Fred McCaig
- Specialism: Intervention and advisory roles that deliver transformation in performance and productivity through simplifying, clarifying, and building purpose – finding the why.
- Track Record:
- Operations Director – increasing productivity and reducing waste across all divisions – Furniture Manufacturing
- General Manager – established measurable productivity KPIs and built organisational efficiency – Events and Manufacturing
- Operations Manager – unified teams under a singular workflow to improve efficiency, communication, and purpose – IT Service Provider
- General Manager – established a new business from brownfield site to full operational delivery as a turnkey project – Project Management
- Offer: I work with founders of SMEs who find themselves doing things they never wanted to do because the pace of the business has outgrown its capability.
- If you:
- Are in full-time reactive mode
- Struggle to make objective decisions
- Want to make change but do not have the bandwidth
- Have fallen out of love with your business
- And want to:
- See the full picture
- Have time to listen and work through ideas
- Empower your team
- Fall back in love with your business
- You would benefit from an objective fresh pair of eyes with the ability to assess, summarise, and present options – and support their delivery with accountability – enabling you to build your business back to where it needs to be.
- If you:
- Fred says: “Building capability and simplifying processes to enable enterprise to operate effectively, I work with you to have the business you want.”
- Try me: www.enableworks.uk
Working as a Fractional COO specialising in change and transformation, I recognised the value this type of intervention can bring to SMEs, which often need expertise and experience but cannot justify the cost of consultancy support or full-time senior roles. Operating in this way has also created opportunities to collaborate with other fractional specialists on specific projects and assignments. The ability to work objectively, identify the adjustments required, and implement effective change without the drag of internal politics is something I find highly effective.
My transition into portfolio work developed naturally through the experience of creating change within organisations. I realised that once the outcomes had been achieved, and capability had been built within the teams, my role became more supportive or advisory in nature. That created the opportunity to manage multiple clients simultaneously, giving each business the time and focus it needed on a fractional basis.
I recognised my first real success when I delivered project outcomes without needing to remain in the role on a full-time basis. I was able to move on to another project and operate just as effectively, while also delivering significant savings compared to hiring another full-time project manager. Many roles operate within timeframes that are inefficient or unnecessarily prolonged. By working at a higher intensity and pace, productivity improves and greater capacity is created.
Along the way, I’ve learned that the answer nearly always lies within the organisation itself. Operating fractionally as a transformation specialist naturally challenges the norm, but when teams are engaged around a compelling reason for change, momentum builds quickly. My role is often to establish the pace and rhythm of change, enabling teams to deliver the transformation themselves.
It’s working for me now because I’ve spent 25 years building experience in business operations, and this model allows me to share that knowledge in a way that helps organisations improve and recognise their full potential. It gives me the opportunity to contribute meaningfully across multiple businesses rather than being confined to a single environment.
Looking ahead, I see every day as a learning opportunity. I continue to strive for new knowledge, broader experience, and opportunities to share what I’ve learned with others in ways that are both effective and personally rewarding.