Head of Finance Recruitment

A Head of Finance is a senior financial leadership role that sits below Finance Director or CFO level in larger organisations, but in smaller businesses often carries equivalent responsibility. The role combines operational ownership of the finance function — accounting, reporting, controls, cash flow — with strategic input to the leadership team.

The title is common in SMEs, scale-ups, and PE-backed businesses where the company needs someone to own finance entirely, rather than a team structured around a dedicated FD or CFO. In these contexts, the Head of Finance typically reports directly to the CEO and acts as a trusted commercial advisor as well as the operational finance lead.

Head of Finance vs Finance Director: The distinction is often one of company size and structure rather than capability. In a £10m–£50m business, a Head of Finance may carry a full strategic and operational brief. In a larger organisation, the role sits beneath an FD or CFO. FD Capital can advise on which level of appointment is right for your business.

The scope of a Head of Finance appointment varies depending on the business’s size, structure and stage. A typical brief covers:

• Owning the company’s financial reporting, management accounts and statutory obligations
• Leading budgeting, forecasting and long-range financial planning
• Managing cash flow and working capital, including banking relationships
• Overseeing the finance team — recruiting, managing and developing finance staff
• Supporting the CEO with commercial insight, scenario modelling and board-level reporting
• Ensuring regulatory compliance across tax, VAT, payroll and audit
• Implementing and improving financial systems, controls and processes
• Liaising with external advisors — auditors, accountants, lenders and investors
• Identifying cost efficiencies and revenue improvement opportunities

In PE-backed businesses, the Head of Finance will also own investor reporting, covenant compliance and the financial elements of exit preparation. In scale-ups, they frequently lead system implementations and the professionalisation of finance operations ahead of a Series B or growth funding round.

Head of Finance Salary

Head of Finance salaries in the UK vary significantly depending on the seniority of the role, the size and complexity of the business, sector, and location. The following ranges reflect current market rates across FD Capital placements:

Type of Business	Salary Range	Notes
SME (£5–30m revenue), London	£60,000–£85,000	Broad management accounts remit
SME (£5–30m revenue), regional	£50,000–£75,000	Typically 10–15% below London rates
Mid-market (£30–100m), London	£75,000–£100,000	FD-lite role, wider strategic remit
PE-backed business	£80,000–£110,000+	Higher reporting standards and scrutiny
Charity / NFP	£55,000–£75,000	Often with additional fund accounting responsibilities

 

In addition to base salary, most permanent Head of Finance appointments include a pension contribution of 3–5%, 25 days’ annual leave, and in some businesses a discretionary bonus. PE-backed businesses are more likely to offer performance bonuses linked to business or team targets.

Day rates for interim or contract Heads of Finance typically range from £400 to £750 per day, depending on seniority and the complexity of the role. Fractional arrangements (see below) are typically structured on a similar day rate basis, scaled to the committed days per week.

Most candidates for a Head of Finance role will be ACA, ACCA or CIMA qualified, with a minimum of seven to ten years’ post-qualification experience. Specific requirements vary by sector and business size, but the core profile typically includes:

• Experience owning a finance function at a senior level — either as Head of Finance, Financial Controller or equivalent
• Strong technical accounting knowledge across management accounts, statutory reporting and controls
• Commercial acumen — the ability to translate financial data into business decisions
• Experience building and managing small finance teams
• Familiarity with modern accounting systems (Xero, Sage, NetSuite or similar)
• Excellent communication skills — the ability to present financial information clearly to a non-finance CEO or board
• Experience in your specific sector is advantageous but not always essential

For businesses not yet ready for a full finance director recruitment process, a Head of Finance appointment is often the right level — providing the operational finance leadership the business needs without the cost or seniority of a board-level FD.

Head of Finance vs Finance Director: Which Appointment Is Right?

This is one of the most common questions we help clients think through. The distinction is primarily about the level of strategic leadership required and whether the business needs someone to own the finance strategy or primarily manage the finance function.

	Head of Finance	Financial Controller
Primary focus	Strategic & operational	Operational & technical
Board interaction	Regular — presents to board	Limited — supports FD or HoF
Team management	Yes — leads finance team	Sometimes — supervises AP/AR staff
Fundraising involvement	Active support or lead	Limited
Typical qualification	ACA/ACCA/CIMA, 5+ years PQE	ACA/ACCA/CIMA, 2–5 years PQE
Typical salary (London)	£60,000–£100,000	£55,000–£85,000

 

A Finance Director carries a broader strategic remit — owning the financial strategy, representing the business to investors and lenders, and typically sitting on the board or ExCo. If the business needs someone who will drive financial strategy and represent the finance function at the most senior level, an FD or CFO is the right appointment. If the primary need is excellent financial management, reporting accuracy, team leadership, and operational finance, a Head of Finance is typically the right hire.

In many businesses, the Head of Finance is the stepping stone between Financial Controller and Finance Director. For businesses where this ambiguity exists, we can help you think through the right level and specification before going to market.

FD Capital places Heads of Finance across all engagement types:

Full-Time Permanent	A dedicated Head of Finance embedded in your leadership team on a standard employment basis.
Part-Time / Fractional	Two to four days per week. Suited to businesses that need senior finance leadership but cannot justify a full-time salary at this stage.
Interim	Fixed-term cover for maternity, sick leave, or a gap period. Typically three to twelve months.
Portfolio	One or two days per week, often across multiple businesses. Suited to start-ups or very early-stage SMEs.

For businesses that need CFO-level capability rather than Head of Finance-level, our fractional CFO and outsourced CFO practices cover that appointment. For those needing dedicated financial planning and analysis resource below the Head of Finance, our financial planning and analysis recruitment covers analyst and manager-level appointments.

Head of Finance	Financial Controller
Strategic input to leadership alongside operational ownership	Primarily operational — owns the numbers and processes
Often the most senior finance person in the business	Typically reports to an FD, CFO or Head of Finance
Board-level reporting and CEO advisory	Management accounts, controls, reporting to leadership
Suited to £5m–£100m businesses without a dedicated FD/CFO	Suited to larger businesses needing operational finance depth
Typical salary: £70k–£120k (full-time, London)	Typical salary: £55k–£90k (full-time, London)

 

If you are unsure which level is right for your business, our financial controller recruitment team can advise on the distinction and the typical profile for each appointment.

Head of Finance vs CFO: What Is the Difference?

A Head of Finance is principally a financial management role — producing accurate, timely information and managing the finance function. A Chief Financial Officer is a strategic executive role — owning the financial strategy of the business, sitting on the leadership team, and driving the commercial and financial agenda alongside the CEO.

CFOs typically have more extensive board and investor experience, have operated at a more senior level, and carry a broader commercial remit. In most businesses, the CFO would sit above a Head of Finance in the organisational hierarchy. For businesses that need CFO-level strategic leadership on a flexible basis, our outsourced CFO service is typically the right starting point.

Part-Time and Fractional Head of Finance

Many businesses — particularly SMEs with revenues between £2m and £15m — need a Head of Finance but cannot justify or afford a full-time appointment. A fractional or part-time Head of Finance provides the same level of financial management and leadership on a defined days-per-week basis, at a cost the business can absorb at its current stage.

Fractional Head of Finance arrangements are typically structured at one to three days per week. On a two-day-per-week basis at current market rates, the annual equivalent cost is roughly £40,000–£80,000 — significantly below the cost of a full-time hire. The arrangement scales as the business grows.

Businesses considering a fractional Head of Finance often ask whether they need a Head of Finance or a fractional CFO. If the primary need is accurate, timely financial reporting and management of the finance team, a Head of Finance is usually the right appointment. If the business additionally needs strategic financial leadership — investor relations, fundraising support, board-level commercial input — a fractional CFO or fractional Finance Director is the better fit.

FD Capital is a specialist finance executive recruitment firm based in Great Portland Street, London. We focus exclusively on senior finance appointments — Finance Directors, CFOs, Heads of Finance, Financial Controllers and specialist finance roles — across SMEs, scale-ups, PE-backed businesses and larger corporates.

Our Head of Finance network has been built over more than 15 years. We maintain active relationships with ACA, ACCA and CIMA-qualified candidates across London and the UK, many of whom are not visible on job boards or LinkedIn. This off-market access is where we add the most value to clients who have struggled to find the right person through standard channels.

We work on both retained and contingency bases, and we can typically present initial shortlists within five to ten working days of taking a brief.

For businesses that need to move quickly, our interim Head of Finance practice can source candidates for short-notice starts. For a broader view of our senior finance offering, our financial controller recruitment and finance director recruitment pages cover the adjacent tiers.

FD Capital recruits Heads of Finance across the UK from our London base in Great Portland Street. Our candidates are available to work on-site, hybrid or remotely depending on the requirement. We have particular depth of network in:

• London and the South East
• Oxford and Cambridge
• Birmingham and the West Midlands
• Manchester and the North West
• Bristol and the South West
• Leeds and Yorkshire
• Edinburgh and Glasgow

 

Speak to Our Team We can advise on the right level of appointment, market salary benchmarks and candidate availability within a single conversation. 020 3287 9501   |   recruitment@fdcapital.co.uk   |   fdcapital.co.uk/tell-us-about-your-hire

Related Services

• Finance Director Recruitment
• Financial Controller Recruitment
• Interim Head of Finance
• Fractional Head of Finance
• Fractional CFO
• Outsourced CFO
• FP&A Recruitment
• CFO Recruitment

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