Interim Finance Director Services In London

Immediate senior finance leadership when you need it most

An Interim Finance Director joins a London business's management team at short notice and takes responsibility for reporting, cash and funder relationships when the finance lead has left, a funder is changing or the business is going through rapid change. They work alongside your people and help you make the decisions that matter, as a director would. Secantor provides experienced Interim Finance Directors across London and the Home Counties, understanding the situation first and proposing the right person quickly.

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What Does An Interim Finance Director Do?

An Interim Finance Director joins the management team and takes responsibility for the finance function while the situation is resolved. The areas of support typically include:

  • Control of cash: daily cash management and forecasting, creditor management and payroll certainty.
  • Reliable reporting: management accounts and KPIs the board can rely on while the finance function settles.
  • Funders and the bank: keeping lenders informed and, where needed, moving to a new funder.
  • A bridge to a permanent hire: keeping the finance function running, then handing over cleanly to the new Finance Director or CFO.
  • Specialist projects: rebuilding the finance team or implementing a new finance system.
  • A partner in the decisions: working alongside the owner and the directors on the big calls, and building a stronger, more accountable finance function.
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When Does A London Business Need An Interim Finance Director?

A London business benefits from an Interim Finance Director when it needs senior finance leadership quickly and for a defined period: the Finance Director has resigned, is ill or has left suddenly, a funder is changing, growth has outrun the back office, or a project needs senior finance capacity. An Interim Finance Director takes responsibility for control of reporting and cash, works alongside the owner, the directors and the finance team, and hands over cleanly when the work is done.

Our guide to the value of an interim FD explains the case.

How A Secantor Interim Finance Director Helped A London Business

A fast-growing London recruitment business that suddenly lost its CFO

A fast-growing recruitment business, trading in the UK and overseas, suddenly found itself without a CFO, under severe cashflow pressure and with its invoice finance funder preparing to exit.

Secantor's Interim Finance Director started at short notice and took control of daily cash management and forecasting. Within a month the business had moved to a new funder without missing a weekly contractor payroll, and the funding facility later grew from £3m to £4.2m. When the new permanent CFO arrived, he kept our Interim Finance Director on to scope a Treasury Manager role for the group, replace an outsourced accounts service with an in-house team of seven, and implement a new multi-currency finance system.

The result was secure funding and a finance function built for the next stage of growth, with the CFO free to focus on strategy.

“Thank you so much for all your work for us. It has certainly been challenging and you always presented a calm front, which helped, along with brilliant work. 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. Read the full case study.

How An Interim Finance Director Works With You

An Interim Finance Director assignment starts with Secantor listening to what has happened. We recommend the Interim Finance Director we think can take control fastest, or more than one if you would like to choose, and each has held Finance Director, CFO or Non-Executive Director roles and is accredited by our directors. Assignments often begin as a defined period, such as three months, which you can extend or change. The Interim Finance Director joins your management team and owns the priority you agree together, with a senior Secantor director behind them.

What Does An Interim 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. An interim assignment usually needs more days in a shorter period than a part-time arrangement, so we agree the days with you at the start, and you can increase or decrease them as the situation settles.

An interim Finance Director working with a London leadership team
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Handing Over When The Assignment Ends

We plan the handover at the start. Depending on the situation, the Interim Finance Director hands over to a new permanent Finance Director or CFO, or the business moves to a Part-Time Finance Director who continues the work on an ongoing basis. Our guide to Fractional vs Part-Time vs Interim CFO explains how the options compare.

Working Alongside A New Permanent Hire

An Interim Finance Director can work alongside a new permanent Finance Director or CFO, and it often works well. They can brief the incoming hire, protect continuity while they settle in, and then stay on for specialist projects such as rebuilding the finance team or implementing a new finance system, so the new hire can concentrate on strategy.

An interim Finance Director making financial plans with a business owner in London

Starting With A Free Business Review

The Free Business Review is a quick way to see what interim finance cover would involve. We start with a conversation about what has happened and what the business needs, then come to you to hear the full story, and you receive an independent view, 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

Need cover quickly? Book a discovery call, or start with a Free Business Review.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Interim Finance Directors In London

Is an Interim Finance Director a consultant?

No. An Interim Finance Director steps into your management team, answers for the finance function while the situation is resolved and helps you make the big decisions, as a director would, rather than advising from outside.

How quickly can an Interim Finance Director start?

At short notice. We can usually introduce an experienced advisor quickly, depending on the situation.

How long does an Interim Finance Director stay?

For as long as the gap or project lasts, typically a matter of months. Agree the end point and the handover at the start.

What is the difference between an Interim Finance Director and a part-time one?

Interim cover is temporary and usually more intensive. A part-time Finance Director provides ongoing support as part of your management team.

Do we need an Interim Finance Director or an Interim CFO?

In a business of this size one person usually covers both. Choose a Finance Director if control, reporting and cash are the priority, and an Interim CFO if funding and transactions are.

Can an Interim Finance Director work with our existing finance team?

Yes. An Interim Finance Director works alongside your finance team, accountants and funders, and plans the handover at the start so the business keeps its momentum when the assignment ends.

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 Fractional Operations Directors.

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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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