Fractional HR

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Fractional HR - Flexible HR leadership, exactly when you need it

Need senior HR help but not full-time? Our Fractional HR Directors work as part of your team, giving you the right support without the full-time cost.Whether you’re a small business, charity, or growing fast, our experienced consultants can give you flexible, expert help with everything from strategy to day-to-day issues.

What is a fractional HR Director?

A Fractional HR Director is a senior HR expert who becomes part of your business – without you needing to hire full-time. You get the benefit of deep HR knowledge, leadership-level insight, and practical support, all tailored to the needs of your organisation.

We support …

Business owners and leadership teams
Busy HR departments needing expert hands
Charities and growing organisations
Start-ups facing rapid change

Sam Swinstead

What we can help with

Our Fractional HR Directors are flexible, experienced and proactive. We can support you with:

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Aligning your people strategy with your business goals

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Supporting senior leadership with change and transformation

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Managing complex employee relations issues (e.g. grievances, investigations)

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Delivering coaching, mentoring, and leadership development

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Handling TUPE, redundancy, or restructuring processes

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Providing ongoing guidance and reassurance to your HR team or managers

You’ll always know who’s doing what, with clear project plans, regular check-ins, and the backing of the wider vivoHR team.

A real week in the life of a fractional HR director

From strategic planning workshops and leadership coaching, to employee casework and mental health education – every day is different.

Take a look behind the scenes with Rebecca’s Diary – a true story of one week supporting multiple clients across sectors. It’s a great example of how flexible and effective this model can be.

Read more

Rebecca Allen

Why choose vivoHR?

No jargon, just straight-talking advice

Seamlessly integrates into your business operations

We fit in quickly and easily with your team

You get practical solutions, not textbook answers

Over 20 years of experience

Backed by a team of HR professionals with wide-ranging expertise
packages

Flexible packages to suit you

Plan	What You Get	Good For
1 day a week	Senior HR advice and support on-site or remote	Small businesses or HR teams
2 days a week	More time for strategic work and deeper involvement	Growing teams and charities
3 days a week	Fully embedded in your team – from board meetings to day-to-day HR support	Larger orgs or complex challenges

Fractional HR FAQS

What’s the difference between a Fractional HR Director and an HR Consultant?

A Fractional HR Director becomes part of your team for a set number of days per week or month, offering consistent support and strategic input. An HR Consultant usually works on a project basis or provides ad-hoc advice. With a Fractional Director, you get long-term continuity and a deeper understanding of your business.

How quickly can a Fractional HR Director start?

We aim to get things moving quickly. After your initial consultation, we’ll match you with a suitable HR Director and agree a start date based on your needs and their availability – often within a few weeks.

Will they work on-site or remotely?

We’re flexible. Many clients prefer a hybrid arrangement – on-site support for key meetings and planning sessions, with remote work in between. We’ll tailor this to what works best for your organisation.

What sectors do you support?

Our team has experience across a wide range of sectors including charities, engineering, tech start-ups, manufacturing, retail, and professional services. Whatever your industry, we’ll bring relevant knowledge and adapt to your culture quickly.

Let’s Get Started

Want to know if Fractional HR is right for your business?

We offer a free 30-minute call to talk things through.

Book a Free 30-Minute Consultation

      EXCELLENT  
   Based on 67 reviews 
    
 
 
 
   
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   adrian hall 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I would highly recommend speaking with Vivo HR. We chose them three years ago based on a trusted partner's recommendation, and it has proved to be a good decision. As an SME, maintaining best practice and compliance with rapid changes in HR is tough, but their pragmatic, straightforward, and transparent advice makes it much easier. They provide excellent, reliable support in a very challenging business environment.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Fiona Thorpe 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We've used vivoHR as our HR consultants for several years now, working with Sarah-Louise on a number of issues over that time.  Originally through personal recommendation, the service offered is very professional and comes with knowledge, experience and patience(!) I'm more than happy to highly recommend them.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Natasha Parkin 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sam provided our managers at Clarke and Son Solicitors with Performance Management Training at the end of April. Her half day session was informative and engaging, balancing management theory with practical tasks to help upskill the team. Given the upcoming changes to employment legislation I felt our managers left the training fully equipped to manage performance across their teams with more confidence. Thanks Sam, it was a pleasure to have you help us.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   louisecfc 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. We’ve had a great experience working with vivoHR.

They’ve been a real support in helping us stay up to date with employment regulations and making sure we remain compliant. They are also always there when we need a second opinion or just a quick sanity check.

What really stands out is how they explain everything. No jargon, no overcomplicating things - just clear, straightforward advice that is easy to understand and act on.

Running a business comes with enough to think about, so having that level of support and clarity makes a big difference.

Would happily recommend to any business owner who wants peace of mind around HR.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Emma Lawrence 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sam, Rachel and the team at VivoHR have provided us an excellent and professional service.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Rachel Harris 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I asked Sarah-Louise from VivoHR to speak about the new Employment Rights Act for an event with local business owners.
She was excellent. Her friendly and approachable style meant that, what can be a dry subject, became an engaging, useful summary of essential actions.  I will definitely ask her to speak again at more of our events. Her expertise in HR shone through. Thank you again Sarah-Louise for your time and support.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Patrick Kelly-Weller 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Sarah-Louise and the team at VivoHR exemplify how top level HR support looks & feels. If you’re looking for HR support & are considering Vivo, I highly recommend them.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   David Payne 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent talk by Sarah-Lpuise on the new Employment Rights Act. First rate. Thx David