Interim Finance Director

When a business needs immediate senior finance leadership — whether because of a sudden departure, a period of change, or a specific project — an interim Finance Director, or interim FD, is often the fastest and most cost-effective solution. FD Capital provides interim FDs to businesses across the UK, typically placing within days of initial contact. For businesses with longer-term needs, we also offer Finance Director recruitment on a permanent basis.

We have been placing Finance Directors since 2018. Our interim FD network is one of the deepest in the UK — Finance Directors who have operated at board level in businesses like yours and who can contribute from day one without a lengthy onboarding period.

020 3287 9501  —  shortlist typically delivered in 3–7 working days

“Adrian acted as our Finance Director for two years and provided an outstanding service. His expertise, attention to detail and strategic financial guidance made a real difference to our business operations. Adrian is professional, reliable and highly knowledgeable – I would confidently recommend him to any business needing experienced financial leadership.” — Stuart Laight, Asprey Transport, Wolverhampton

An interim Finance Director — often referred to simply as an interim FD — is an experienced senior finance professional who joins a business for a defined period, typically between three and twelve months. For a fuller overview of the responsibilities the role carries, see our guide to what a Finance Director does. They operate with the full authority and responsibility of a permanent FD but without the long-term commitment that a permanent hire requires.

Interim FDs are not consultants. They are embedded in the business, attending board meetings, managing the finance team, and owning the numbers. The difference from a permanent hire is the timescale and the contractual structure, not the level of responsibility or expertise.

Businesses use interim FDs in several distinct circumstances: to cover an unexpected vacancy while a permanent search is underway; to lead the finance function through a period of change such as a restructuring, a fundraise, or an acquisition; to provide senior finance resource to a business that is growing quickly but is not yet ready for a permanent FD; or to supplement the existing finance team with a specific skill set the business lacks internally.

The interim FD model is distinct from a permanent hire in ways that matter to the business case. Understanding the difference helps clarify when an interim is the right answer and when a permanent hire is better.

Interim FD	Permanent FD
Starts within days — sometimes same day	4–12 weeks average time to hire
Day rate — no employer NI or benefits cost	Salary + employer NI + pension + benefits
Leaves when work is done — no notice risk	Requires notice period to exit
Brings pattern recognition from multiple businesses	Deeper institutional knowledge over time
Ideal for urgent gaps, transitions, projects	Ideal for stable ongoing finance leadership

 

For businesses facing an urgent gap or a time-limited project, the case for an interim FD is usually straightforward. For businesses with ongoing, stable finance leadership requirements, a permanent hire may be more cost-effective over the longer term. In practice, many businesses use an interim FD to cover a gap while they conduct a permanent search — and some discover during that period that the interim is the person they want to hire permanently

The interim FDs in our network are not generalists. They are qualified finance professionals — typically CIMA or ICAEW members — who have operated at board level, led transactions, managed finance teams, and delivered results in businesses under pressure. From day one, you can expect the following:

 

• Immediate financial control: Reviewing management accounts, cash flow, and reporting — identifying issues and taking ownership of the numbers from week one.
• Board-level reporting: Clear, concise reporting to the board and shareholders. If the current reporting is not fit for purpose, that gets fixed quickly.
• Finance team management: Assessing the existing team, identifying gaps, and ensuring the day-to-day function runs smoothly. See our Financial Controller recruitment page if you need to strengthen the layer below the FD.
• Strategic financial advice: Input on capital structure, working capital, debt, and growth decisions. The interim FD should have a view on the business, not just the numbers.
• Transaction support: If there is a fundraise, sale, acquisition, or refinancing on the horizon, an interim FD with transaction experience can lead or support the finance workstream.
• Permanent hire handover: Where the interim is covering a vacancy, preparing a thorough handover for the incoming permanent FD is part of the brief — we build that expectation in from the start.

There are a number of interim FD recruiters in the UK market. The difference at FD Capital is that we are specialists — we only recruit Finance Directors, CFOs, and senior finance professionals. We do not run a generalist recruitment desk alongside this work.

That specialism has practical consequences. Our network of interim FDs is built up over years of placing the same candidate profiles. We know which interim FDs perform well in PE-backed businesses, which excel in distressed situations, and which are the right fit for a family-owned SME that needs its first senior finance person. That matching judgement is not something a generalist recruiter can replicate.

Speed matters in interim recruitment. When a business needs an interim FD, it typically needs one quickly. Our process is designed for that. In most cases we can present a shortlist within 48 hours of taking a brief and have a candidate in post within a week. The ICAEW’s guidance on finance leadership sets out the standards we expect our candidates to meet.

We also take accountability for the placement. If an interim FD is not working out, we will not leave a client managing that situation alone. We stay involved throughout the assignment, not just at the point of placement.

 

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Interim FD day rates vary depending on the seniority, sector, and complexity of the role. As a general guide:

 

• Day rates for interim FDs typically run between £600 and £1,500 per day, depending on the profile of interim FD your situation requires.
• The total cost depends on the number of days per week and the length of the assignment. Most interim FD engagements run at two to five days per week.
• Our placement fee is charged as a proportion of the total assignment value and is agreed in advance. There are no hidden charges.

 

For many businesses, the comparison with a permanent hire is instructive. An interim FD on three days per week for three months typically costs less than the salary cost alone of a permanent hire over the same period, without the employer NI, pension contributions, notice period risk, or time cost of a permanent search. The CIPD guidance on fixed-term and interim working provides useful context on the employment model differences. For businesses that need less than two days per week on an ongoing basis, a part-time Finance Director may be a better fit than an interim engagement.

The interim FD market is fast-moving and good candidates are placed quickly. If your need is urgent, call us directly and we will tell you what is available now.

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.

Speed is built into every stage. A call with our senior team is all that is needed to begin — we do not require lengthy written briefs before we start working.

1. Brief A short call to understand the situation, the urgency, the scope of the role, and any specific sector or skills requirements. We can usually start searching the same day.
2. Shortlist We present a curated shortlist of candidates, typically within 3–7 working days. Each candidate is pre-screened for the specific requirement, not pulled from a generic database.
3. Interviews We arrange candidate meetings at your convenience, provide briefing notes, and support the interview process with suggested focus areas.

4.  Appointment  Once you have selected your interim FD, we support the contracting process and remain in contact throughout the engagement to ensure it is working for both parties

Interim FDs frequently identify a need for dedicated FP&A resource — our financial planning and analysis recruitment can support that search in parallel with the FD appointment.

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How quickly can an interim FD start?

In most cases an interim FD from FD Capital can start within one week of an assignment being agreed. For urgent situations, we have placed interim FDs who started the following day. The speed advantage is one of the primary reasons businesses choose an interim FD over beginning a permanent search.

How long does an interim FD assignment typically last?

Most interim FD assignments run between three and twelve months. Some are shorter — covering a specific project or a gap while a permanent search is underway. Some run longer if the business situation evolves or the permanent hire takes longer than expected.

Can an interim FD become a permanent hire?

Yes, and this happens regularly. A business brings in an interim FD to cover a gap, discovers during the assignment that the candidate is the right long-term fit, and converts to a permanent arrangement. We structure our fee terms to accommodate this outcome and we are transparent about how it works from the outset.

What is the difference between an interim FD and a fractional FD?

An interim FD is typically a full-time or near-full-time engagement for a defined period. A fractional FD works part-time on an ongoing basis — often one or two days per week — providing senior finance leadership to businesses that do not need or cannot yet justify a full-time hire. FD Capital places both. If you are unsure which model fits your situation, we will help you work that out on the initial call.

What is the difference between an interim FD and a CFO?

The FD title is predominantly used in UK businesses, particularly SMEs. The CFO title is more common in larger, international, or PE-backed organisations. For a full comparison, see our CFO recruitment page. In practice, an interim FD and an interim CFO perform similar functions — the title is usually determined by what the business already uses or what the board expects.

What sectors do your interim FDs have experience in?

Our interim FDs come from across the business spectrum — manufacturing, technology, professional services, healthcare, PE-backed businesses, family-owned SMEs, and more. When we take a brief, we match the candidate’s sector experience to the client’s specific situation.

If you need an interim Finance Director — whether in the next few days or in the coming weeks — a short call with our team is the fastest way to understand what is available and how quickly we can help.

020 3287 9501

Have one of our specialists call you back to discuss your hiring needs .