Part-Time Finance Director Services In London

Experienced financial leadership for the days you need it, without a full-time salary

A part-time Finance Director gives a London business senior financial leadership for an agreed number of days each month. They take responsibility for reporting, forecasting, cash and financial control, so the owner and the board can make decisions with confidence. Secantor provides experienced Finance Directors to owner-managed businesses across London and the Home Counties. We visit you, understand the business and then match the advisor to your people and your problem.

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What Does A Part-Time Finance Director Do In A London Business?

A Finance Director turns the numbers into decisions. Typically that means five things.

  • A regular reporting rhythm: management accounts and a short KPI pack, produced on time and reviewed with you each month.
  • A forecast you can rely on: budgets, a rolling cashflow forecast and a financial plan that looks three to five years ahead.
  • Control of cash: daily or weekly cash management when things are tight, and clear conversations with the bank and other funders.
  • Profit insight: analysis of gross margin by customer, product or project, so you know where money is made and lost.
  • A stronger finance team: coaching your finance staff or outsourced accountant, and building the systems around them.

Our Fractional Finance Director and Part-Time Finance Director pages explain the role in general; this page covers how it works for London businesses. The days are agreed in advance and can be increased when the business needs more. Our guide to what a Fractional Finance Director does in the first 90 days shows how the work typically unfolds.

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When Does A London Business Need A Finance Director?

The signs are usually visible before the problem is. Monthly figures arrive late or cannot be trusted. Profit is a surprise at year end. The bank asks for forecasts you do not have. Growth is consuming cash faster than it creates it, or the owner is still the only person who really understands the numbers.

London adds its own pressure. High fixed costs, such as premises and salaries, leave little room for error, and funders expect clear information quickly. If any of this sounds familiar, our article on why every SME should have a Finance Director explains the case in more detail.

How Has A Secantor Finance Director Helped A London Business?

A London business that moved from a £500,000 loss to a £750,000 profit

A London business turning over £9m was losing £500,000 a year. It had overtraded, its controls had not kept pace with its growth, and its bank, which had placed it under enhanced monitoring, introduced it to Secantor.

A Secantor Finance Director joined for one day a week to establish the facts. They introduced management accounts and regular reporting, built a financial forecast model and ran daily cashflow forecasting through an extremely tight period, managing creditors and agreeing time to pay arrangements where needed. Gross margin analysis exposed the low margin services that needed correcting.

Over two years turnover grew from £9m to £12m, and the £500,000 loss became a £750,000 profit. The business returned to normal management at its bank.

A part-time Finance Director discussing strategy with a business owner

How Does A Part-Time Finance Director Work With You?

We visit you at your premises, hear how the business works and then propose the Finance Director we think fits you and your people. Every Secantor advisor is personally accredited by our directors for technical expertise, commercial experience and leadership impact, and most have held Finance Director, CFO or Non-Executive Director roles themselves. You work with one experienced advisor, supported by a senior Secantor director.

What Does A Part-Time Finance Director 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. Many London businesses start with two to four days a month, and the number of days can be increased or reduced as the business changes. Our guide to how much a Fractional CFO costs in the UK sets out the figures in full.

A part-time Finance Director meeting with an SME management team
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Which Finance Director Arrangement Fits Your Business?

  • Part-time Finance Director for ongoing control, reporting and forecasting, a few days each month.
  • Interim Finance Director when the post has fallen vacant or a funder is changing. See our Interim Finance Director service.
  • Part-time CFO when strategy, funding and growth are the priority. See our CFO service.
  • Management Accountant when the first need is timely, reliable monthly figures. See our Management Accountant service.

In a business of this size one advisor often covers both the Finance Director and CFO roles. Our guide to Fractional vs Part-Time vs Interim CFO explains the options.

For the national picture, see our Fractional Finance Director page.

Will A Finance Director Work Alongside My Accountant And Bank?

Yes. Your accountant continues to handle compliance, tax and statutory accounts, while the Finance Director provides the forecasting, management information and decision support. They also work with your bookkeeper or finance team, coaching them and building the systems around them, and they can lead the conversation with your bank or other funders. We can introduce the lenders, law firms and accountants we work with in London and across the South East when they help. Our article on accountant vs part-time Finance Director explains how the roles fit together.

A part-time Finance Director reviewing financial information with an SME business owner

What Happens At A Free Business Review?

We start with a conversation about the business and its objectives, then visit your premises to hear the full story and see how you work. You receive an independent view of where senior financial leadership would help most and our recommendation of the right advisor, with no obligation.

Our 5-Point Commitment to You

✅ 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.

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Next Steps

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Part-Time Finance Directors In London

How many days a month does a part-time Finance Director work?

It depends on the situation. Many London businesses start with two to four days a month, with more during a turnaround, a funding round or a systems change.

What is the difference between a Finance Director and a CFO?

A Finance Director concentrates on control, reporting, cash and the finance function. A CFO works more strategically across funding, growth and long term decisions. In a business of this size one person usually covers both roles.

Do I still need my accountant?

Yes. Your accountant handles compliance, tax and statutory accounts. A Finance Director provides the forecasting, management information and decision support.

Can a Finance Director help if the bank is putting us under pressure?

Yes. A Finance Director can take control of cash, build the forecast and reporting a lender expects and manage the conversation with the bank.

What does a part-time Finance Director cost in London?

Our Finance Director, CFO and Non-Executive Director support is charged at £1,200 a day plus VAT and expenses, and many businesses start with two to four days a month.

Not quite found the answer you need?    Contact our team – we’ll 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.

Talk To Paul About Your Business Goals

Book a Free 30-Minute Business Review

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Paul Gibbins

Use the calendar to book a free 30-minute call with Paul and get clarity on your next steps

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

No obligation

30-minute call

Expert advice

Free Business Review

No two businesses are the same. This is why we offer a free business review. We can arrange an initial chat with one of our experts to get things started. Then a couple of our team members will visit you to listen to the story of your business. From this meeting, we’ll be able to provide you with some interesting insights into your business from our independent experience. This will allow you to see how we work and help us to select the right expert for your business. Contact us to book a free consultation.

Why not read one of our short case studies to learn about Secantor's impact.

“We will never forget your huge contribution to Montezuma’s and your constant support, encouragement and all the board room laughs. Thank you for everything!” - Helen Pattinson, MD & Co-founder of Montezuma’s Chocolates

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Want to Boost Your Business Profits?

Profitability is the heartbeat of any successful business. Ready to take your business to the next level? Download your free guide and discover 10 powerful strategies to increase your business profits today!

Inside this guide, you'll discover how to:

✓ Create a budget that works for you

✓ Identify profit hotspots (and tackle any losses)

✓ Maximise sales while keeping costs in check

✓ Master the difference between 'Mark-up' and 'Margin'

…and so much more!

Click the button below to get instant access to your free guide and start growing your profits now!

Ways Secantor Will Help You

4 Develop a Plan
Develop & Implement A Successful Plan
5 Optimise Finances
Optimise Your Finances
6 Develop a Team
Develop A Strong Accountable Team
7 Build Value in Your Business
Build Value In Your Business
8 Improve Operational Efficiency
Improve Operational Efficiency
9 Exit Your Business Successfully
Exit Your Business Successfully

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What Does It Take to Build a Successful SME?

This guide is designed for ambitious SME owners who want to:

  • Focus on what actually drives growth
  • Spot where profit is being lost
  • Improve margins with smarter decisions
  • Strengthen cash flow and financial control
  • Build a stronger foundation for sustainable growth
  • Take practical action that moves the business forward
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Our Services

We help you make strategic decisions

Secantor provides expert financial and management support to SME owners and directors. Our commercially experienced team covers the following roles.

1 Non-Executive Director

Non-Executive Director

Strategic support and experience to guide you as you make decisions and build value in your business. A NED acts as a sounding board for your ideas, improves business performance, holds you and your team to account and helps you achieve a successful exit.

Responsibilities

✓ Strategic business planning

✓ Support strategic decision-making

✓ Set business goals and objectives

✓ Rejuvenate struggling businesses

✓ Manage growth effectively

✓ Implement best practice

✓ Sounding board for your ideas

✓ Set and communicate vision

✓ Hold you & your team to account

✓ Build an effective management team

Learn More
2 Finance Director

Finance Director

Expert financial leadership from a commercially experienced, qualified accountant. An FD will create financial plans, report your monthly performance against budget and interpret the figures to help you make sound decisions & improve profitability.

Responsibilities

✓ Expert financial advice

✓ Interpret financial results a support decisions

✓ Develop & oversee your finance team

✓ Improve profitability & control costs

✓ Prepare management accounts

✓ Create 3-5 year financial plan

✓ Budget setting

✓ Source appropriate funding

✓ Cashflow forecasting & management

✓ Prepare reports & commentaries for your bank

Learn More
3 Operations Director

Operations Director

Strategic operational leadership to transform your people and business processes to improve efficiency and profitability. An Operations Director helps you build a strong management team, delegate operational actions and improve business performance.

Responsibilities

✓ Develop strength in your management team

✓ Establish key performance indicators (KPIs)

✓ Hold people accountable to achieve results

✓ Process and quality improvement

✓ Help you delegate effectively

✓ Create clear job descriptions

✓ Identify and recruit talent

✓ Implement robust operational systems

✓ Establish clear goals and expectations

✓ Enable your team to achieve excellence

Learn More

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