Fractional chief AI officer job description: a template
A part-time AI leader needs a different description from a full-time one. This template covers the decisions, hours, results and handover that a fractional role has to settle in writing.
Contents
Most job descriptions for a fractional chief AI officer are a full-time description with "part-time" added. That leaves out what matters most in a fractional role: how many hours there are, which decisions fit into them, what must be finished by when, and what happens when the arrangement ends.
Four things to settle first
Before drafting, the leadership team should agree four points. Every later section of the description depends on them.
- The decisions the role owns. For example, which AI projects go ahead, which tools are approved, and who signs off on risk.
- The reporting line. In IBM's 2025 study, 57% of chief AI officers reported directly to the CEO or the board1. A fractional leader without that access tends to become an adviser to IT.
- The hours. Tecla's fractional CAIO engagements typically run 10 to 25 hours a week2. Pick a number and check it against the list of responsibilities.
- The end state. Whether the role is meant to continue, to become a full-time position or to hand over to an internal leader.
The template
Replace the bracketed text. The responsibilities draw on US federal guidance for chief AI officers3, Tecla's description of the role2 and an Axial Search posting for fractional CAIO work4.
Role summary
[Company] is hiring a fractional chief AI officer to own its AI priorities, governance and adoption for [12] months. The role reports to the [chief executive] and works [16 to 40] hours a month, on site [one day a month] and remotely otherwise.
Decisions this role owns
- Which AI initiatives proceed, are paused or are stopped.
- Which AI tools and vendors staff may use, including build-or-buy decisions.
- The rules for data shared with AI systems and for AI actions that need a person's approval.
Responsibilities
- Set an AI strategy and a prioritised roadmap tied to [named business goals].
- Keep a single inventory of AI in use, with an owner and a cost for each item.
- Establish governance: usage rules, risk review for high-impact uses and compliance with [applicable regulations].
- Advise the CEO and finance director on AI investment and vendor choices.
- Coordinate AI work across [sales, operations, finance, HR and IT].
- Plan staff training and, in the EU, meet the AI literacy duty in Article 4 of the AI Act5.
- Recommend the team the company needs, including whether and when to hire a full-time AI leader.
Results expected
| By | Result |
|---|---|
| Day 30 | AI inventory complete; three to five priorities agreed by the leadership team |
| Day 60 | Usage and approval rules issued; operating model and first build decided |
| Day 90 | One initiative live with a measured result; 12-month roadmap approved |
| Month 12 | Two or three AI systems in daily use with measured results; handover plan agreed |
Requirements
- At least [15] years building technology or AI initiatives, including [5] in executive or senior advisory roles, the levels Axial Search asks for4.
- A record of turning AI work into measured business results, with references from former clients.
- Working fluency in current AI tools, such as foundation models, retrieval and vector databases.
- Experience setting AI governance, risk and compliance rules, ideally in [our industry or a regulated one].
- Prior work as a fractional executive, adviser or board member.
- The ability to explain technical choices to non-technical leaders and the reverse.
Terms
- Engagement as [an independent contractor or through a firm], [monthly retainer or day rate], for an initial [90-day] term with a review, then [month to month].
- Confidentiality, ownership of work produced and disclosure of other client engagements, as set out in the agreement.
Where descriptions go wrong
| Common mistake | Better approach |
|---|---|
| Listing a full-time CAIO's duties for eight hours a week | Cut the duties to what fits, or raise the hours |
| No reporting line | Name the executive the role reports to and the meetings it attends |
| "Drive AI transformation" as the goal | Name the decisions owned and the results due at 90 days and 12 months |
| Technical requirements only | Add governance, change leadership and evidence of measured results |
| No word on the end of the role | State whether it continues, converts or hands over |
Finishing and posting the description
- Test it against your requests. Take the last ten AI requests from around the company and check that the role, as written, would decide each one.
- Price it. Use the hours and the market data in the main guide to check the budget before posting. An Axial Search posting lists $140 to $550 an hour for this work4.
- Choose the channel. A placement firm, search firm or freelance network will want the description; a firm that combines direction with delivery will want the business problem instead.
- Prepare the interview. Turn each responsibility into a question. Our interview questions guide does this for you.
Questions buyers ask
What are the responsibilities of a fractional chief AI officer?
Setting AI priorities, governance and risk, keeping an inventory of AI in use, advising on AI investments and vendors, preparing staff to work with AI and coordinating AI work across departments. The difference from a full-time role is the time available, not the accountability.
What qualifications should a fractional CAIO have?
An Axial Search posting asks for at least 15 years building technology or AI initiatives, at least five of them in executive or senior advisory roles, fluency in current AI tools, governance and compliance experience and prior work as a fractional executive, adviser or board member.
How many hours a week should a fractional CAIO job description state?
Enough to do the work the description lists. Tecla's fractional CAIO engagements typically run 10 to 25 hours a week. A description that lists six responsibilities and offers four hours a week will attract the wrong candidates.
Sources
- Chief AI role gains traction as firms seek to turn pilots into profits. SiliconANGLE, 1 Aug 2025. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Vetted Fractional Chief AI Officer Services. Tecla. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- M-25-21: Accelerating Federal Use of AI through Innovation, Governance, and Public Trust. Office of Management and Budget, 3 Apr 2025. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Fractional Chief AI Officer (Technology), United States. Axial Search. Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
- Article 4: AI literacy. EU Artificial Intelligence Act (artificialintelligenceact.eu). Accessed 8 Nov 2026.
Updated 8 Nov 2026: First published.