Part-Time Finance Director Services In London

Experienced financial leadership for owner-managed businesses, without a full-time salary

A part-time Finance Director joins a London business's management team and takes responsibility for its finance function. They own reporting, forecasting, cash and financial control and help the owner and the board make decisions on reliable numbers, as a director would, without the cost of a full-time appointment. Secantor provides experienced Finance Directors to owner-managed businesses across London and the Home Counties, understanding the business before matching 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 joins your management team and takes responsibility for turning the numbers into decisions. The areas of support typically include:

  • 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 three to five year financial forecast model covering profit and loss, balance sheet and cashflow.
  • 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.
  • 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 Fractional Finance Director and Part-Time Finance Director pages explain the role in general; this page covers how it works for London businesses. 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?

A London business benefits from a Finance Director when it wants reliable numbers to run the business on, a forecast it can plan against and a senior partner to help make the financial decisions that shape it. A Finance Director takes responsibility for the finance function and builds a stronger, more accountable management team around the numbers. The need often shows when monthly figures arrive late, profit is a surprise at year end, the bank asks for forecasts, 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. Our article on why every SME should have a Finance Director explains the case in more detail.

How 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 A Part-Time Finance Director Works With You

A part-time Finance Director engagement starts with Secantor listening to how your business works. We put forward the Finance Director we think fits you and your people, or more than one if you would like to choose, and every Secantor advisor is personally accredited by our directors and has held Finance Director, CFO or Non-Executive Director roles themselves. Once you have chosen, they join your management team, work alongside your people and take ownership of the finance function, with a senior Secantor director behind them. You agree the days in advance and can raise or lower them whenever the business needs.

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, and you can increase or decrease the days to suit the business. 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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Choosing The Right Finance Director Arrangement For Your Business

  • Part-time Finance Director for ongoing control, reporting and forecasting, with the days agreed to suit the business.
  • 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.

You may also see this role called a Fractional Finance Director, Outsourced Finance Director or Virtual Finance Director. Each has its own page for London, and for the national picture see our Fractional Finance Director page.

Working Alongside Your Accountant And Bank

A Finance Director works alongside your accountant, your bookkeeper or finance team and your bank. Your accountant continues to handle compliance, tax and statutory accounts, while the Finance Director provides the forecasting, management information and decision support. They also coach your bookkeeper or finance team and build 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

Starting With A Free Business Review

Our Free Business Review is a good first step. It starts with a conversation about the business and its objectives, followed by time with you to see how you work, and it ends with an independent view of where senior financial leadership would help most, our recommendation of the right advisor 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.

Frequently Asked Questions About Part-Time Finance Directors In London

Is a part-time Finance Director a consultant?

No. A part-time Finance Director is a member of your management team, responsible for the finance function and involved in the decisions that shape the business, as a director would. They are a trusted colleague who stays to see the work through.

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

It depends on the situation. The days are agreed with you, and you can increase or decrease them to suit the business, 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 us manage our relationship with the bank and other lenders?

Yes. A Finance Director can build the forecast and reporting a lender expects, take control of cash and lead the conversations with the bank, so the relationship rests on clear information.

How quickly can a Finance Director start?

That depends on the advisor you choose and when you need them. If the post has fallen vacant, an interim Finance Director can usually start at short notice and take control of reporting and cash while you decide on the longer term arrangement.

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.

Talk To Paul About Your Business Goals

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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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