Fractional Retail Ecommerce Director Service

Retail ecommerce challenges rarely sit in a single channel or campaign. They appear when online trading, stores, marketing and operations are not aligned, and no one owns ecommerce performance at a senior, commercial level.

The Fractional Retail Ecommerce Director Service from Cogent2 provides senior, part time leadership for retailers that need clear ownership of ecommerce performance across channels. This role operates above day-to-day execution, focusing on strategy, trading performance, team alignment and ensuring ecommerce supports wider retail growth.

It is designed for retail businesses where ecommerce is business critical, but leadership capacity is stretched or fragmented across marketing, trading and technology teams.

Cogent2’s Fractional Retail Ecommerce Directors work inside the business, partnering closely with founders, COOs and leadership teams. Alongside senior leadership, you gain access to a joined-up technical and delivery team that can execute and refine change when required.

When to hire a Fractional Retail Ecommerce Director

This service is particularly well suited to retailers that:

• Operate across ecommerce and physical retail

• Lack a single owner for ecommerce performance

• Experience misalignment between marketing, trading and technology

• Are scaling ecommerce faster than internal leadership capacity

• Need senior ecommerce leadership on a part time basis

Hiring a Fractional Retail Ecommerce Director brings clarity, focus and accountability to online trading.

What the service delivers

Cogent2 Fractional Retail Ecommerce Directors operate at a senior commercial level with a strong execution mindset.

This typically includes:

• Acting as a Fractional and Part Time Retail Ecommerce Director

• Owning ecommerce strategy and trading performance

• Aligning marketing, trading, product and technology teams

• Setting clear priorities and KPIs for ecommerce growth

• Improving decision making around investment and change

• Supporting and mentoring Heads of Ecommerce and Trading teams

Because Cogent2 combines leadership with delivery capability, strategy turns into action.

Retail ecommerce strategy and trading leadership

Ecommerce does not operate in isolation from the wider retail business.

The Fractional Retail Ecommerce Director Service focuses on ensuring ecommerce supports overall retail growth.

This includes:

• Aligning ecommerce strategy with store and omnichannel plans

• Owning trading calendars, promotions and performance reviews

• Improving conversion, retention and average order value

• Balancing growth initiatives with operational readiness

• Ensuring ecommerce decisions support profitability

The emphasis is commercially grounded leadership.

Cross-functional retail leadership

Retail ecommerce sits at the intersection of multiple teams.

Cogent2 Fractional Retail Ecommerce Directors work closely with:

• Marketing and acquisition teams

• Ecommerce trading and merchandising

• Operations and fulfilment

• Technology and integration teams

This ensures ecommerce plans are executable and supported across the business.

Programme support and ecommerce performance stabilisation

Fractional Retail Ecommerce Directors are often engaged when performance stalls or complexity increases.

This can include:

• Stabilising underperforming ecommerce channels

• Supporting replatforming or major ecommerce change

• Improving trading performance ahead of peak periods

• Reducing reactive decision making

• Protecting customer experience during growth

Cogent2’s joined-up delivery capability allows issues to be addressed decisively.

Ongoing leadership and continuity

Many clients retain this role as ongoing senior ecommerce leadership rather than a short engagement.

This can include:

• Regular executive-level ecommerce performance reviews

• Cover during leadership transition or growth

• Supporting long-term ecommerce planning

• Acting as a consistent senior ecommerce authority

This model provides leadership without adding permanent overhead.

The Cogent2 Difference

Cogent2 works alongside retail platforms and delivery teams so our Fractional Ecommerce Directors can focus entirely on performance, alignment and execution. We do not sell software. We take ownership of how ecommerce supports the retail business.

By combining Fractional Retail Ecommerce Director leadership with a joined-up technical team, Cogent2 removes the gap between ecommerce ambition and reliable delivery.

Strengthen retail ecommerce leadership

Retail ecommerce fails when ownership is fragmented.

Hire a Retail Ecommerce Director from Cogent2 on a Part Time, Fractional basis to bring clarity, accountability and momentum to your ecommerce performance.