Fractional CFO Services

CFO-level clarity, cash control and decision support, without the cost of a full-time hire.

When growth is happening fast, the numbers can lag. Cash becomes harder to predict, reporting gets complicated, and decisions start relying on gut feel. We provide fractional CFO support to restore clarity and build a finance function that keeps up with your ambitions.

We work across sectors, with particular depth in manufacturing, engineering, industrial products and other operationally complex businesses.

Sector experience

We work across sectors. Where it helps, we bring deep, hands-on experience in operationally complex environments including:

  • Manufacturing

  • Engineering

  • Industrial products

  • Advanced manufacturing

  • Textiles and apparel manufacturing

  • Food and beverage manufacturing (including brewing)

We start by understanding your goals as an owner and as a business, then translate them into a clear strategy, SWOT and market context, and a finance plan that supports execution.

Who it’s for

Founder-led SMEs and scale-ups, typically when:

  • Cash feels unpredictable or working capital is creeping up

  • Reporting is late or inconsistent and decisions are made without clear data

  • Margins are unclear by product, customer or project

  • You are preparing for growth capital, a board step-up, or a future exit

  • Finance needs upgrading without the overhead of a full-time hire

What you get

Cash clarity and control

  • Weekly cash visibility and a forecast you can trust

  • Working capital improvements across receivables, stock and payables

Better decisions, faster

  • Management reporting and KPI pack that highlight what is driving results

  • Planning, budgeting and scenario work for hiring, pricing, capex and growth choices

Confidence for boards, lenders and investors

  • Board-ready reporting and governance support

  • A credible financial narrative for funding discussions and future exit options

A finance function that scales

  • Close discipline, controls and processes that reduce noise and improve confidence

  • Practical systems and reporting improvements that fit your stage

How we work

  1. Goals and strategy: owner goals, business goals, strategy, SWOT and market context

  2. Diagnose: quick review of cash, reporting, working capital and decision needs

  1. Stabilise: implement the few changes that create immediate control

  2. Build: improve forecasting, reporting routine, controls and finance operations

  3. Embed: develop a scalable routine that leadership can run with confidence

Engagement options

  • Retained support from 1 to 2 days per month up to 2 to 3 days per week

  • Typically 6 to 12+ months depending on your goals and starting point

Project CFO support (fixed scope)

If you need a defined outcome rather than an ongoing retainer, we also deliver fixed-scope CFO projects such as:

  • 13-week cashflow setup and cash control routines

  • Working capital improvement programme

  • Reporting reset and KPI pack build

  • Budget, forecast and scenario model build

  • Board pack creation and governance uplift

  • Funding readiness pack for lenders or investors

  • Finance function build-out (close, controls, processes)

  • Systems selection and implementation support

Transactional finance support (optional)

Where it helps, we can provide or coordinate finance operations support, so CFO time stays focused on control and value:

  • Bookkeeping support or oversight and month-end close preparation

  • Payroll coordination and bureau management

  • AP/AR routines, credit control and approvals discipline.

  • Outsourced finance function design and oversight

  • Offshoring readiness, handover, controls, and quality assurance

Transactional support is provided as an optional layer. Our core work remains CFO-level leadership, cash control, performance insight and value building.

Representative outcomes

  • Improved cash collection and credit control, reducing debtor days from 60+ to 35 in four months and releasing c. £500k.

  • Tightened stock discipline and reporting, cutting inventory cover from 40+ days to 14 days and releasing c. £250k.

  • Protected and improved margin by focusing on pricing discipline, cost control, and product and customer profitability, delivering c. £450k gross profit improvement in 12 months.

  • Rebuilt trust in the numbers by fixing historic issues, tightening close routines and controls, and introducing board-ready reporting suitable for group and investor scrutiny.

  • Simplified the group by exiting three non-core underperforming subsidiaries, reducing distraction and sharpening focus on the main value drivers.

Related services

Need a one-off plan, exit readiness, or urgent cash control? These services fit naturally alongside retained CFO support.

Fractional CFO FAQs

  • It’s CFO-level support on a part-time basis, typically 1–2 days per week, without the cost of a full-time hire.

  • Yes. We start by understanding your goals as an owner and as a business, then translate that into a clear strategy, SWOT and market context. From there we build the finance plan, KPIs and reporting so decisions stay aligned to what you are trying to achieve.

  • Usually within the first few weeks. The early focus is cash visibility, working capital control and clearer reporting, so you can make decisions with confidence and stop surprises.

  • Yes. we work across sectors. We have particular depth in manufacturing, engineering and operationally complex businesses, but the core disciplines of cash control, forecasting, decision support and value building apply in any founder-led business.

  • Yes. I often work alongside an external accountant, bookkeeper, or an in-house finance team. The goal is to strengthen the finance function, improve the quality of information, and make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction.

  • Retained means ongoing CFO support on a monthly arrangement, typically for 6 to 12+ months. It gives you continuity and a consistent routine for cash, reporting and decision-making, rather than a one-off piece of work.

  • Most start at 1 to 2 days a month if they need a light touch, or 1 day a week if things are moving fast. We can increase or reduce as the business stabilises and the finance routine becomes embedded.

Fractional CFO services for founder-led SMEs
Book a call

If you need CFO-level clarity 1 to 3 days per week, contact us to book an introductory call and we will suggest a practical first step