Director of Financial Operations Recruitment

FD Capital recruits Directors of Financial Operations for UK businesses — senior finance leaders responsible for the operational finance function at scale: the accounting and reporting infrastructure, financial controls, systems, processes and finance team that underpins the strategic finance work of the CFO or Finance Director above them. The Director of Financial Operations title is most common in US-headquartered businesses with UK operations, large shared services environments, and complex multi-entity corporate groups where the operational finance function is substantial enough to warrant dedicated senior leadership distinct from the strategic finance role. Adrian Lawrence FCA, founder of FD Capital and a Fellow of the ICAEW, leads our senior finance recruitment practice.

Call 020 3287 9501 or email recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk. Shortlists within three to five working days.

Adrian Lawrence FCA — Founder, FD Capital
Fellow of the ICAEW | ICAEW-Registered Practice | Operational finance leadership placements since 2018

The Director of Financial Operations is a role that varies significantly in scope and seniority depending on the organisation. In a large corporate group with a complex shared services centre, it can be a genuinely significant leadership appointment — responsible for a finance function of fifty or more people, managing an ERP transformation programme, and providing the operational finance infrastructure that allows the group’s CFO to focus on strategic and investor-facing work. In a growing mid-market business transitioning from a Financial Controller model to a more structured finance function, it can be the first appointment at this level — someone who builds the operational finance capability the business needs as it scales. FD Capital assesses each brief on its own terms and sources candidates accordingly.

Director of Financial Operations vs Financial Controller vs Head of Finance

The distinction between these three titles is important because they attract different candidate profiles and carry different organisational implications. Understanding which one a business actually needs prevents a costly mis-hire.

A Financial Controller typically owns the month-end close, management accounts, statutory reporting and external audit — the core financial reporting function. In most businesses the FC is a hands-on technical role with team management responsibility, but not necessarily a leadership appointment in the sense of designing and transforming the finance function. For the FC role see our Financial Controller Recruitment page.

A Head of Finance typically carries a broader operational remit than a Financial Controller — often including FP&A, treasury, tax, and sometimes HR and legal — and may carry more direct board or CFO interface. The Head of Finance is often the most senior finance professional in a mid-market business without a dedicated FD. For this role see our Head of Finance Recruitment page.

A Director of Financial Operations is specifically accountable for the operational finance function as an organisational unit — the people, processes, systems and controls that deliver financial reporting, compliance and transactional processing at scale. The DFO may report to a CFO or Finance Director and is responsible for ensuring the operational finance engine runs efficiently, accurately and in compliance with internal and external requirements. The title implies a larger and more structured finance function than the Financial Controller or Head of Finance roles typically assume.

What a Director of Financial Operations Typically Manages

Accounting operations and month-end close

The DFO owns the end-to-end accounting process — from transaction processing through to management accounts production and statutory reporting. In complex organisations this involves coordinating multiple accounting teams, managing intercompany eliminations and consolidation processes, and maintaining the integrity of the general ledger across multiple entities. The DFO sets and enforces the month-end close timetable and is accountable for the quality and timeliness of financial reporting to the CFO or board.

Financial controls framework

The DFO owns the financial controls environment — the policies, procedures, system controls and authorisation frameworks that protect the business from financial loss, fraud and compliance failure. In publicly listed businesses or those subject to Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements, this includes the formal documentation and testing of internal controls over financial reporting. The DFO leads the relationship with internal audit and is the primary contact for the external auditors on operational finance matters.

Finance systems and ERP management

Finance systems are increasingly the DFO’s most significant area of accountability. ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Workday, NetSuite) are complex, expensive to implement and maintain, and critically important to the quality of financial reporting. The DFO oversees the finance systems landscape, leads or sponsors ERP improvement and implementation programmes, and ensures that the finance function’s technology infrastructure supports rather than constrains operational performance. DFO candidates with a strong track record of ERP implementation and optimisation are significantly in demand.

Accounts payable, receivable and payroll

The transactional processing functions — AP, AR and payroll — typically sit under the DFO in organisations with this structure. Managing these functions at scale requires both operational management skills (ensuring processing accuracy, timeliness and compliance) and the commercial acumen to optimise working capital through payment terms management and debtor collection.

Finance team leadership and development

The Director of Financial Operations leads a significant finance team — typically anywhere from ten to fifty or more finance professionals depending on the organisation’s scale. Team development, performance management, hiring and succession planning are all material responsibilities at this level, and candidates without a demonstrable track record of building and leading large finance teams will struggle in the role regardless of their technical capability.

Director of Financial Operations Salary Guide UK 2026

Organisation Type	London Salary	Regional Salary
Mid-market corporate (£50m–£250m revenue)	£90,000 – £120,000	£75,000 – £100,000
Large corporate / shared services (£250m+ revenue)	£115,000 – £160,000	£95,000 – £135,000
US-headquartered UK operations	£110,000 – £155,000	£90,000 – £130,000
Interim Director of Financial Operations	£550 – £800/day

Related Senior Finance Services

Recruit a Director of Financial Operations

FD Capital recruits Directors of Financial Operations for UK businesses — operational finance leadership at scale, with the systems, controls, team management and process improvement capability that complex finance functions require. Permanent and interim. Shortlists within three to five working days.

📞 020 3287 9501
✉ recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk

Tell Us About Your Requirement →