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Best Fractional COO Services in Sydney
Top Outsourced COO Services & Fractional Chief Operating Officers (COOs) in Sydney
Fractional leadership is reshaping how companies scale—and Sydney is no exception. With its vibrant startup scene, growing base of purpose-led enterprises, and increasing demand for agile executive leadership, Sydney has become a hotbed for operational talent that doesn’t require a full-time seat.
At Digital Reference, we’re dedicated to showcasing the people who are quietly powering meaningful growth behind the scenes.
This list features some of the most compelling fractional COOs and operations consultants working in and around Sydney—leaders who embed with teams, fix what’s broken, and build systems that scale.
Our Methodology: How We Selected the Best Interim, Outsourced, and Fractional COO Services in Sydney
We use a research-based editorial approach focused on identifying the professionals’ Experience and Expertise.
To create this Sydney-specific list, we:
- Verified that each executive is based in or actively serving the Sydney ecosystem
- Evaluated public presence, industry reputation, and depth of services
- Considered client testimonials, thought leadership, and specialty areas
- Prioritized those with clear offerings, mission alignment, and proven impact
Meet The Best Fractional COO & Outsourced COO Services in Sydney
The individuals on this list aren’t just interim operators—they’re trusted thought partners, business builders, and systems thinkers.
🟢 Joel Alderden
Fractional COO & Commercial Strategist
Joel Alderden is a seasoned operations and commercial leader who partners with supply chain and logistics firms, startups, and growth-stage entrepreneurs. With over 20 years of experience across senior finance, operations, and supply chain roles, Joel helps businesses refine go-to-market strategy, organizational design, and delivery systems that support sustainable scale. His global exposure across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania gives him a rare ability to apply best practices across markets and operating models.
Highlights:
🏢 Supply chain, operations, and commercial strategy integration
📑 Go-to-market design and organizational structuring
🌍 Global operating experience across multiple regions
💬 Bridging strategic intent with operational execution
Joel is known for seamlessly connecting customer journeys with internal systems, enabling companies to scale with clarity and commercial discipline.
🟢 Brooke Sullivan
Founder, Sullivan Collective
🔗 LinkedIn
Brooke Sullivan is the founder of Sullivan Collective, a strategic advisory firm focused on conscious leadership and operational clarity. Her work blends business coaching with hands-on C-suite execution support, helping founders and leadership teams lead with intention while building structure that scales. Brooke is especially sought after by impact-driven organizations that want accountability without sacrificing empathy.
Highlights:
🏢 Conscious leadership and operational clarity
📑 Executive-level advisory and execution support
💬 Empathy-driven accountability for leadership teams
Brooke supports founders who want to build organizations that perform well while staying deeply aligned with their values.
🟢 Steffi Rose
Founder, Clarity & Compass
🔗 LinkedIn
Steffi Rose specializes in guiding companies through the messy middle of growth, particularly in fast-moving startups and scale-ups. With experience supporting leadership teams across multiple industries, she brings structure to ambiguity and momentum to vision. Steffi is known for helping teams translate complexity into clear, actionable direction while maintaining a strong values-led approach.
Highlights:
🏢 Converting complex operations into transparent systems
📑 Bringing calm and structure to high-growth environments
💬 Blending systems thinking with values-led leadership
🎯 Execution-focused operational guidance
Steffi helps organizations move forward with clarity, alignment, and purposeful execution.
🟢 Jarka Kunova
Founder, Designed by Life
🔗 LinkedIn
Jarka Kunova is an award-winning leadership coach and operations advisor who supports founders and executive teams through organizational alignment and growth. Through Designed by Life, she works at the intersection of performance, culture, and systems, helping companies scale without losing their human core. Jarka is particularly effective in founder-led businesses navigating tension between values and velocity.
Highlights:
🏢 Leadership coaching and organizational alignment
📑 Executive team performance and scaling systems
💬 Human-centered operations and culture design
Jarka brings equal parts structure and soul to organizations seeking sustainable, people-first growth.
🟢 Michael Watkins
Fractional COO & Venture Builder
🔗 LinkedIn
Michael Watkins works with startups and scale-ups on operations, strategy, and go-to-market readiness. A serial founding member and early-stage operator, he brings hands-on experience to companies building their first teams, systems, and scalable processes. Michael thrives in environments where execution speed and clarity matter most.
Highlights:
🏢 Early-stage operations and venture execution
📑 Go-to-market readiness and internal systems
💬 Founder-first, hands-on operational leadership
Michael helps startups turn early momentum into repeatable, scalable execution.
🟢 Aly Nicolau
Co-Founder, Spekd
🔗 LinkedIn
Aly Nicolau brings over 15 years of leadership experience as the co-founder of Spekd, a fractional operations and marketing firm. With deep expertise in systems, people operations, and creative workflows, Aly helps scaling businesses implement internal infrastructure without slowing momentum. She is especially effective in creative and mission-driven organizations.
Highlights:
🏢 Systems and people operations for scaling teams
📑 Creative and marketing operations leadership
💬 Translating operational chaos into scalable clarity
Aly’s work reflects a modern blueprint for collaborative, flexible fractional leadership.
🟢 Dylan Rowland
Partner, Independent Execs
🔗 LinkedIn
Dylan Rowland is a fractional COO and strategic advisor with over two decades of experience in strategy and operations. As a partner at Independent Execs, he works across professional services, retail, fintech, and more. Dylan is known for embedding quickly, leading cross-functional change, and delivering measurable improvements in both margin and morale.
Highlights:
🏢 Rapid operational embedding and execution
📑 Cross-functional change leadership
💬 Improving performance while strengthening teams
Dylan brings speed, structure, and results to organizations ready for decisive operational change.
🟢 Sarah Clayton
Co-Founder, Spekd
🔗 LinkedIn
Sarah Clayton is the co-founder of Spekd and an expert in creative operations, communications strategy, and process transformation. With experience across agency, corporate, and nonprofit environments, she helps teams cut through complexity and align around what truly matters.
Highlights:
🏢 Creative operations and process design
📑 Communications strategy and internal alignment
💬 Tactical, empathetic leadership for fast-growing teams
Sarah helps creative organizations scale with clarity, cohesion, and focus.
🟢 Craig Harris
Fractional COO & Transformation Consultant
🔗 LinkedIn
Craig Harris is a systems transformation expert with deep experience in enterprise and mid-market operations. He frequently partners with boards and executive teams navigating complexity, modernization, or business model evolution. Craig is especially effective in structured environments that need to adapt without losing control.
Highlights:
🏢 Enterprise and mid-market transformation
📑 Change management and consensus building
💬 Operational rigor with execution focus
Craig brings discipline, alignment, and momentum to complex transformation efforts.
🟢 Linda Fernandez
Strategic Operations Consultant
🔗 LinkedIn
Linda Fernandez brings experience from both the public and private sectors to her operations advisory work. She focuses on nonprofits, education, and impact-driven organizations, helping leaders align compliance, stakeholders, and operational structure with mission-driven goals.
Highlights:
🏢 Operations for nonprofits and education organizations
📑 Compliance-aware systems and stakeholder alignment
💬 Mission-aligned measurement and execution
Linda helps values-led organizations become more structured without losing their purpose.
🟢 Jade Bell
Startup Operations Partner
🔗 LinkedIn
Jade Bell is a startup operations leader and fractional COO with experience across tech, SaaS, and product marketing. She helps founders move from reactive firefighting to proactive execution by implementing practical systems that support growth. Jade is known for her calm presence and action-oriented mindset.
Highlights:
🏢 Startup operations and early-stage scaling
📑 Moving teams from reactive to proactive execution
💬 Calm, practical leadership in fast-growth environments
Jade brings order, momentum, and confidence to startups navigating rapid growth.
Final Thoughts 💡 - Fractional Operational Leadership is the Future
Sydney’s fractional COO community is growing—and evolving. The leaders we’ve featured here bring unique skills, perspectives, and experiences to the companies they support. Some specialize in early-stage scale, others in systems transformation or human-centered design. All of them have one thing in common: they make things happen.
At Digital Reference, we’re committed to making the world of work more transparent. These operators aren’t just names on a list—they’re the talent behind some of Australia’s most exciting businesses.
For more insights on fractional leadership, check out:
- Outsourced COO Services in Australia
- Outsourced CFO Services in Australia
- Outsourced CTO Services in Australia
- Fractional CMO Services in Australia
- Fractional CHRO Services in Australia
- What to Look for in a Fractional COO
Check Out Our Local Directories of Fractional & Part-Time COOs by City
Ann Arbor, MI - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Ann Arbor startups and research-driven firms are turning to fractional ops leaders for precision execution and growth strategy.
Atlanta, GA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In a city that blends enterprise and startup energy, Atlanta companies lean on COOs who can unify vision and operations.
Boston, MA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
From biotech to B2B SaaS, Boston’s ops leaders bring structure and speed to innovation-heavy teams.
Chicago, IL - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
COOs in the Windy City are helping companies align their back-end systems with bold front-end goals.
Dallas, TX - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Denver, CO - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Denver’s scale-ups are calling in fractional execs to professionalize their operations without slowing their culture.
Detroit, MI - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
With roots in manufacturing and momentum in mobility, Detroit companies rely on fractional COOs for systems that scale.
Houston, Texas - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Houston’s operational ecosystem is evolving fast. More startups are scaling. More nonprofits are serving complex needs.
London, United Kingdom - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Fractional COO Services are sky-rocketing in popularity in London as labor costs go up and time to market is accelerating.
Los Angeles, CA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In LA, creative industries meet tech—and fractional COOs bring the operational clarity these hybrid teams need.
New York City, NY - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
NYC’s pace demands results. These operators know how to navigate fast-moving startups and scaling giants alike.
Philadelphia, PA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Fractional COO Services in Philly are ensuring East Coast startups and high growth companies have the right structure to survive.
Phoenix, AZ - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Phoenix-based COOs help founders transition from hustle to structured scale with systems that grow.
San Francisco, CA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Bay Area COOs are stepping in to help tech companies streamline, automate, and stabilize post-funding growth.
Seattle, WA - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
In Seattle’s product-driven landscape, ops leaders drive alignment between engineering, GTM, and finance.
Toronto, Canada - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
Toronto doesn’t just build startups—it builds systems. It’s a city where public meets private, where the startup ecosystem is growing alongside government programs, universities, and a rising impact economy. But for all its innovation, hiring executive talent in Toronto has always come with nuance.
Washington, DC (DMV Area) - Part-Time COOs & Fractional COO Services
DC-area operators bring rigor and regulatory awareness—perfect for mission-driven orgs and gov-adjacent teams.
Know someone we should consider for a future feature? Drop us a note. We’re always looking for the next great operator to watch.
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