Fractional COOs in Philadelphia Making Things Happen

Philadelphia Part-Time Chief Operating Officers to Know

Philadelphia has long been known for grit, history, and innovation—and now it’s becoming a hub for fractional executive talent helping companies bridge the gap between vision and execution. With startups scaling across healthtech, services, and mission-driven sectors, the demand for fractional COOs is rising. These are the leaders stepping in to realign operations, clarify priorities, and lay the groundwork for sustainable growth.

At Digital Reference, our goal is to pull back the curtain on the people building meaningful momentum inside companies. In this roundup, we’re highlighting Philadelphia-based or Philly-serving fractional COOs and operators who are making an outsized impact across industries.

Our Methodology: Philly Fractional COO Service Providers

We apply an editorial framework rooted in Experience and Expertise. 

To select this list, we:

• Verified regional presence in the Philadelphia metro ecosystem
• Assessed operational depth, public presence, and clarity of offering
• Prioritized leaders with reputation for impact, transparency, and client collaboration
• Considered diversity of industry experience, from early-stage startups to nonprofits to midsize scale-ups

This is not a ranking—it’s a curated showcase of trusted operational talent.

Brittany Palugod

Founder, ALGN Consulting

Bio: Brittany is the founder of ALGN Consulting, a firm that supports early-stage companies and nonprofits through fractional COO and operations advisory. Her sweet spot is organizational alignment and strategic clarity, especially for purpose-driven businesses.

Why she’s featured: Brittany’s gift is helping leaders get unstuck. She’s especially valuable to founders navigating complexity or cultural misalignment, with a sharp ability to translate big-picture vision into operating models that actually work.

Jemma Barbarise

Principal Advisor & COO, Compass Rose Ventures

Bio: Jemma partners with social enterprises and impact-first businesses to create operations that are as intentional as the missions they serve. With a background in nonprofit leadership and startup strategy, she’s adept at helping founders structure for growth.

Why she’s featured: Jemma stands out for her values-driven approach and deep understanding of mission-aligned growth. She’s especially effective at building systems that balance stakeholder impact with financial sustainability.

Alex Benazet

Managing Partner, Sbook Solutions

Bio: Alex is the founder of Sbook Solutions, where she works as a fractional COO and growth partner for creative and consulting firms. Her background blends agency ops, client service, and internal workflow design.

Why she’s featured: Alex is the ops whisperer for client-facing businesses. She helps founders scale their delivery models without burning out teams or compromising client outcomes.

Mandy Poston

Fractional COO & Business Operations Leader

Bio: Mandy is a seasoned business operator with a focus on process redesign, team efficiency, and cross-functional clarity. Her sweet spot lies in high-growth services and creative organizations.

Why she’s featured: Mandy has a knack for making messy systems manageable. She’s especially effective when teams are moving fast but need to regain clarity and create durable infrastructure.

Michael Hammond

Startup Advisor & Fractional COO

Bio: Michael supports B2B startups and SaaS companies with product operations, GTM optimization, and revenue enablement. His work often sits at the intersection of sales, customer success, and delivery.

Why he’s featured: Michael is a systems builder with commercial awareness. He knows how to tie backend operations to revenue-driving outcomes, making him ideal for early-stage companies looking to tighten their ops.

Jill Tuck

Organizational Effectiveness Consultant & COO Advisor

Bio: Jill works with nonprofits and purpose-led companies on strategy implementation, people operations, and leadership team enablement. She brings a strong lens on culture and change management.

Why she’s featured: Jill helps teams navigate complex transitions with heart. Her background in nonprofit ops and strategic HR makes her a standout for organizations prioritizing both mission and momentum.

Shai Fogel

Fractional COO, Rainbow Creative

Bio: Shai leads operations at Rainbow Creative, a Philadelphia-based agency that builds storytelling systems for purpose-led brands. In addition to agency work, he acts as a fractional operator for select creative startups.

Why he’s featured: Shai is a builder of creative-friendly ops—where flexibility, design thinking, and business rigor coexist. He’s a go-to for founders looking to grow without losing the soul of their brand.

Final Thoughts 🎯

Philadelphia’s fractional COO community is small but mighty. These operators bring thoughtful leadership, people-first processes, and durable systems to the companies they support. Whether it’s early-stage growth, nonprofit scale, or client-service delivery—you’ll find someone on this list who can help your team move forward with confidence.

At Digital Reference, we’re here to connect talent with transparency. If you’re exploring fractional leadership for the first time or seeking inspiration for your next hire—this list is a great place to start.

Looking for more on fractional talent? Explore:

• What to Look for in a Fractional COO
• Fractional COO vs. Outsourced COO
• Local Directories of Fractional COOs

Know a Philly-based COO we should meet? Send them our way—we're always on the lookout.

Curated independently by Digital Reference. No paid placements.

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