middle.
It is extremely rare to acquire talent that holds general analytic literacy along with sharp social capability, leadership acumen and strategic vision.
Organizations that elevate their best data scientists to a leadership role find that they quickly get lured back into project minutia. Conversely few business executives have adequate grounding in advanced analytics and machine learning to command effectively.
Even if an organization were to find an executive unicorn leader, they may not have the volume and internal buy-in to fully occupy such an expensive full-time professional for the first year. This will likely result in overspend and underutilization of the position. It’s likely that this in-demand leader will restart their search and quickly relocate.
THE OPPORTUNITY
TMA has attracted a rare stable of battle-tested mid-career active captains in our industry. Its unique staff runs from a standardized implementation framework at the project and portfolio levels.
This allows TMA clients to tap unparalleled experience with the assurance of staff redundancy along with well-defined service products that have fixed pricing, deliverables and timeframes.
Most of all, TMA’s clients can acquire and right-size an otherwise nearly impossible role to fill and maintain it until the organization can drive forward independently.
The Fractional CAO service is highly efficient because the time required to assess, plan and oversee the initial build of an analytic practice is naturally fractional.
HOW TO USE THE
FRACTIONAL CAO
The scope of the Fractional CAO’s role includes but is not limited to:
- Planning for broader industrialization of the analytics function across the enterprise
- Measuring organizational analytic maturity and readiness
- Project opportunity identification, validation and prioritization
- Strategic sound boarding, planning and roundtable moderation
- Executive ad-hoc micro-training to advance analytic literacy
- General analytics team(s) management
- Intentional collaboration across the lanes that contribute to the analytics function
- Translating data science deliverables for executive consumption
- Guidance in staffing roles for a benefits-oriented analytics practice
- Developing analytic project RFPs and evaluating bidder responses
- Managing and overseeing analytics vendor relationships
- Other strategic analytic oversight responsibilities derived throughout the relationship
THE ACTION
Unlike the ad-hoc and instantaneous nature of The Analytics Captain, The Fractional CAO is a term-based relationship-building engagement.
The Fractional CAO holds accountability for team and program development as well as project oversight. The Fractional CAO integrates with an existing team of data scientists, subject matter experts, BI & IT, project managers or the PMO, line-of-business leaders and stakeholders.
THE DELIVERABLE
The Fractional CAO may be activated through TMA’s online form and supported by a purchase order or Statement of Work with a Master Services Agreement if your organization requires it.
You’re unlikely to encounter a stronger value proposition for any organizational endeavor. The Factional CAO is intended for the organization that is intentional about leading with data. TMA’s focus is on guiding your organization to break out with analytics and establish your team as partners in a powerful story of real transformation.
The Fractional CAO is relationship-based with accountability for competency-building, practice growth and project performance. As such a 6-month or greater term is recommended, although a minimum 3-month term is available.
A solutions consultant can help determine whether a dedicated fraction of four or eight days per month is best suited based on your situation and goals.
THE VALUE
When a clear vision for a transformative analytics operation is developed, a shared purpose is established. This motivation drives a focus on achieving measurable results on a limited portfolio of low-risk / high-impact analytics projects.
Many organizations profess to have an analytics center of competency. In reality, they have a project-level leader that performs like a supervisor to build better rockets.
TMA’s Fractional CAO inspires organizations to drive unfair advantage by creating an overall mission control that pulls all disparate teams to tackle right-sized coordinated projects under a broader program and mission directive.
By industrializing an analytics practice at the mission-level, benefits compound into an overall organizational analytics competency that drives measurable and scalable impact worthy of board attention.
INSTANT ACTIVATION
Take a low-risk and high-impact approach to right-sizing the role of an analytic leader.
Fill out the form, welcome your new Fractional CAO and watch the impact of new analytics competency take shape.