Fractional COOs in Phoenix Making Things Happen in 2025

Phoenix Interim Chief Operating Officers to Know

Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing metros in the United States—and with that growth comes a new class of founders, startups, and organizations seeking operational structure without the weight of traditional executive hires. From scalable tech ventures to mission-driven nonprofits, many Phoenix-based companies are now leveraging the strategic muscle of fractional Chief Operating Officers (COOs) to scale with purpose.

Fractional COOs provide high-level operational leadership on a part-time, project, or interim basis. These professionals deliver the experience and rigor of a full-time executive—while offering flexibility, affordability, and immediate value. Whether solving growing pains, stabilizing post-funding chaos, or rearchitecting back-office functions, fractional COOs play a critical role in helping Phoenix businesses thrive.

At Digital Reference, we believe professionals should be able to prove their value beyond the resume. We’re building a platform that supports reputation-first storytelling and transparency in work. This blog is part of our mission to surface the independent leaders shaping the future of operations.

Our Methodology

To curate this guide to Phoenix’s leading fractional COOs, we applied the following framework:

• Individuals must be actively offering fractional, interim, or part-time COO services
• Based in Phoenix or surrounding metro areas
• Have public-facing digital presence (firm website, LinkedIn, or verified portfolio)
• Demonstrate proven leadership in operations, growth strategy, systems implementation, or team execution
• Aligned with Digital Reference’s values of radical transparency, verified credibility, and people-first leadership

The professionals listed here represent a cross-section of Phoenix’s most effective operators. They’re not just getting things done—they’re building foundations for sustainable success.

Meet the Fractional COOs in Phoenix Making Things Happen

1. Dr. Keving Jacobs

https://business-simplified.com/studio/

Founder of Business Simplified Studio, Dr. Keving Jacobs brings a systems-first mindset to fractional COO work. With a background in organizational leadership, entrepreneurship, and process design, Keving partners with businesses to turn operational complexity into clear, scalable workflows.

Why He Stands Out:

• Expertise in organizational development, change management, and performance consulting
• Delivers fractional COO strategy and implementation via Business Simplified Studio
• Specializes in helping companies identify roadblocks, design better systems, and build accountability

Dr. Jacobs is an ideal partner for organizations seeking to mature their operations without losing their agility.

2. Russell Brooks

https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-l-brooks/

With a rich background in enterprise operations, growth marketing, and team leadership, Russell Brooks provides fractional COO support to high-growth companies, especially in SaaS and service-based industries. Based in the Phoenix metro, he’s known for building infrastructure that aligns with both business goals and team culture.

Why He Stands Out:

• Experience across product development, operations scaling, and B2B go-to-market strategy
• Strong focus on alignment between vision and execution
• Works with companies during inflection points, including fundraising, pivots, or post-acquisition integration

Russell is the execution partner you want when your strategy is solid, but your internal systems need tightening.

3. Irina T.

https://upnup.team/

Co-founder of UpnUp Team, Irina T. provides fractional COO and people operations services to scaling startups, remote teams, and fast-moving digital businesses. With a background in HR, process optimization, and team development, Irina focuses on culture-centric operations that fuel growth.

Why She Stands Out:

• Combines people ops, executive coaching, and operational scaling
• Supports companies looking to implement playbooks, hiring plans, and internal systems that reflect their culture
• Works with remote-first and hybrid teams across tech, creative, and services sectors

Irina is the right partner for organizations that understand people are the system—and need operational support to bring out their best.

Why Phoenix Companies Are Embracing Fractional Operations Leaders

Phoenix is undergoing a transformation. No longer just a Sun Belt city, it’s emerging as a hub for tech, health innovation, real estate, and green energy. The region’s cost competitiveness, talent pool, and infrastructure make it ideal for early- and mid-stage businesses.

Here’s why fractional COOs are becoming essential in Phoenix:

• Founders want to focus on growth, not operations
• Teams are lean and need senior leadership without full-time headcount
• Hybrid and remote work models require strong operational systems
• Many companies are bootstrapped or post-funding and need scalable processes fast

Fractional COOs offer executional rigor, team alignment, and structure without bureaucracy.

What Makes a Great Fractional COO?

Across Phoenix and beyond, the most effective fractional COOs are:

• Quick integrators: They understand the business fast and start delivering value immediately
• Collaborative builders: They partner with founders, not override them
• Operational storytellers: They bring the why behind the what, helping teams connect actions to outcomes
• Structure creators: They implement systems and frameworks that scale with the business

In short, they offer short-term leadership with long-term impact.

The Digital Reference Advantage

At Digital Reference, we recognize that most fractional leaders leave behind value—but rarely have a place to prove it. Our platform helps professionals:

• Collect verified testimonials and structured career achievements
• Build a portable, transparent professional profile
• Demonstrate real outcomes, not just titles or bullet points

We’re building a future where reputation is your resume, and credibility is earned—and shared—over time.

Final Thoughts

Fractional COOs are the engine behind many of Phoenix’s growing businesses. They help organizations transition, scale, and execute—all while working with flexibility and strategic intent.

The professionals featured here—Dr. Keving Jacobs, Russell Brooks, and Irina T.—represent the very best of Phoenix’s fractional leadership:

• Strategically minded
• Culturally grounded
• Operationally excellent

Whether you’re preparing for Series A, evolving your leadership team, or rethinking how your business runs—these are the people you want to know.

Explore their work. Connect. And when you’re ready to document your own professional story or discover your next operational partner—start with Digital Reference.

– The Digital Reference Team

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