Part-Time CFO Services In London

Strategic financial leadership for growth, funding and business value, without the full-time cost.

A part-time CFO joins a London business's management team and takes responsibility for delivering its financial strategy. They turn forecasts into plans, plans into funding and funding into growth, working alongside the owner and the directors and helping them make the big decisions, as a director would. Secantor provides experienced CFOs to owner-managed businesses across London and the Home Counties, understanding where the business wants to get to before matching the CFO to your goals and your people.

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What Does A Part-Time CFO Do In A London Business?

Where a Finance Director keeps the business under control, a CFO helps it decide where to go next. The areas of support typically include:

  • Direction: a three to five year financial forecast model covering profit and loss, balance sheet and cashflow, with scenario models that show what each choice costs and returns.
  • Funding: preparing the case for lenders and investors, and managing those relationships.
  • Pricing and margin: finding where pricing, product mix or costs are holding profit back.
  • Value and exit: building the business a buyer or investor will pay for, and getting it ready for that day.
  • Board leadership: bringing commercial challenge to the board and keeping it accountable for delivering the plan.
  • A partner in the decisions: working alongside the owner and the directors on the big calls, and building a stronger, more accountable management team.

Our Part-Time CFO page explains the role in general; this page covers how it works for London businesses. If control, reporting and cash come first, our Part-Time Finance Director service in London is the better place to start. Our guide to what a Fractional CFO does in the first 90 days shows how the work unfolds.

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When Does A London Business Need A CFO?

A London business benefits from a CFO when it wants senior financial judgement on the decisions that shape its future: how to fund growth, whether to acquire, how to price and when to prepare for a sale. A CFO brings strategic financial leadership, a sounding board for the owner and the directors, and a forecast the whole management team can work to. The need often becomes clearer with a funding round or refinance, an acquisition, a planned sale, a step change in growth, or a bank that wants a credible plan before it lends.

London adds scale and speed. Funders move quickly, competitors are well resourced and the cost of a wrong decision rises with the cost base. Our guide to when an SME needs a CFO sets out the signs.

How A Secantor CFO Helped A London Business

A London business turned around under its bank's close watch

A London business had grown quickly to £9m, but its structures had not kept up and it was losing £500,000 a year. Its bank had placed it under enhanced monitoring.

Working one day a week, a Secantor CFO treated it as a strategic turnaround, not only a reporting exercise. The CFO built the forecast that showed the bank a credible route back, introduced pricing discipline where the business had been undercharging, and led a cost reduction programme to protect cash. A Secantor Non-Executive Director put in place the operating rhythm to deliver it: a clear turnaround plan, daily operational reporting, regular management meetings and defined roles and reporting lines.

Within two years the business was back in profit, making £750,000 on £12m of turnover, and had returned to normal management at its bank.

A part-time CFO in London discussing strategy with a business owner

How A Part-Time CFO Works With You

A part-time CFO engagement begins with Secantor listening to where the business is heading. We then recommend the CFO who fits what you are trying to achieve, or more than one if you want to choose between them; each has held CFO, Finance Director or Non-Executive Director roles and is accredited by our directors. After that the CFO sits within your management team, helps shape the decisions and takes ownership of delivering the priorities you agree, supported by a senior Secantor director. The days are set in advance and you can raise or lower them to suit the business.

What Does A Part-Time CFO Cost In London?

Our Finance Director, CFO and Non-Executive Director support is charged at £1,200 a day plus VAT and expenses, invoiced monthly for the days worked. You choose the days and can increase or decrease them to suit the business, with more during a funding round, a turnaround or a transaction. Our guide to how much a Fractional CFO costs in the UK sets out the figures in full.

A CFO working with a London-based board
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Choosing The Right CFO Arrangement For Your Business

  • Part-time CFO for ongoing strategic leadership, with the days agreed to suit the business.
  • Interim CFO when the post has fallen vacant or a funding event or transaction needs a senior lead. See our Interim CFO service.
  • Part-time Finance Director when control, reporting and cash are the first priority. See our Finance Director service.
  • Non-Executive Director when the board needs a fresh, independent perspective. See our Non-Executive Director service.

Our guide to Fractional vs Part-Time vs Interim CFO explains how the models differ.

You may also see this role called a Fractional CFO, Outsourced CFO or Virtual CFO. Each has its own page for London.

How A CFO Helps With Funding And A Sale

A Secantor CFO helps a London business raise funding and prepare for a sale by preparing forecasts, lender presentations and due diligence information, and by introducing the lenders, law firms and accountants we work with in London and across the South East. For a sale, a CFO builds the financial track record and planning that buyers expect to see. See our Exit Planning and Build Value In Your Business pages.

A part-time CFO making financial plans with a business owner in London

Starting With A Free Business Review

A Free Business Review is the easiest way to explore whether a CFO would help. We begin with a conversation about where the business is heading, then come to you to hear the full story, and you receive an independent view of where strategic financial leadership would help most, with our recommendation and no obligation.

Our 5-Point Commitment to You

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

✅ A Trusted Working Relationship: We select advisors who fit 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.

Next Steps

Book your Free Business Review, or book a discovery call with a Secantor Director.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Part-Time CFOs In London

What does a CFO do that a Finance Director does not?

A CFO works at a more strategic level: funding, growth, pricing, acquisitions and exit. A Finance Director concentrates on control, reporting and cash.

Is a part-time CFO a consultant?

No. A part-time CFO is part of how the business is led. They answer for delivery of the financial strategy and help you make the big decisions, as a director would, and they stay to see the plan through.

How is a part-time CFO different from an interim CFO?

A part-time CFO provides ongoing support as part of your management team. An interim CFO joins temporarily, usually for more days, to cover a gap or lead a defined project.

Can a CFO help us raise funding or prepare for a sale?

Yes. Our CFOs prepare forecasts, lender presentations and due diligence information, and can introduce lenders and advisors where that helps.

How many days a month does a part-time CFO work?

It depends on the task. The days are agreed with you, and you can increase or decrease them to suit the business, with more during a funding round, a turnaround or a transaction.

How quickly can a part-time CFO start?

That depends on the advisor you choose and when you need them. If the post has fallen vacant or a funding event is close, an interim CFO can usually start at short notice.

Not quite found the answer you need? Contact our team and we will get back to you personally.

Interested in how senior support could help in other areas too? Learn more about our Non-Executive Directors and Outsourced Operations Directors.

Want to dive deeper? Our blog on How Can a Fractional CFO Transform Your Bottom Line? is full of useful insights.

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Paul Gibbins

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On the call, you’ll:

  • Identify what’s holding back your profit and growth
  • Gain clearer direction on your business priorities
  • Understand how to improve cashflow and performance
  • Explore practical steps to move your business forward

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