Most private equity platforms have clear roles for value creation: operating partners improve existing assets, deal teams close transactions, and portfolio company CEOs run their businesses. But when it comes to portfolio-level acquisition velocity — the function that determines whether a roll-up thesis actually scales — most platforms have no one explicitly accountable.

That's where a Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth comes in. It's not a consultant. It's not a deal sourcing agency. It's embedded infrastructure and ownership operating at the platform level to build, maintain, and optimize origination systems across the portfolio.

But the role is often misunderstood. This article clarifies what a Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth actually does, what they don't do, and why the function matters for platforms executing roll-up strategies.

What the Role Is

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth operates as the singular owner of acquisition velocity at the platform level. Their job is to ensure the platform has the infrastructure, processes, and coordination required to source, qualify, and convert opportunities systematically — independent of broker dependency or ad hoc network intros.

This isn't a campaign-based engagement. It's ongoing infrastructure support that scales with the platform as acquisition volume increases.

Core Responsibilities

1. Build and Maintain Origination Infrastructure

The first responsibility is to build the systems that enable proprietary deal flow at scale. This includes:

• Target identification frameworks — Defining criteria for what makes a high-quality target and systematically identifying companies that fit
• Outreach and engagement workflows — Creating repeatable processes for initial contact, follow-up, and relationship development
• Pipeline management systems — Implementing CRM tools or databases that track all sourcing activity across the platform
• Qualification processes — Standardizing how targets are assessed so resources go to the right opportunities

This infrastructure doesn't have to be complex. It just has to exist, function consistently, and scale with volume.

2. Coordinate Sourcing Across Portfolio Companies

Without coordination, portfolio companies operate independently. They contact the same targets, pursue overlapping opportunities, and create confusion in the market.

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth ensures coordination by:

• Maintaining visibility into who is contacting which targets and when
• Preventing overlap that damages credibility or wastes effort
• Allocating targets strategically so the highest-priority opportunities receive appropriate attention
• Facilitating communication between operators and deal teams to align on acquisition priorities

Coordination doesn't remove autonomy from operators. It eliminates chaos and ensures the platform operates as a unified entity.

3. Monitor and Optimize Pipeline Health

A critical part of the role is tracking pipeline performance and identifying bottlenecks or gaps. This includes:

• Monitoring pipeline coverage across all portfolio companies
• Analyzing conversion rates at each stage of the sourcing funnel
• Identifying where opportunities are stalling and why
• Adjusting processes, messaging, or targeting criteria based on data

This ongoing optimization ensures that origination infrastructure improves over time rather than decaying from neglect.

4. Engage Targets and Nurture Relationships

Unlike brokers who introduce deals when sellers are ready to transact, a Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth engages targets early and maintains relationships over time.

This involves:

• Initial outreach to introduce the platform and gauge interest
• Follow-up over months or years as relationships develop
• Providing value along the way — market insights, resources, or strategic perspectives that keep the platform top-of-mind
• Recognizing when timing aligns and moving targets from engagement to active conversation

This patient, relationship-driven approach is what enables proprietary deal flow. It doesn't happen overnight, but it compounds significantly over a hold period.

5. Report on Origination Performance

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth provides regular reporting on key metrics:

• Number of new targets identified and engaged
• Pipeline coverage by portfolio company
• Conversion rates from outreach to qualified opportunity
• Percentage of proprietary vs. brokered deal flow
• Time-to-close and cost per closed transaction

These metrics make origination performance visible and measurable, allowing platforms to assess whether infrastructure is working and where improvements are needed.

What the Role Is Not

It's important to clarify what a Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth does not do:

Not a Deal Sourcing Agency

This isn't a vendor relationship where someone delivers a list of targets and moves on. It's embedded infrastructure that operates within the platform, building long-term capability rather than providing short-term output.

Not a Deal Team Replacement

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth doesn't execute transactions. They source and qualify opportunities, then hand them off to deal teams for diligence, structuring, and closing. The role focuses on the front end of the funnel, not execution.

Not an Operating Partner

Operating partners focus on value creation within existing assets. A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth focuses on adding new assets. The roles are complementary but distinct.

Not a Consultant

Consultants diagnose problems and recommend solutions. A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth owns outcomes. They build infrastructure, execute processes, and are accountable for pipeline health and acquisition velocity.

Why the Function Matters

The reason this role exists is simple: most platforms don't have anyone explicitly responsible for portfolio-level origination. And without ownership, acquisition velocity becomes a bottleneck.

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth solves this by:

• Creating accountability — Someone is singularly responsible for pipeline health and conversion
• Building infrastructure that scales — Systems are developed, maintained, and improved over time
• Reducing broker dependency — Proprietary deal flow supplements or replaces brokered opportunities
• Increasing acquisition velocity — Pipeline coverage becomes predictable rather than opportunistic

These outcomes directly impact hold period performance and exit multiples. Platforms that control origination execute roll-up strategies more effectively than platforms that rely on external intermediaries.

When Platforms Need This Role

Not every platform needs a Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth. But certain situations signal that the function would add material value:

• Roll-up thesis requires multiple acquisitions — If the investment case depends on acquiring five, ten, or more companies, origination infrastructure is critical
• Pipeline is inconsistent or thin — If deal flow fluctuates with broker availability rather than strategic priorities, proprietary sourcing capability is needed
• Broker costs are compounding — If success fees are eating into returns, reducing dependency becomes a priority
• Operators are disconnected from sourcing — If portfolio companies operate independently without coordination, centralized infrastructure creates leverage
• No one owns portfolio-level acquisition velocity — If there's no singular accountability for pipeline health, the role fills a critical gap

How the Role Integrates with Existing Teams

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth doesn't replace existing functions. It complements them:

• Works with deal teams — Sources and qualifies opportunities, then hands them off for diligence and execution
• Coordinates with operators — Aligns on acquisition priorities, leverages industry relationships, and ensures operators are prepared for integration
• Reports to partners — Provides visibility into pipeline performance and origination outcomes so leadership can make informed decisions

The role operates as infrastructure, not hierarchy. It exists to enable the platform to execute more effectively, not to create additional layers or bureaucracy.

Final Thought

A Fractional Head of Portfolio Growth is the answer to a specific problem: most platforms don't have anyone explicitly accountable for acquisition velocity at the portfolio level.

The role builds infrastructure, coordinates sourcing, nurtures relationships, and ensures pipeline health remains predictable rather than opportunistic. It's not a deal team replacement, not a consultant, and not a short-term vendor engagement.

It's embedded ownership operating at the platform level to ensure roll-up strategies actually scale.

For platforms executing roll-up theses, that ownership isn't optional. It's the difference between closing a few deals and executing a strategy that delivers on its full potential.