Part-Time CFO Services In Reading

Strategy, funding and board leadership for growing Reading businesses

A part-time CFO gives an owner-managed Reading business the strategic financial leadership of a full-time chief financial officer, for the days you need. Secantor's CFOs join your management team to shape growth, funding and the long term direction of the business, and we visit you in Reading to begin.

This page covers the local service. Our national guide to the Fractional CFO role explains the model in full, and you can also see our wider board-level support in Reading.

What Does A Part-Time CFO Do For A Reading Business?

Secantor's part-time CFOs help Reading businesses look ahead. Where a Finance Director keeps the numbers reliable, a CFO uses them to decide where the business goes next, how it is funded and what it is worth.

  • Strategy and planning. A multi-year plan and financial model that links ambition to cash.
  • Funding. Choosing the right finance, preparing the case and leading conversations with lenders and investors.
  • Growth and transactions. Support through acquisitions, disposals and restructures.
  • Value and exit. Building a business that can run without the owners and is ready for a sale or succession.
  • Board leadership. Bringing financial discipline to board meetings and holding the plan to account.

The Finance Director runs reporting and control day to day; the CFO uses that foundation for strategy and funding.

Fractional, outsourced and virtual CFO are other names for the same service: a senior CFO delivered flexibly. Whichever term you search for, the offer is the same.

When Does A Reading Business Need A Part-Time CFO?

Secantor's part-time CFO service suits a Reading business whose decisions have grown bigger than its finance function can support. Typical triggers include a funding round or refinancing, an acquisition, a founder planning to step back, or a growth plan the current numbers cannot support. Our blog on when an SME needs a CFO sets out the signs in more detail.

How Has A Part-Time CFO Helped An Owner-Managed Business Reach A Successful Exit?

A husband and wife team had grown their family owned business to £3m turnover over eight years, with an exit always in mind. Then the 2008 financial crisis hit profit and cash, and their bank manager introduced Secantor.

We helped manage the turnaround by closing unprofitable outlets, improving gross profit margins and strengthening financial controls. A strategic review showed the owners had become victims of their own success, micro-managing what were in effect four distinct businesses. Over the following ten years Secantor worked alongside them as Finance Director and facilitator, built a business plan and a robust financial forecast, tracked performance every month, and set about building value in the business. When family succession was ruled out after five or six years, we brought in corporate finance specialists and the focus moved to a sale.

The business was ready: a record of profit growth, a forecasting track record buyers could rely on, a strong brand and an accountable management team that let the owners take a three week holiday without disruption. They sold a majority stake to private equity at a high multiple and kept a third. As the co-founder put it, Secantor “has made a world of difference to our business.” Read the full case study.

A part-time CFO discussing strategy with a business owner

How Does A Part-Time CFO Work With You?

Secantor starts a part-time CFO engagement in Reading with a visit to your premises, to listen to your plans and the pressure points, and then proposes the advisor whose experience fits what you are trying to achieve. A CFO usually works in regular days each month around your board cycle, with time for the larger pieces of work such as a funding round or a sale process.

What Does A Part-Time CFO Cost In Reading?

Secantor charges £1,200 a day plus VAT and expenses for a part-time CFO in Reading. The number of days depends on what the business is trying to achieve, and it can rise for a transaction and fall afterwards. Our cost guide sets out the figures in more detail.

A part-time CFO leading a meeting with an SME management team

Which Arrangement Suits A Reading Business?

Secantor's part-time CFO suits a Reading business whose main question is strategy, funding or a sale. If the priority is reliable reporting and control, a Part-Time Finance Director is the better start. If the board needs an independent voice, consider a Non-Executive Director. For a defined project or a gap in leadership, an Interim CFO can start at short notice. Read Fractional vs Part-Time vs Interim CFO for the national picture.

How Does A Part-Time CFO Work With Your Existing Team?

Secantor's part-time CFOs work alongside the finance team, accountants and board of a Reading business and do not replace them. They provide the senior strategic layer above your existing finance function. We do not provide bookkeeping or outsourced accounts. If you are thinking about a sale, our Exit Planning service shows how we prepare a business for it.

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

What Is The Free Business Review?

Secantor's Free Business Review is our no obligation starting point for Reading owners thinking about growth, funding or a sale. We begin with a chat, then a couple of our team visit you in Reading to hear the story of your business and where you want to take it. You leave with an independent view and our recommendation of the right support. See the Free Business Review.

Next Steps

Start with a visit. Our Free Business Review begins with a conversation, then we come to your Reading premises to hear where the business is heading. You leave with an independent view and no obligation. Prefer to talk first? Book a discovery call with a Secantor Director.

What Do Reading Business Owners Ask About A Part-Time CFO?

When does a Reading business need a CFO rather than a Finance Director?

When strategy, funding or a transaction becomes the main question. A Finance Director keeps reporting and control reliable. A CFO sets the direction and secures the funding to follow it. In businesses of our clients' size one person often covers both.

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

It varies with the work. Some businesses use a CFO for a couple of days a month around the board cycle, and take more days for a funding round or sale.

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

Yes. A CFO prepares the plan, forecasts and information that lenders and buyers expect, and leads the conversations with them.

Will a part-time CFO work with our existing finance team?

Yes. They work with your finance staff and accountants and add the strategic layer above them.

Do you cover businesses beyond Reading itself?

Yes. We visit businesses in Caversham, Tilehurst and along the M4 corridor, and across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey.

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.

Want to dive deeper? Check out our blog on How Can a Fractional CFO Transform Your Bottom Line? — it’s full of useful insights.

Talk To Paul About Your Business Goals

Book a Free 30-Minute Business Review

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

“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 and Co-founder of Montezuma’s Chocolates

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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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