Experienced operating leadership, without the full-time hire.
A leadership gap or a critical scale-up phase doesn't always call for a permanent executive search. It calls for someone who has run the function before, starting now.
Fractional VP Engineering
For companies that need experienced leadership over the engineering organization but aren't ready for a permanent executive. Scope typically covers the product-development portfolio, program management, design controls, and the manufacturing and quality interfaces.
Fractional General Manager
For a portfolio company or startup experiencing a leadership transition, manufacturing problems, program delays, or commercialization challenges — experienced operating leadership without immediately committing to a full-time hire.
WHEN THIS IS THE RIGHT FIT
Most commonly follows a diligence engagement or a scale-up readiness assessment that surfaces a gap in engineering or general-management capacity — or a sudden departure a board needs covered credibly, fast.
HOW IT WORKS
Engagements are scoped around specific outcomes and a defined time horizon, not an open-ended headcount replacement — with a clear handoff plan once a permanent leader is in place or the gap has closed.
As with every engagement, this is operating leadership, not manufacturing capacity — Truestead does not compete with or replace your CDMO relationship.
Where this connects
Manufacturing Scale-Up & Tech Transfer
The operating work fractional leadership is often brought in to run.
FOR INVESTORSTechnical Due Diligence
Often the engagement that first surfaces the leadership gap.
BOARD ADVISORYOngoing Technical Oversight
A lighter-weight way to keep an operator's judgment in the room.