How do I hire a fractional VP of Sales for a medtech company in 2027?

You hire a fractional VP of Sales for a medtech company by first confirming your revenue stage and complexity, then sourcing candidates through specialized networks like Pavilion or CRO Syndicate. Expect to budget a retainer for 10–20 days of engagement, with the range driven by company stage, deal size, regulatory complexity, and whether equity is included. title: How to hire a fractional VP of Sales for a medtech company in 2027

• Define the engagement scope | List the specific outcomes (process design, team build, pipeline acceleration) and the days-per-month commitment.
• Identify your regulatory reality | Medtech often requires HIPAA, FDA, or ISO compliance knowledge - confirm the candidate has relevant domain experience.
• Source through trusted networks | Use Pavilion, RevOps Co-op, or CRO Syndicate; avoid generic LinkedIn job posts that attract unqualified applicants.
• Interview for pattern recognition | Ask for specific examples of medtech sales cycles, channel partnerships, and pricing strategies - not generic SaaS playbooks.
• Negotiate terms transparently | Agree on cash rate, equity (if any), notice period, and IP ownership of processes built during the engagement.
• Start with a 90-day trial | Structure the first quarter as a paid pilot with clear KPIs, then evaluate whether to extend or convert to full-time.

a: Fractional VP of Sales b: Full-Time VP of Sales

• Typical monthly cost | 8k–20k cash + possible equity | 20k–40k salary + benefits + equity
• Commitment | 10–20 days/month, flexible | 5 days/week, exclusive
• Onboarding speed | 2–4 weeks to full productivity | 3–6 months to full productivity
• Best for | Stage transitions, product launches, interim gaps | Steady-state growth, culture building, long-term strategy
• Risk | Lower financial commitment, easier to exit | Higher investment, harder to unwind

type: tip Ask for a "deal autopsy" in the interview. Have the candidate review one of your recent lost deals and explain what they would have done differently. This reveals whether they understand medtech's long buying cycles, clinical validation requirements, and stakeholder complexity - without you having to explain your own business first.

• RevOps Co-op (revopscoop.org) - strong for operational-minded leaders who understand process design.
• Your own network - ask your board members, investors, or clinical advisors for referrals. Medtech is a small world. Be prepared to vet thoroughly. A strong fractional candidate will have a clear website or LinkedIn profile showing past engagements, client testimonials, and a defined methodology. If they can't articulate their process for "day 1 to day 90," move on. ## How to Structure the Engagement A fractional VP of Sales engagement should be outcome-based, not time-based. Don't pay for "10 days of work" - pay for "build a 90-day sales playbook and coach the team through its first 5 enterprise deals." The contract should include: - Scope of work - specific deliverables (e.g., sales process map, hiring plan, pipeline review cadence).
• Time commitment - minimum days per month, with flexibility for peak periods.
• Notice period - typically 30 days for either party to terminate.
• IP ownership - any processes, templates, or playbooks created during the engagement belong to your company.
• Equity - if offered, typically 0.5%–2% with a 1-year vest and 4-year total, but only if the fractional role is expected to last 12+ months. Do not structure it as a pure commission role. Fractional leaders need a base to cover their time; commission-only arrangements attract desperate candidates who will prioritize their own pipeline over your company's long-term health.  ## Callout: Warning ```callout

type: warning Beware of the "fractional tourist." Some consultants take multiple fractional roles simultaneously and spend only 4–6 days per month with each client. That's not enough to build a sales motion in medtech. Ask for a list of current clients and their engagement durations. If they have more than 3 concurrent roles, they're spreading themselves too thin.

• "Walk me through a medtech deal you closed that required clinical validation."
• "How did you handle a situation where a hospital required a 12-month trial before purchasing?"
• "What's your approach to pricing a new device that has no direct competitor?" Round 2 (90 minutes, in-person or extended video): Focus on process and fit. Ask:
• "Draft a 90-day plan for our company. What would you do week 1, week 4, week 12?"
• "How do you measure your own impact in a fractional role?"
• "What's your communication cadence with the founder - weekly, biweekly, async?" Check references rigorously. Ask each reference: "What specific outcome did they deliver in the first 90 days?" and "What would they say is their biggest weakness?"  ## Mermaid: Decision Flowchart ```mermaid

flowchart TD A[Start: Need sales leadership?] --> B{Company stage?} B -->|Pre-revenue or under 2M ARR| C[Hire a player-coach sales leader] B -->|2M–10M ARR| D{Regulatory complexity?} D -->|High (FDA, HIPAA, ISO)| E[Consider fractional VP of Sales] D -->|Low| F[Consider full-time VP of Sales] B -->|over 10M ARR| G[Full-time VP of Sales likely needed] E --> H{Engagement scope?} H -->|Build process + coach team| I[Fractional VP of Sales, 10-15 days/mo] H -->|Launch new product line| J[Fractional VP of Sales, 15-20 days/mo] H -->|Interim gap| K[Fractional VP of Sales, 20 days/mo]

• Pipeline hygiene - accurate forecasts, qualified opportunities, and a reduction in stale deals.
• Team coaching - measurable improvement in rep call quality, discovery depth, and closing confidence.
• Founder alignment - you understand the sales process and can explain it to investors. After 6 months, you should see pipeline velocity increase and deal size growth. If you don't, the engagement isn't working. Don't wait 12 months to course-correct. ## Mermaid: Engagement Lifecycle ```mermaid

flowchart LR A[Discovery: 2 weeks] --> B[Planning: 2 weeks] B --> C[Execution: 8-12 weeks] C --> D[Review: 2 weeks] D --> E{Extend or convert?} E -->|Extend| C E -->|Convert to full-time| F[Full-time VP of Sales] E -->|End engagement| G[Transition to internal team] A fractional VP of Sales typically focuses on direct sales execution, team management, and pipeline building. A fractional CRO owns the entire revenue function - including marketing, customer success, and partnerships - and is more strategic. For medtech companies under 10M ARR, a VP of Sales is usually sufficient unless you have a complex go-to-market motion. Can a fractional VP of Sales work remotely for a medtech company? Yes, but with caveats. Medtech often requires in-person meetings with hospital administrators, clinical leads, and channel partners. A fully remote fractional leader will struggle to build the trust needed for those relationships. Hybrid (2–3 days per month on-site) is the most common and effective model. How long should a fractional VP of Sales engagement last? Typically 6–12 months. Shorter than 6 months and you won't see real process change; longer than 12 months and you should either convert to full-time or reevaluate your needs. Some companies extend to 18 months for complex product launches, but that's the exception. What if I can't find a fractional VP of Sales with medtech experience?

• Pavilion - Revenue Leadership Community
• RevOps Co-op - Operations & Revenue Community
• Harvard Business Review - Sales Leadership Articles
• First Round Review - Startup Sales Playbooks
• SaaStr - Sales & Revenue Scaling Advice
• LinkedIn - Professional Network for Vetting Candidates