Fractional Sage Head Of Development Service

Sage development rarely fails because the platform cannot support the business. It fails when change is unmanaged, priorities are unclear and no one owns how development effort turns into reliable outcomes.

The Fractional Sage Head of Development Service from Cogent2 provides senior, part time engineering leadership for businesses running Sage as a core finance or ERP platform. This role focuses on controlling Sage development delivery, improving quality and ensuring enhancements support finance, reporting and operations without adding risk or complexity.

It is designed for organisations with ongoing Sage customisation, reporting extensions or integration work, but without a senior development leader to bring structure, consistency and accountability.

Cogent2’s Fractional Sage Heads of Development work inside the business, leading delivery rather than operating at arm’s length. Alongside leadership, you gain access to a joined-up technical and integration team that can execute and refine work where required.

When to hire a Fractional Sage Head Of Development

This service is particularly well suited to businesses that:

• Run Sage as their core finance or ERP system

• Have a backlog of Sage enhancements or reporting changes

• Experience slow delivery or fragile customisation

• Rely on partners without strong internal development leadership

• Need senior Sage development ownership on a part time basis

Hiring a Fractional Sage Head of Development brings clarity, control and confidence to Sage delivery.

What the service delivers

Cogent2 Fractional Sage Heads of Development embed directly into delivery teams with a strong execution focus.

This typically includes:

• Acting as a Fractional and Part Time Sage Head of Development

• Owning Sage development standards and delivery cadence

• Leading internal developers and external partners

• Improving backlog prioritisation and estimation

• Reducing technical debt and delivery risk

• Supporting hiring, onboarding and capability planning

Because Cogent2 combines leadership with delivery capability, improvements are implemented rather than delayed.

Sage development delivery and execution control

Finance-led systems carry real operational risk if poorly governed.

The Fractional Sage Head of Development Service focuses on making Sage change predictable, safe and aligned to business priorities.

This includes:

• Aligning development work to finance and reporting cycles

• Supporting safe releases around month-end and year-end close

• Improving visibility into progress, blockers and risk

• Balancing speed with accuracy and control

• Ensuring development effort delivers operational value

The emphasis is disciplined delivery, not reactive fixes.

Quality, standards and technical consistency

Without senior ownership, Sage customisation quickly becomes brittle.

Cogent2 Fractional Sage Heads of Development establish:

• Clear standards for custom development and configuration

• Consistent review, testing and release practices

• Practical documentation and knowledge sharing

• Strong ownership of technical decisions

This improves confidence in every Sage release.

Cross-functional ERP leadership

Sage sits at the heart of finance and operations.

Cogent2 Fractional Sage Heads of Development work closely with:

• Finance and reporting teams

• Operations and fulfilment

• Ecommerce and trading teams

• Technology and integration teams

This ensures Sage development supports how the business actually runs.

Programme support and delivery stabilisation

Fractional Sage Heads of Development are often engaged when delivery confidence drops.

This can include:

• Stabilising underperforming Sage development

• Supporting Sage optimisation or enhancement programmes

• Improving delivery ahead of financial close

• Reducing reliance on reactive fixes

• Protecting data accuracy during change

Cogent2’s joined-up delivery capability allows issues to be resolved quickly and safely.

Ongoing leadership and continuity

Many clients retain this role as ongoing support rather than a short engagement.

This can include:

• Regular weekly or monthly leadership input

• Cover during team change or growth

• Supporting long-term Sage delivery planning

• Acting as a consistent senior engineering presence

This model provides leadership without adding permanent overhead.

The Cogent2 Difference

Cogent2 works alongside Sage and connected platforms so our Fractional Heads of Development can focus entirely on delivery quality and execution. We do not sell software. We take ownership of how Sage development supports the wider business.

By combining Fractional Sage Head of Development leadership with a joined-up technical team, Cogent2 removes the gap between finance system change and reliable delivery.

Strengthen your Sage development delivery

Finance systems demand discipline and control.

Hire a Sage Head of Development from Cogent2 on a Part Time, Fractional basis to bring structure, pace and accountability to your Sage development.