TL;DR
How to hire a part-time FD UK starts with defining the business decisions the finance leader must improve, then testing candidates against that brief. Look for a qualified, commercially minded finance director with relevant sector experience, clear availability, strong communication and a practical plan for the first 90 days; agree scope, fee, reporting line, confidentiality and notice terms before the engagement begins.
Last updated: 29 August 2026.
How to hire a part-time FD UK is a question that usually arrives after a business has outgrown basic bookkeeping. The accounts may be produced, but the MD still lacks a dependable forward view of cash, margin, working capital and risk. A growing team may also need a senior finance voice for a lender conversation, acquisition, new contract or investment round.
The answer is not simply to advertise a smaller full-time job. A part-time finance director is a senior operator who brings a defined amount of leadership capacity to the moments that matter, while working alongside the existing finance team and external accountant. The brief should make clear what the FD owns, what the team owns and which decisions need the FD’s judgement.
Start with the outcome rather than the job title. ICAEW describes the CFO or FD as the most senior finance role, providing strategic direction and leadership across the finance function. That is a useful reminder that this appointment is about better decisions and accountability, not just extra hands at month end.
What does a part-time FD do?
A part-time FD leads the finance function on an agreed recurring basis. Depending on the business, responsibilities can include management accounts, budgeting, forecasting, cash management, financial controls, KPI reporting, pricing and margin analysis, funding preparation, audit oversight and coaching the finance manager. The FD should translate financial information into choices the MD and leadership team can act on.
The role is broader than bookkeeping. ACCA’s finance director profile describes the FD as a strategic leader who aligns finance and business strategy, supports change and improvement, manages risk, ensures compliance and maintains relationships with lenders, banks and investors.
Write down the boundary between the FD, finance manager, bookkeeper and accountant. The FD may review the monthly pack and set the reporting standard; a finance manager may prepare the detail; the bookkeeper may process transactions; and the external accountant may handle statutory accounts and tax. Clear ownership prevents an expensive senior appointment being used for routine work.
How to hire a part-time FD UK: a five-step process
A disciplined process helps an MD compare people on evidence rather than confidence in an initial meeting.
- Define the brief: record turnover range, sector, ownership, finance-team structure, systems, current pain points, expected days or sessions, reporting line and the first three outcomes.
- Set the capacity: decide whether you need a day each month for board-level review, one day a week for a focused leadership brief, or more time during a funding, transaction or finance-function change. Keep the commitment realistic and state when it will be reviewed.
- Source relevant candidates: use trusted professional networks, specialist providers and recommendations from advisers. Ask for examples of work with businesses at a similar stage, not only impressive titles or large-company experience.
- Assess the working relationship: test how the candidate would explain a cash shortfall, challenge an optimistic forecast, present bad news and work with the MD, finance team and accountant. Ask for a short outline of the first 30, 60 and 90 days.
- Agree the engagement in writing: confirm deliverables, access to systems, confidentiality, conflicts, day or session limits, fee and expenses, response expectations, notice period, insurance and the treatment of project work.
The sourcing route matters less than the quality of the brief and checks. Request references covering judgement, reliability, communication and the ability to leave a stronger finance process behind. For a portfolio FD, ask how other commitments are managed and who provides cover.
What should you test at interview?
Use a short, realistic case rather than an abstract interview. Give the candidate a simplified monthly pack or cash position and ask what they would investigate first, tell the board and request before recommending action. You are testing prioritisation, judgement and clear communication, not inviting free consultancy.
Check technical depth against the risk in your business. A services company may need revenue recognition, utilisation and debtor discipline; a manufacturer may need stock, purchasing and production-margin control; a funded technology company may need runway, investor reporting and scenario planning. Qualifications such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA can be useful evidence, but they do not replace relevant operating experience and references.
Ask how the candidate will make the numbers dependable. The British Business Bank’s cash-flow guidance recommends recording income when cash is expected to arrive, listing the timing of outgoings and updating the forecast as estimates change. A good FD should be able to turn that discipline into a repeatable weekly or monthly process for your business.
How much does a part-time FD cost in the UK?
There is no single UK fee because the work varies from board-level review to embedded leadership. Ask for a monthly fee or day rate linked to a defined scope, and compare reserved capacity, preparation time, meetings, project work, VAT and notice terms. A low headline price is not good value if the FD has no time to understand the business or deliver the outcomes.
As a full-time reference point, the Robert Half 2026 UK Finance and Accounting Salary Guide lists Finance Director starting salaries at £89,750, £109,500 and £138,000 at the 25th, 50th and 75th percentiles. The figures are not a part-time fee benchmark and do not include a worked employment-cost comparison, so treat them as context rather than a pro-rata price list.
If you employ someone, budget beyond salary. GOV.UK’s 2026–27 employer rates state that standard employer Class 1 National Insurance is 15% above the £5,000 annual secondary threshold, subject to category rules, and that the rates generally apply from 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027. Add pension, benefits, recruitment time, equipment, holiday and the cost of a permanent commitment before comparing an employment offer with a part-time service.
How to choose the right part-time FD
Prioritise five trust signals: experience with businesses at your stage, sector understanding, speed of start, transparent pricing and a clear working relationship. Ask what happens in the first month, how progress is reported and which measures will show that the appointment is working. The candidate should explain what is outside scope and when another specialist is needed.
Check practical fit as carefully as technical fit. Will the FD attend decision meetings, work with your systems and advisers, challenge the founder respectfully and give a clear answer when the numbers are incomplete? A strong part-time FD creates a rhythm of preparation, discussion and follow-through.
Leadership Services can introduce a part-time FD from a network of 500+ directors, with support starting within one week, from £1,795 per month, no long-term tie-ins and a same-working-day response. See the part-time finance director service page and ask for a brief based on your business stage, sector and immediate decisions.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly can a part-time FD start?
A provider with an established director network may be able to introduce someone within a week, subject to availability and a clear brief. Do not skip the fit and reference checks simply to start faster; agree the first deliverable and access requirements before day one.
Should a part-time FD replace our accountant?
Usually not. An accountant commonly handles statutory accounts, tax or compliance work, while the FD provides ongoing commercial leadership, forecasting, reporting and decision support. Define the hand-offs so that responsibilities are complementary and no important control is assumed to belong to someone else.
How many days a month should a part-time FD work?
It depends on the complexity of the business, the finance team and the result required. A light board and forecast brief may need less time than a finance-function reset, fundraising or acquisition; start with a realistic scope and review the capacity after the first 90 days.
What should a part-time FD deliver in the first 90 days?
Typical early outputs include a baseline review, a reliable management pack, a rolling cash forecast, an agreed KPI set, a prioritised improvement plan and a clear finance calendar. The exact deliverables should reflect the brief, with owners and dates so the MD can see what has changed.
What checks should I carry out before hiring a part-time FD?
Check relevant experience, qualifications where needed, references, availability, conflicts, professional indemnity cover and the proposed working arrangements. Also confirm confidentiality, data access, fees, expenses, notice and who owns any models or process documents created during the engagement.
Ready to find your part-time FD?
If you are deciding how to hire a part-time FD UK, Leadership Services can help you shape the brief and introduce a suitable senior finance director who can start within one week, backed by 500+ directors, from £1,795 per month, with no long-term tie-ins and a same-working-day response. Contact the team to discuss the finance decisions, capacity and sector experience you need.
