Hire a Part-Time CFO?
A full-time Chief Financial Officer costs £130,000 to £200,000 per annum before bonuses and employer on-costs. For many growing UK businesses, that commitment is premature. But the need for senior financial leadership is real and often urgent.
A part-time CFO gives you exactly that: an experienced Chief Financial Officer working with your business on a defined number of days per week or month, embedded in your team, at a cost proportionate to the time committed. FD Capital specialises in placing part-time CFOs with UK SMEs, scale-ups, and investor-backed businesses across all sectors.
020 3287 9501 — shortlist typically in 3–7 working days
“Adrian worked with us as our Fractional CFO for six months and we are genuinely grateful for the contribution he made. His financial expertise and calm, professional approach gave us confidence in our numbers and supported better decision-making across the business. I would recommend Adrian and FD Capital without hesitation.” — Josh Haugh, MAS Technicae Group (International) Ltd, West Sussex”
What Is a Part-Time CFO?
A part-time CFO is a Chief Financial Officer who works with your business on a reduced, flexible schedule rather than as a full-time employee. The arrangement is straightforward: you define the days per week or month that fit your needs and budget, and the CFO commits that time exclusively to your business during those days. Also known as a fractional CFO — the terms are interchangeable.
The terms ‘part-time CFO’ and ‘fractional CFO’ are used interchangeably and describe the same model. Both refer to a senior finance executive engaged on a part-time basis, providing the same strategic and operational leadership a full-time CFO would — scaled to the size and stage of the business.
This is distinct from an interim CFO, who is typically engaged full-time for a defined period to cover a specific situation. A part-time CFO is an ongoing arrangement with no fixed end date, embedded in the business as a long-term leadership fixture.
| Part-Time CFO
Part-time, ongoing 1–3 days per week Long-term arrangement Strategic & operational No fixed end date |
Interim CFO
Full-time, fixed term Covering a specific gap 3–12 month engagement Intensive & situational Clear handover point |
Full-Time CFO
Employed, full-time 5 days per week £130k–£200k+ per annum 3–4 month search Full on-costs apply |
When Does a Business Need a Part-Time CFO?
The clearest signal is when the business has outgrown its existing finance capability but isn’t yet at the scale — or doesn’t have the budget — to justify a full-time CFO appointment. The specific triggers vary:
- Revenue is growing but profitability is unclear or inconsistent
- You have a Finance Manager or Controller but no strategic leadership above them
- Management accounts lack the depth or reliability your board or investors expect
- You’re preparing for a fundraising round and need investor-ready financial modelling and reporting
- Cash flow forecasting is unreliable or done on a spreadsheet
- You’re working with PE or VC investors who require a higher standard of financial governance
- Founders are spending too much time answering financial questions instead of running the business
- You’re approaching a transaction — acquisition, disposal, or MBO — and need CFO-level leadership through it
- A systems overhaul or finance team restructure needs senior oversight
The common thread is that the business needs more than a bookkeeper, accountant, or Finance Manager can provide — but the volume of work doesn’t yet justify five days a week of a senior executive’s time. Or explore our outsourced CFO service.
Where the part-time arrangement is better suited to full remote delivery, a virtual CFO provides the same senior financial leadership without any on-site requirement.
What a Part-Time CFO from FD Capital Will Do
Our part-time CFOs are hands-on. They are not advisors who sit at a distance. They embed in your business, take ownership of the finance function, and work alongside your leadership team on their committed days. Do you need FD rather than CFO level? See part-time FD. The scope varies by business but typically covers:
Financial Strategy & Board Reporting
- Owning and communicating the financial strategy aligned to business goals
- Board pack preparation and presenting to shareholders or investors
- Financial modelling, scenario planning, and long-range forecasting
- KPI development and management information improvement
Fundraising & Transactions
- Building investor-ready financial packs for VC, PE, and debt fundraising
- Managing banking relationships and covenant compliance
- Financial due diligence for acquisitions and disposals
- Leading the finance workstream in MBO and exit processes
Cash Flow & Operational Finance
- Cash flow management, working capital optimisation, and short-term forecasting
- Monthly management accounts and variance analysis
- Annual statutory accounts and audit management
- Budgeting, cost control, and profitability analysis
Finance Function & Systems
- Finance team leadership, recruitment, and development
- ERP and finance systems implementation or migration
- Financial controls, governance, and compliance
- Risk management and regulatory reporting
Businesses that prefer a fully managed model rather than a defined part-time commitment may find our CFO as a service arrangement a better fit.
Why Choose FD Capital
Finance is all we do. We place Finance Directors and CFOs — part-time, fractional, interim, and permanent — and nothing else. That specialism means our candidate network is deeper, our judgement is sharper, and our understanding of what a business at your stage actually needs is more developed than a generalist recruiter could offer. Our part-time CFOs hold ICAEW or ACCA qualifications.
| ✓ Shortlist in 3–7 working days
✓ Candidates available for immediate start ✓ CFOs and FDs only — no other disciplines ✓ Deep PE, VC and scale-up network |
✓ Pre-screened for part-time working experience
✓ UK-wide coverage from London base ✓ No placement, no fee ✓ Ongoing support post-placement |
| “We had a Series A round in progress and no CFO in place. FD Capital introduced us to three strong candidates within a week. The one we appointed was exactly what we needed — two days a week to start, building to three once the round completed. The investors were reassured from the first meeting.”
CEO, SaaS scale-up, London For businesses not yet requiring CFO-level experience on even a part-time basis, our head of finance recruitment covers the senior finance tier immediately below board level.
|
Sector Experience
Our part-time CFOs have worked across a broad range of UK sectors. We match candidates on both technical capability and sector familiarity — a business preparing for a PE-backed MBO needs a CFO who has run that process before. Plus reporting to PE and VC investors as defined by BVCA best practice.
| Private equity and venture capital backed businesses
Family-owned and owner-managed companies SaaS and technology scale-ups E-commerce and direct-to-consumer businesses |
Professional and financial services firms
Manufacturing, logistics and supply chain Healthcare and life sciences Not-for-profit and education sector |
How the Process Works
About Our Founder
FD Capital was founded by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW with a BSc from Queen Mary College, University of London. Adrian spent over two decades working in and around finance leadership before founding FD Capital, giving him direct insight into the situations that drive interim FD appointments — whether that is a sudden departure, a period of transition, or a business moving through rapid change. He interviews interim candidates personally, assessing not just technical capability but the ability to land quickly and operate without hand-holding. Our interim placements reflect that standard
A short call with our senior team is all that is needed to get started. We do not require lengthy written briefs before we begin searching.
- Brief — We take the time to understand your business, your stage of growth, the specific challenges you need a CFO to address, and the commitment level and budget that works for you.
- Shortlist — We present a curated shortlist of candidates, typically within 3–7 working days. Each candidate is matched to your specific requirement, not pulled from a generic pool.
- Interviews — We arrange candidate meetings at your convenience, provide detailed briefing notes on each candidate, and support the interview process.
- Placement — Once you have selected your CFO, we support the contracting process and stay in contact throughout the engagement to ensure it is working for both parties.
What Happens After Placement
Placing the right CFO is the start of the relationship, not the end of it. We stay in contact throughout the engagement to make sure the arrangement is working — for the business and for the CFO. If the scope needs to change, the days need to scale up, or circumstances shift, we help manage that without the business having to start a new search from scratch. Plus ensuring the business meets its HMRC reporting obligations.
Many of our clients have been working with the same part-time CFO for two or three years, with the arrangement evolving as the business has grown. That continuity is something a transactional recruiter cannot offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a part-time CFO the same as a fractional CFO?
Yes — the terms describe the same arrangement. A CFO working with your business on a part-time, flexible basis rather than as a full-time employee. At FD Capital we use both terms depending on how clients describe their needs.
How many days per week does a part-time CFO typically work?
The most common arrangements are one to three days per week. One day per week is suitable for businesses that need strategic financial oversight and board-level input but have a capable Finance Manager handling day-to-day operations. Two to three days per week is more appropriate when the CFO needs to own the finance function more directly, particularly during periods of growth, fundraising, or transaction activity.
How quickly can a part-time CFO start?
Most of our candidates are available within one to two weeks of appointment, and a number are available immediately. This is a significant advantage over a permanent CFO search, which typically takes three to four months from instruction to start date.
Can a part-time CFO become full-time?
Yes, and it is relatively common. Many businesses bring in a part-time CFO as the business grows toward the point where full-time financial leadership is justified. We support that transition and can help structure the move from part-time to permanent as part of our ongoing relationship.
Do you place part-time CFOs outside London?
Yes. We place part-time CFOs across the UK. Many candidates work a combination of on-site and remote days, which makes geography less of a constraint than it would be for a full-time hire. We advise on candidate availability and location as part of the briefing conversation.
Do part-time CFOs work with PE-backed businesses?
Yes. A significant number of our placements are with private equity-backed businesses. Many of our CFOs have direct PE experience and understand the reporting cadence, covenant management, and board dynamics that PE ownership requires. We will always match sector and ownership structure experience as part of the candidate selection
Talk to Us About Your Requirements
If you’re considering a part-time CFO and want to understand what is available in the market, a short call with our team is the fastest way to get clarity on profiles, day rates, and availability.
Finance Director Services from FD Capital
FD Capital was founded by Adrian Lawrence FCA, a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of the ICAEW with over 25 years of experience working with senior finance professionals, boards and business owners across the UK. He holds an ICAEW practising certificate in his own name. FD Capital has been providing Finance Director services since 2018. FD Capital is accredited by the Good Business Charter and is a recognised Living Wage Employer.
To discuss your Finance Director requirement, call 020 3287 9501 or complete the form on this page.
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