Strategic Fractional COO & Operational Advisory
Aligning People, Processes, and Technology for sustainable growth.
Whether you’re scaling a mission-driven nonprofit or a growing professional-services firm, Lense Advisory provides structured operational leadership designed to move organizations from reactive to resilient.
How We Work
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Understand where you are today without assumptions.
Every engagement begins with a structured review of your organization’s people, processes, and technology. We look at what’s working, where friction exists, and where hidden risks or inefficiencies may be slowing progress. Through document reviews, stakeholder conversations, and operational analysis, we develop a clear picture of your current state — grounded in facts, not guesswork.
This phase brings clarity and creates a shared understanding of priorities before any changes are made.
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Create a clear path forward that your team can actually execute.
Once we understand the landscape, we work alongside leadership to define goals, roles, and priorities. Alignment means translating vision into practical strategy — ensuring your people, workflows, and systems support the direction you want to go.
Alignment means fewer surprises, better decision-making, and shared understanding across leadership and teams.
Together, we build an actionable roadmap that balances ambition with capacity, so progress feels sustainable rather than overwhelming.
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Move from planning to action with structured operational leadership.
Implementation is where strategy becomes real. Whether through fractional executive support or project-based engagement, Lense Advisory helps guide execution, build infrastructure, and introduce processes that support growth.
Our role isn’t to create dependency — it’s to help your organization build systems and rhythms that work long after the engagement ends.
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Strengthen long-term success through stability, accountability, and growth.
True operational change isn’t a one-time event. In the sustain phase, we focus on reinforcing new systems, coaching leaders, and refining processes so improvements continue to evolve with your organization.
This may include ongoing advisory support, periodic check-ins, or leadership guidance — ensuring the work we’ve built together continues to support your mission and momentum.
Services & Engagement Options
Lense Advisory partners with organizations through structured engagements designed to align people, processes, and technology. Every engagement is tailored to your organization’s size, goals, and stage of growth, while maintaining clear and transparent pricing ranges.
Fractional COO / CHRO Leadership: Ongoing operational leadership and executive partnership
Ideal for organizations that need experienced leadership without adding a full-time executive. Fractional engagements focus on strategic planning, operational infrastructure, team alignment, and sustainable growth.
Typical Scope Includes:
Executive-level operational strategy
Organizational design & role clarity
Budget and operational planning support
Technology and workflow optimization
Leadership coaching and accountability
Investment:
Nonprofit organizations: starting at $1,500/month
For-profit organizations: starting at $2,000/month
Strategic Operational Assessments: A structured review of how your organization actually operates
Assessments provide a clear, unbiased look at current systems, workflows, and team structures. This engagement identifies risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities — and results in a practical roadmap for improvement.
May Include:
Document and systems review
Stakeholder interviews
Workflow mapping
Risk and efficiency analysis
Prioritized recommendations
Investment: Typically $7,500–$15,000 depending on organizational size and complexity.
Operational Transformation Projects: Focused initiatives designed to move organizations forward
Transformation projects support implementation of new structures, systems, or operational models. These engagements are collaborative and paced to support real adoption by your team.
Common Projects:
HR infrastructure builds
Process redesign & SOP development
CRM and technology implementation
Strategic planning facilitation
Operational restructuring
Investment: Most projects range between $5,000–$20,000+ based on scope, timeline, and complexity.
Advisory & Short-Term Strategic Support: Targeted guidance for specific challenges or leadership needs
For organizations navigating a transition, decision point, or short-term initiative, advisory engagements provide structured support without a long-term retainer.
Examples:
Board or leadership advisory
Interim operational guidance
Growth planning sessions
Operational troubleshooting
Investment: Engagements are scoped individually. Select advisory work may include flexible hourly support when aligned with a broader engagement.
A Note on Pricing Transparency:
We believe in clear expectations and sustainable partnerships. Pricing reflects the level of leadership, strategy, and implementation involved, not just time spent. Every engagement begins with a scoping conversation to ensure alignment before work begins.
Nonprofits receive a 20% discount on all services.
All packages include email support and scheduled check-ins. Travel is billed separately if outside the Chicago area.
Examples of Projects
People Operations & Culture
HR Infrastructure for Startups & Small Businesses
Organizational Design & Role Development
Staffing Models
Employee Lifecycle & Policy Documentation
Compensation & Benefits Strategy
Employee Handbooks & Compliance Policies
Comprehensive Performance & Feedback Systems
Successful Onboarding, Off-boarding and Transition Plans
Learning & Development Programs
DEIB Strategy & Culture Building
Strategy & Operational Excellence
Strategic Planning
Change Management
Process Mapping
Scenario Planning
Pricing Models
Business Process Optimization
Nonprofit Formation & Compliance
Vendor & Contract Efficiency Reviews (*w/ Schooley Mitchell)
Technology Optimization
Technology Assessments & Implementations
CRM Evaluation & Implementation Project Management
Donor Management System Evaluation & Implementation
Policy & Procedure Documentation
Frequently Asked Questions
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A Fractional COO provides the same level of senior operational leadership as a full time COO, but works part-time, temporarily, or on a retained basis. Organizations engage a Fractional COO when they need immediate expertise, structure, and execution support without hiring a full-time executive.
Fractional COOs are often brought in to:
Stabilize finances and operations
Build systems, processes, and team structure
Support growth, change, or transition
Prepare an organization for scale or a future full-time hire
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We work with startups and small-to-mid-sized nonprofit and for-profit organizations.
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Project work is best for organizations with a clearly defined need, timeline, and outcome. These engagements are scoped up front with specific deliverables (for example, an operational assessment, system implementation, or policy buildout) and are completed within a set timeframe.
Retained services provide ongoing, fractional leadership and support. This model is ideal when you need consistent operational oversight, strategic partnership, and hands-on execution over time. Retainers are typically structured around a set number of hours per month and allow for flexibility as priorities evolve.
Custom engagements are designed for organizations with complex, evolving, or cross-functional needs that don’t fit neatly into a standard package. These engagements combine elements of project work and retained support and are tailored to your organization’s goals, capacity, and stage of growth.
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Once you decide to work with Lense Advisory, onboarding is straightforward and collaborative. We begin with a formal kickoff that includes finalizing the scope, signing the agreement, and aligning on goals, timelines, and communication norms.
You’ll then receive a short intake and document request so we can quickly understand your current systems, priorities, and constraints. From there, we schedule key stakeholder conversations (as applicable) and confirm tools, cadence, and next steps.
Our goal is to minimize disruption while building clarity and momentum from day one — so we can focus quickly on the work that matters most.
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Yes. We provide case studies and references upon request. Case studies highlight the scope of work, approach, and outcomes across a range of nonprofit and for-profit engagements, and references can be shared when appropriate to support due diligence and fit.
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You can reach us anytime via our contact page or email. We aim to respond quickly—usually within one business day. Our email is info@lenseadvisory.com.