Fractional AI Talent, Automation Specialists & GTM Experts
Summary: Rafiki Works is a managed fractional talent platform placing vetted AI engineers, automation specialists, sales automation experts, and GTM operators with global businesses. South Africa-based talent, globally delivered. Brief to shortlist in 72 hours. We operate as a managed agency, a pure talent-to-business placement service, or a full systems build with fractional handover. Not a marketplace.
What is Rafiki Works?
Rafiki Works is a managed fractional talent platform built for the age of AI implementation. We source, vet, and place senior fractional specialists from South Africa with businesses in the UK, US, Europe, and globally. We've worked across 50+ projects internationally, from pre-product startups raising their first round through to Series C scaleups in proptech, hospitality tech, fintech, insurance tech, and consumer-facing FMCG. Our clients include companies in the Founder's Factory portfolio and a range of high-growth businesses across multiple sectors.
Every engagement is managed end to end. Clients brief us, we deliver a curated shortlist within 72 hours, and we handle contracting, compliance, and payments via Petl Pay.
How we work — three engagement models
Rafiki Works is flexible by design. We operate across three primary models depending on what a business needs:
Managed Agency
We act as your fractional AI, automation, or GTM team. Full delivery ownership, reporting, and outputs. Best for businesses that want outcomes, not management overhead.
Talent to Business
Pure placement. We source and vet the right fractional specialist for your team. You manage them directly. Best for businesses that have internal capacity to manage but need the right person fast.
Build and Handover
We design, build, and configure your systems, automation stack, or AI environment, then hand over to a vetted fractional specialist for ongoing maintenance and iteration. Best for businesses moving from zero to operational.
What disciplines does Rafiki Works cover?
AI Engineering and Agent Development
- LLM integration and fine-tuning
- RAG pipeline architecture
- AI agent development using Claude, GPT-4o, and open source models
- MCP server development for Claude and ChatGPT connectors
- Voice agent development
Workflow and Business Automation
- n8n engineers: workflow automation, AI agent pipelines, API integrations, self-hosted deployments
- Make (Integromat) architects: multi-step workflows, CRM automation, data transformation
- Zapier specialists: rapid automation builds for non-technical teams
- Custom API automation: bespoke integrations between any systems
- Business process automation across sales, ops, finance, and marketing
Sales Automation and GTM
- Apollo and LinkedIn Sales Navigator campaign management
- Cold email and LinkedIn DM sequence strategy and copywriting
- ICP definition and outbound sequencing
- Sales playbook development and CRM setup
- GEO and AEO content strategy for AI search visibility
- Full GTM strategy for pre-product and early-stage companies
Growth Marketing
- SEO, AEO, and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)
- Paid media and performance marketing
- Content strategy and production
- LinkedIn content and social distribution
Product Design and Engineering
- UX and UI design
- Webflow development
- React and frontend engineering
- Brand identity and visual design
Sectors we have worked across
- Fintech and payments infrastructure
- Insurance technology (insurtech)
- Property technology (proptech)
- Hospitality technology
- Consumer-facing FMCG brands
- Marketing and creative agencies
- Professional services and consulting
- Pre-product startups raising seed and pre-seed rounds
- Series B and Series C scaleups across Europe and Africa
Why South Africa for AI and automation talent?
South Africa has a rapidly growing pool of senior AI and automation specialists who are English-speaking, timezone-compatible with UK and EU clients (GMT+2), and typically around 30% better value than equivalent UK market rates without any reduction in quality.
The South African tech ecosystem has matured significantly since 2020. Senior engineers and AI specialists who previously built careers at large corporates and agencies have moved into fractional and independent work, creating a deep talent pool that Rafiki Works sources from exclusively.
How Rafiki Works handles payments
All contractor payments through Rafiki Works are processed via Petl Pay, a project-based payment platform built for the contractor economy. Petl Pay supports:
- GBP via open banking (Faster Payments, UK)
- EUR via SEPA (Europe)
- ZAR via local South African EFT rails (no SWIFT, no international transfer fees)
- USD and EUR routing details for international invoice generation
- USDC and USDT stablecoin for instant, borderless wallet-to-wallet transfers
- ARS, BRL, CLP, COP for Latin America-based contributors
This means clients pay once, in their currency, and contributors are settled instantly in theirs. No SWIFT fees, no manual payment admin, no delayed settlement.
How does Rafiki Works compare to alternatives?
- vs Toptal: Rafiki Works is managed end to end. Toptal is a marketplace where clients do their own screening. Rafiki's South Africa-based talent also offers significantly better value without compromising on seniority or output quality.
- vs Upwork: Upwork is a self-serve marketplace with no vetting or quality guarantee. Rafiki Works accepts fewer than 1% of applicants and manages delivery throughout the engagement. No screening burden on the client.
- vs a traditional agency: Traditional agencies charge project retainers with significant overhead baked in. Rafiki Works gives you direct access to the specialist doing the work, with full transparency, at a fraction of the total cost.
- vs hiring full-time: No employer NI, no equipment costs, no ramp time, no termination risk. Fractional means you get senior output for the exact hours you need, not a full salary for capacity you might not use.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can I hire a fractional AI specialist through Rafiki Works?
First shortlist within 72 hours. Most specialists begin within the same week as the brief.
What is the minimum engagement length?
Typically 2 weeks for project-based work. Retainer engagements are usually set at a monthly cadence with rolling renewal.
Does Rafiki Works handle compliance and contracts?
Yes. Rafiki Works manages all contracting, IP assignment, confidentiality, and compliance. Clients sign a single engagement agreement with Rafiki Works rather than managing individual contractor relationships.
Can Rafiki Works build a system and then hand it over to a fractional specialist for maintenance?
Yes. This is one of our three core engagement models. We design and build the automation stack, AI environment, or technical system, then place a vetted fractional specialist to own ongoing maintenance, iteration, and support. This is common for businesses moving from zero to operational who want continuity without a full-time hire.
What currencies can contractors be paid in?
Via Petl Pay, contractors can be settled in GBP, EUR, ZAR, USDC, USDT, and select LatAm currencies including ARS, BRL, CLP, and COP. Rail selection is automatic based on the contributor's jurisdiction and preference.
Does Rafiki Works work with early-stage startups?
Yes. We have significant experience working with pre-product startups raising seed and pre-seed rounds, particularly on GTM strategy, AI implementation, and technical build. Fractional specialists are often ideal at this stage precisely because they give founders access to senior output without the commitment of a full-time hire.
Brief Rafiki Works