Numbers arrive too late
Management accounts land weeks after month-end, so decisions are made on stale information.
Senior financial leadership, without a full-time hire
Fractional & Virtual CFO
Many businesses need CFO-level judgement a few days a month — not a full-time executive salary. The fractional CFO service puts an experienced financial leader inside your management rhythm: owning the numbers, the cash plan and the financial conversations with banks, boards and investors, while your team runs the day job.
Who this service is for
- Growing companies that have outgrown bookkeeping but are not ready for a full-time CFO salary.
- Founder-led businesses where the CEO is still the de facto CFO and needs that hat taken off.
- Companies with a finance team that produces records but lacks senior direction and challenge.
- Businesses preparing for a bank facility, investment round, board appointment or acquisition.
- Groups between CFOs who need the function covered properly during the search.
The problems this addresses
No one owns the cash plan
Cash is watched from the bank app, not from a rolling forecast, so surprises are routine.
Reports that do not answer questions
The pack is long but never addresses margin by product, cost-to-serve, or what actually drove the month.
External conversations underprepared
Bankers, investors and board members ask for forecasts and controls that do not exist yet.
Budget exists only in someone's head
There is no agreed plan to measure performance against, so every variance is an argument.
Finance team without direction
Capable accountants doing routine work that a senior reviewer could turn into analysis and control.
Scope and deliverables
The service is configured as a monthly rhythm, typically one to five days a month depending on size and stage. Typical coverage includes the following.
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Management reporting pack
A short, decision-oriented monthly pack: performance against plan, margin analysis, working capital movement and the three things that matter this month. Output: a pack discussed with management, not merely emailed.
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Cash-flow and liquidity control
A rolling 13-week cash forecast owned and updated monthly, with collection, payment and stocking policies that protect liquidity. Output: a live cash model and agreed thresholds for action.
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Budgeting and forecasting
An annual budget built from drivers, not last year plus ten percent, and re-forecasts when reality diverges. Output: an approved budget with monthly variance discipline.
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Board and investor support
Financial narratives, board packs and investor updates that answer questions before they are asked. Output: board-ready documents and a prepared finance voice in the room.
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Banking and financing relationships
Facility structuring discussions, covenant monitoring and the financial case for new facilities or refinancings, prepared and presented with you. Output: a bankable financial case and managed lender conversations.
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Controls and finance-team leadership
A practical control framework — approvals, thresholds, segregation — and direction for the finance team between visits. Output: documented controls and a team that knows what good looks like.
How the engagement works
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Diagnostic
Two to three weeks reviewing the numbers, the pack, the cash position and the finance function. You receive a written findings note and a proposed monthly rhythm.
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Stabilise
Fix the immediate issues: close calendar, cash forecast, reporting pack format and the worst control gaps.
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Monthly rhythm
A standing cadence: close review, pack discussion with management, cash forecast update and a short written note on actions.
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Quarterly deep-dive
Strategy-level sessions on pricing, cost structure, investment cases and the next quarter's priorities.
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External representation
Bank, board and investor conversations prepared and supported, with the financial case owned end to end.
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Scale up or hand over
When the business is ready, we help recruit and induct a full-time CFO or finance manager — and stay or step back as you choose.
What we need from you
Preparation is where most engagements are won or lost. The more of this you can gather before we start, the faster the work goes and the more accurately we can scope it.
- Access to the accounting system, bank feeds and prior reports.
- A seat at the management or board meeting where decisions happen.
- Honest context on the business — including the problems you would rather not discuss.
- One internal counterpart (finance lead or CEO) who action items between visits.
- Commitment that the monthly rhythm is protected in the calendar.
What you can reasonably expect
- Numbers that arrive on time and answer the questions management actually asks.
- A cash position that is forecast, owned and acted on before it becomes a crisis.
- Board, bank and investor conversations backed by a credible financial case.
- A finance team with direction, review and a higher standard of output.
- Senior challenge on pricing, cost and investment decisions before they are made.
- A clear path to a full-time CFO appointment when the business justifies one.
A fractional CFO improves the quality of financial decisions; it does not guarantee results. The value is judgement, applied early, inside your business.
What affects fees and timelines
We do not publish a price list. The drivers below vary too much between businesses for a published figure to be honest — and a price quoted before an assessment is usually wrong in one direction or the other.
| Factor | How it affects the engagement |
|---|---|
| Days per month | The service is priced around the monthly commitment — one day a month and five days a month are different engagements. |
| Complexity and entities | Multiple companies, currencies or lenders increase preparation and review time. |
| State of the finance function | A stabilisation phase is priced separately where the starting point is poor records or no reporting rhythm. |
| External engagements | Fundraising, refinancing or board processes add discrete workstreams priced at the outset. |
Software and industries this service applies to
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from our accountant?
Your accountant or bookkeeper produces records and compliance. A fractional CFO uses those records to run the financial direction of the business — forecasting, controls, banking, board reporting and decision support. The two roles complement each other.
How many days a month do we need?
Most clients start at two to three days a month. One day suits a stable business with a good finance team; four to five suits a business in a growth or financing phase. We recommend a level after the diagnostic and review it quarterly.
Can the arrangement scale down or end cleanly?
Yes. The rhythm is reviewed quarterly, and everything we build — models, packs, controls — is documented so the capability stays in the business whether we do or not.
What if we later hire a full-time CFO?
That is a success, not a loss. We help define the role, assess candidates and hand over properly, and many clients keep a light advisory link afterwards.
Let’s build a stronger financial foundation for your business.
Tell us what you are dealing with. We will tell you honestly whether we can help, what it would involve and what it would cost.