Part-Time CFO, Finance Director And NED Services In The South West And Gloucestershire

Board-level finance, operations and leadership support for owner-managed businesses in Bristol, Bath and Swindon

Secantor brings experienced part-time and interim CFOs, Finance Directors, Non-Executive Directors, Operations Directors and Management Accountants to owner-managed businesses across the South West and Gloucestershire. You gain senior judgement for the days you need, with an advisor who becomes part of your management team, without the cost of a full-time hire.

We work with businesses in Bristol, Bath and Swindon, and across the wider region around them.

Owner-managed businesses in the South West and Gloucestershire use part-time board-level support from Secantor, such as a CFO, Finance Director, Non-Executive Director or Operations Director, when growth, funding or a change of ownership demands more senior experience than the business can yet justify employing full time. A few days a month of the right person can carry the load that would otherwise sit with the owner.

The need is wider than finance. A CFO or Finance Director gives the owner reliable numbers and a funding plan, a Non-Executive Director provides independent challenge and a sounding board on strategy, and an Operations Director develops the managers and accountability that reduce dependence on the founder.

Bristol is the region's largest city, with a strong mix of aerospace, creative and technology businesses. Bath is a World Heritage city with a thriving creative and professional services community, and Swindon sits on the M4 between Bristol and London with a long history as an engineering and distribution hub. Each draws on the same limited pool of senior finance and operations talent, which is why part-time appointments suit so many local owners.

How Do CFO, Finance Director And NED Support Fit Together In The South West?

Secantor's CFO leads funding, growth and strategy, its Finance Director runs reporting, forecasting and controls, and its Non-Executive Director challenges the board, so a South West owner-managed business can use one, two or all three depending on the size and ambitions of the business.

A Fractional CFO suits a business planning funding, an acquisition or an exit, while a Fractional Finance Director suits one whose reporting and cash control need to catch up with its growth. In businesses of this size one person often covers both roles, with the emphasis agreed at the first meeting.

A Non-Executive Director sits on the board without running a function and tests decisions independently, which many owners value most when ownership, succession or a sale is on the horizon. A Fractional Operations Director tightens delivery and accountability, and a Part-Time Management Accountant provides the monthly figures everything else relies on. If a leader has left or a deal is close, an Interim CFO or Interim Finance Director can start at short notice.

A Bristol, Bath or Swindon owner-managed business working with Secantor can expect a visit first, then a recommended advisor, then a short first phase spent establishing the facts: how reporting works today, where cash is going and what the forecast looks like.

We visit your premises, hear where the business is under pressure, and put forward the CFO, Finance Director or Non-Executive Director we think fits, or more than one if you would like to choose. Once the days and priorities are agreed, the advisor works alongside your team and accountants rather than replacing them. Our article on what a Fractional CFO does in the first 90 days shows how the early months typically unfold, and we can introduce lenders, law firms and accountants from our wider network when that would help.

Which South West And Gloucestershire Towns Does Secantor Cover?

Secantor provides part-time and interim CFOs, Finance Directors and Non-Executive Directors to owner-managed businesses in Bristol, Bath and Swindon, and visits businesses across the rest of the South West and Gloucestershire.

Bristol: the region's largest city, with South Gloucestershire and the M5 and M4 corridors on its doorstep
Bath: the World Heritage city, in the Avon valley east of Bristol
Swindon: the Wiltshire town on the M4, between Bristol and London

Swindon sits close to the Oxfordshire and Berkshire borders, so businesses there and to the east may also find the answers they need on our Oxfordshire and Berkshire pages.

✅ Expert Advice You Can Rely On: You’ll work with a qualified, experienced professional who’s focused on results.

✅ A Trusted Working Relationship: We select someone who fits your culture, team, and goals.

✅ Tailored Support for Your Business: No templates — just relevant, practical, hands-on input.

✅ Dependable, Consistent Delivery: We meet deadlines, keep promises, and deliver lasting impact.

✅ Clear, Proactive Communication: No jargon. Just senior-level expertise, clearly delivered.

How Can A South West Business Take The First Step?

A South West or Gloucestershire owner-managed business can take the first step with a Free Business Review from Secantor, which begins with a conversation and a visit from a senior advisor and leaves you with an independent view and nothing to commit to.

If you are putting a plan together for the next stage, our Business Plan page explains how we help. Prefer to talk first? Speak to a Secantor Director.

South West owners most often ask Secantor what a part-time CFO costs, whether a Non-Executive Director is worth having, and how a fractional CFO differs from a virtual or part-time one.

What does a part-time CFO cost in Bristol, Bath or Swindon?

Secantor's CFO and Finance Director support costs £1,200 a day plus VAT and expenses, and many South West businesses start with two to four days a month, which is roughly £2,400 to £4,800 plus VAT and expenses. Our guide to how much a Fractional CFO costs in the UK breaks down what the figures cover.

Can a Bristol or Bath business appoint a Non-Executive Director?

Yes. A Secantor Non-Executive Director can join the board of an owner-managed business anywhere in the South West and Gloucestershire, including Bristol and Bath, at £1,200 a day plus VAT and expenses. The role gives owners independent challenge and a sounding board on strategy, at a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive. Read about our Non-Executive Director service.

Is a fractional CFO the same as a part-time or virtual CFO?

In practice they describe the same experienced CFO working with you for an agreed number of days a month, and the label mostly reflects how the service is delivered. Secantor provides this for owner-managed businesses across the South West. See our pages on the part-time CFO, virtual CFO and outsourced CFO.

Can a part-time CFO help us raise funding or plan an exit?

Yes. A Secantor CFO prepares the forecasts, lender presentations and due diligence information that funders and buyers expect, and can introduce lenders where that helps. Our Exit Planning page explains how we approach a sale.

Will I meet the CFO or Finance Director before we decide?

Yes. We introduce the advisor we recommend, plus others if you would like to compare, and you decide before anything is agreed.

Do you cover Bristol, Bath and Swindon as well as the wider South West?

Yes. Secantor visits owner-managed businesses in Bristol, Bath and Swindon and elsewhere in the South West and Gloucestershire, and we can arrange visits to suit businesses outside the main towns.

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“Secantor provided the senior business & financial support my fellow director & I needed at a very critical time for our company. I cannot recommend the incredible service we received highly enough”

CEO Of A £30m Turnover Recruitment Company

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