Fractional head of AI · Medium-sized business (50 to 249 staff) · Manufacturing
Fractional head of AI (six months) for a mid-sized manufacturer
A part-time senior AI lead for a mid-sized manufacturer over six months: setting priorities, putting governance in place, overseeing suppliers and coaching the team. About four to seven days a month, with some time on site.
Illustrative cost
£17,000 to £51,000 ex VAT
- Typical
- £28,000
- Duration
- About 26 weeks
- Effort
- 21.5 to 43 days
Illustrative estimate, not a quote. Real prices vary.
Worked out from UK freelance contractor day rates in job adverts, with no consultancy or agency margin added. Consultancies and agencies usually charge more.
Source: IT Jobs Watch. Rates read on ; costs computed on .
What is included
- Priorities and a roadmap in the first month
- AI governance and policy
- Oversight of suppliers and internal projects
- Leadership updates and team coaching
Deliverables
- Roadmap
- Governance framework
- Monthly leadership reports
Assumptions
- A fixed number of days a month, agreed in advance
- Mostly remote, with some on-site days
- Six months, then reviewed
Not included
- Hands-on delivery work
- Recruitment fees
Project plan
Phases run one after another, about 26 weeks in all.
| Phase | Weeks | Main tasks |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding and priorities | 4 | Meet stakeholders; Review current projects; Agree priorities |
| Governance and roadmap | 8 | Policy and approval process; Roadmap; Supplier review |
| Delivery oversight | 14 | Steer projects; Monthly reporting; Coach the team |
Who does the work
Person-days per role in each phase, low and high effort.
| Phase | Role | Days (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| Onboarding and priorities | Head of AI (fractional) | 3.5 to 7 days |
| Governance and roadmap | Head of AI (fractional) | 7 to 14.5 days |
| Delivery oversight | Head of AI (fractional) | 11 to 21.5 days |
How the cost adds up
| Role | Low (days × 25th percentile) | Typical (days × median) | High (days × 90th percentile) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head of AI (fractional) | 21.5 × £813 = £17,480 | 32.25 × £863 = £27,832 | 43 × £1,180 = £50,740 |
| Total, rounded | £17,000 | £28,000 | £51,000 |
How these estimates are worked out
Effort: for each phase we estimate how many days each role works, as a low and a high case. These are our estimates for a typical project of this kind, not measured data.
Rates: each role's daily rate comes from UK contract job adverts over the last six months, as published by IT Jobs Watch. These are freelance contractor rates as advertised, not what was paid, and not what a consultancy or agency charges.
Low end: the low-effort days at each role's 25th-percentile rate. We use the 25th percentile, not the 10th, because the lowest effort at the cheapest rates gives a floor few buyers would ever meet.
Typical: the mid-point between low and high effort, at each role's median rate.
High end: the high-effort days at each role's 90th-percentile rate.
Totals are rounded to the nearest £500 below £10,000 and the nearest £1,000 above, and exclude VAT. Phases run one after another.
Not included:
- Software licences, model and hosting fees
- Travel and expenses
- Your own staff's time
- A consultancy's or agency's margin, overheads and risk
Real prices vary with the supplier, the state of your data and systems, how much of the work your own team does, where the work happens and how much risk the supplier carries. Consultancies and agencies usually charge more than these contractor rates, and a fixed price usually costs more than time and materials because the supplier takes the risk.
Sources
Source: IT Jobs Watch: UK contract job adverts quoting a daily rate, 6 months to 15 November 2026. Each role's page was read on . Published under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.
| Role | IT Jobs Watch page | Rates quoted | 25th percentile | Median | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head of AI (fractional)Small sample (22 rates): treat as indicative. | Head of AI | 22 | £813 | £863 | £1,180 |