Fractional CFO Recruitment

Fractional CFO Executive Search

Whether you are raising investment, improving cash flow, building board-ready reporting, or preparing for exit, a fractional CFO provides the senior financial leadership your business needs — without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. Exec Capital recruits fractional CFOs for UK businesses across every growth stage, with every search led personally by Adrian Lawrence FCA.

A fractional CFO typically works one to three days per week, operating as part of your leadership team and providing the financial discipline, strategic insight, and investor-facing capability that growing businesses need. Shortlists are delivered within 3–7 working days.

What Is a Fractional CFO?

A fractional CFO is an experienced Chief Financial Officer who works with your business on a part-time or defined-day basis rather than as a full-time employee. The engagement is typically structured around one to three days per week, giving your business board-level financial leadership at a fraction of the cost of a permanent appointment.

The role carries the same responsibilities as a full-time CFO: financial strategy, management reporting, cash flow management, investor relations, governance, and finance team leadership. The difference is that the fractional model makes senior financial expertise accessible to businesses that need CFO-level capability but cannot yet justify a full-time hire.

Fractional CFOs typically work with a portfolio of clients, bringing cross-sector experience from multiple business environments. This breadth of exposure — across different business models, growth stages, and investor types — is often more valuable than the narrower perspective of a career executive who has spent years in a single company.

“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 Exec Capital without hesitation.” — Josh Haugh, MAS Technicae Group (International) Ltd, West Sussex”

Fractional CFO, Outsourced CFO, and Part-Time CFO — What’s the Difference?

These terms describe closely related but distinct engagement models. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right structure for your business.

Model	Commitment	Duration	Best suited to
Fractional CFO	1–3 days/week	Ongoing	Scaling businesses, PE-backed companies, fundraising stage
Outsourced CFO	Flexible, project or ongoing	As required	Businesses needing CFO function without a named hire
Part-Time CFO	Fixed days/month	Ongoing	Earlier-stage or smaller businesses, budget-constrained
Interim CFO	Full-time pace	Defined term (3–12 months)	CFO departure, fundraising, turnaround, M&A

Exec Capital recruits across all four models and can advise on which best fits your current situation on your initial call.

When Does a Business Need a Fractional CFO?

The decision to appoint a fractional CFO is typically triggered by one of several situations where experienced financial leadership is needed but a full-time hire is not yet the right answer.

Fundraising or investment readiness

Investors expect board-ready financial reporting, robust forecasting models, and credible financial management. A fractional CFO prepares the business for fundraising — building investor materials, stress-testing financial models, and managing the financial due diligence process. Many businesses appoint a fractional CFO three to twelve months before a funding round specifically to professionalise the finance function before investor scrutiny begins.

Rapid growth creating financial complexity

Start-ups and scale-ups often reach a point — typically £2m to £15m revenue — where the financial complexity of the business outpaces the capability of the existing finance team. A fractional CFO introduces the reporting disciplines, cash flow management, and financial controls that allow the business to scale without losing financial visibility.

CFO departure or leadership gap

When a CFO leaves unexpectedly or gives notice, the business needs experienced financial leadership in place while a permanent replacement is found. A fractional CFO maintains continuity — managing the finance team, ensuring reporting continues to schedule, and preserving investor and lender confidence — without the time pressure of hiring a permanent appointment under duress.

Preparing for acquisition, refinancing, or exit

Exit preparation demands a higher standard of financial reporting, clean data rooms, and credible financial narratives. A fractional CFO with M&A and exit experience leads this process — managing advisers, preparing financial information, and supporting negotiations — typically working more intensively in the months leading up to a transaction.

Strengthening financial controls and governance

Businesses that have grown quickly often have financial processes that have not kept pace with scale. A fractional CFO audits existing controls, implements proper governance frameworks, and ensures the finance function meets the standards that investors, lenders, and boards require.

“Exec Capital has supported SBS Insurance Services over the past three years through the provision of a Fractional FD/CFO. Their expertise has made a significant difference in professionalising our finance function and delivering accurate, timely management information—exactly what our business needed to grow with confidence.”  Tracey Rees COO SBS Insurance Services Ltd

What a Fractional CFO Does

Strategic financial leadership

• Develop financial strategy aligned with business objectives
• Support leadership decision-making with clear financial insight
• Create financial models and long-term forecasts
• Provide commercial guidance on pricing, investment, and expansion

Financial reporting and control

• Improve management reporting accuracy and clarity
• Establish board-ready reporting packs and KPIs
• Strengthen financial controls and governance
• Ensure reliable forecasting and performance tracking

Cash flow and working capital

• Improve cash flow visibility and working capital management
• Identify opportunities to improve margins and efficiency
• Support cost optimisation and financial discipline
• Ensure financial stability during periods of growth or change

Fundraising, investment, and exit preparation

• Prepare financial models and investor materials
• Support fundraising and lender discussions
• Assist with due diligence and investment readiness
• Prepare businesses for acquisition, refinancing, or exit

Finance team leadership

• Lead and mentor finance teams
• Improve finance processes and systems
• Support recruitment and development of finance staff
• Build scalable finance functions aligned with growth

Fractional CFO Day Rates and Cost

Fractional CFO day rates in the UK typically range from £800 to £2,500 per day depending on the CFO’s sector background, the complexity of the brief, and the stage of the business.

Engagement type	Typical day rate	Monthly cost (2 days/week)
Fractional CFO — SME / growth stage	£800–£1,200/day	£6,400–£9,600/month
Fractional CFO — PE-backed / investment stage	£1,200–£1,800/day	£9,600–£14,400/month
Fractional CFO — complex / M&A / exit	£1,500–£2,500/day	£12,000–£20,000/month

Compared to a permanent CFO at £120,000 to £250,000 base salary — plus employer NI, benefits, pension, and bonus — a fractional engagement at two days per week costs roughly 20–30% of the equivalent full-time hire. Exec Capital can provide remuneration benchmarking as part of the initial briefing call.

The Fractional CFO Search Process

Step	Stage	What happens
1	Initial call	Adrian Lawrence speaks with you personally — usually same day — to understand your business, the financial challenges you are facing, the stakeholders involved, and what a successful fractional CFO looks like for your situation.
2	Brief and search	The search brief is agreed and activated across Exec Capital’s CFO and finance network. Adrian personally identifies the most relevant fractional CFO candidates for your requirement.
3	Shortlist	A curated shortlist of assessed, qualified fractional CFO candidates is delivered within 3–7 working days. Every candidate has been screened against your brief, sector, and financial leadership requirements.
4	Interviews	We coordinate the interview and assessment process, provide day rate benchmarking guidance, and manage candidate communication throughout.
5	Placement	We support the engagement agreement, onboarding planning, and the CFO’s first reporting cycle. We remain your contact throughout the engagement.

Sectors We Place Fractional CFOs In

• Technology, SaaS and software businesses — including AI-native companies and digital businesses requiring investor-facing finance
• Financial services and fintech — FCA-regulated businesses, challenger banks, payment platforms, and investment managers
• PE and VC-backed portfolio companies — businesses at value creation stage requiring experienced financial leadership
• Professional services and consulting — law firms, accountancy practices, and advisory businesses at growth stage
• Manufacturing and engineering — operations-led businesses with complex cost structures and capital requirements
• Healthcare and life sciences — businesses with regulatory reporting obligations alongside commercial growth
• E-commerce and retail — direct-to-consumer and marketplace businesses managing working capital and rapid scale
• Property and real estate — development businesses, asset managers, and proptech companies

The Benefits of a Fractional CFO

• Board-level financial expertise at significantly lower cost than a permanent hire
• Immediate impact — shortlists in 3–7 working days, contribution from week one
• Flexible engagement that scales up or down as your requirements change
• Cross-sector experience from multiple businesses at different growth stages
• Investor and lender credibility — a named CFO with relevant track record
• Financial discipline and governance that supports your next funding round or exit
• Bridge leadership while a permanent CFO search is conducted

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a fractional CFO?

A fractional CFO is an experienced Chief Financial Officer who works with your business on a part-time or defined-day basis — typically one to three days per week — providing senior financial leadership without the cost or commitment of a full-time permanent appointment.

How much does a fractional CFO cost in the UK?

Fractional CFO day rates typically range from £800 to £2,500 per day depending on the CFO’s background, sector, and the complexity of the brief. At two days per week, this equates to roughly £6,400 to £20,000 per month — compared to £120,000 to £250,000 for a permanent full-time CFO appointment.

What is the difference between a fractional CFO and an outsourced CFO?

A fractional CFO works as a named member of your leadership team on a defined-day basis — they attend your senior team meetings, lead your finance function, and are accountable to your board. An outsourced CFO typically provides financial management services through a firm rather than as a named individual. Exec Capital places named fractional CFOs who become part of your team.

How quickly can you place a fractional CFO?

Exec Capital delivers a curated shortlist of qualified, assessed fractional CFO candidates within 3–7 working days of receiving your brief. The full process from brief to start date typically takes two to four weeks. For urgent requirements — a CFO departure or an imminent fundraising round — we can move faster.

Can a fractional CFO support a fundraising round?

Yes — fundraising support is one of the most common reasons businesses appoint a fractional CFO. An experienced fractional CFO prepares investor-ready financial models, manages the financial due diligence process, and provides credibility with investors and lenders throughout the funding process.

Do you recruit fractional CFOs outside London?

Yes. Exec Capital recruits fractional CFOs across the UK — London, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh, and all major business centres. Many fractional CFO engagements are partly or fully remote, which significantly expands the available candidate pool.

How is Exec Capital different from other CFO recruitment agencies?

Exec Capital is led by Adrian Lawrence FCA — a Fellow of the ICAEW and a qualified finance professional who has personally placed fractional, interim and permanent CFOs since 2018. This means every candidate is assessed not just on their career history but on the quality of their financial thinking and whether they can operate credibly at CFO level in a business at your stage. Most generalist recruiters cannot make that assessment. We can.

Related Executive Recruitment Services

• CFO Recruitment — permanent Chief Financial Officer search
• Interim CFO — rapid placement for defined-period requirements
• Fractional COO — operational leadership on a fractional basis
• Fractional CEO — chief executive leadership for scaling businesses
• Fractional CMO — marketing leadership on a fractional basis
• Fractional Executive Recruitment — all fractional C-suite roles
• C-Suite Recruitment — full executive team placement
• CFO Salary Guide — UK market rates for Chief Financial Officers