Fractional CFO
A CFO who has sat on both sides of the deal table.
Northbound Associates gives founder-led SMEs an embedded fractional CFO: the strategy, discipline and deal experience of a full-time finance leader, for a fraction of the cost. Not a bookkeeper with a bigger title. An operator who has run finance inside PE-backed and international businesses, and advised on transactions from the other side.
What you get· 01
The full CFO desk, part-time.
- 01
Financial strategy and planning
Budgeting, forecasting, long-range modelling that connects to how you actually make money.
- 02
Cash and runway
Rolling cash flow, working capital optimisation, scenario modelling. You always know your number.
- 03
Reporting you can trust
Monthly management accounts, KPI dashboards and board packs that are accurate, on time, and actually readable.
- 04
Pricing and profitability
Margin analysis by product, customer and channel. Find out where the money really comes from.
- 05
Systems and controls
Modern accounting stack, automated close, internal controls that pass diligence.
Every engagement runs on the Northbound Associates modern finance stack: automated pipelines, live dashboards, AI-assisted reporting. You get faster numbers at lower cost. See the Modern Finance Function.
Who it's for· 02
Built for founder-led businesses between £1m and £20m.
You've outgrown the accountant but can't justify a £150k+ finance director. You're raising, growing fast, preparing to sell, or just tired of flying blind. That's the Northbound Associates client.
Engagement model· 03
Two to four days a month, embedded.
Fixed monthly fee, no timesheets, no surprises. Your CFO joins the rhythm of the business: month-end, board meetings, the decisions in between.
A fractional CFO is a senior finance leader who works inside your business part-time, usually two to four days a month. You get the strategy, reporting discipline and deal experience of a full-time CFO without the six-figure salary. The role is embedded and ongoing: your CFO owns the numbers, joins board conversations, and builds the finance function around your next event, whether that is a raise, a sale, or steady growth.
UK fractional CFO day rates typically run from £600 to £1,500 depending on experience and deal exposure. Most engagements are two to four days a month on a fixed fee, so budgets usually land well below a quarter of a full-time CFO's total cost. We work on a fixed monthly fee with no timesheets and no surprises, agreed after a first conversation about what your business actually needs.
An interim CFO covers a gap: full-time, short-term, usually while you hire. A fractional CFO builds for the long run: part-time, embedded, and focused on increasing the value of the business over years rather than holding the fort for months. If you have outgrown your accountant but cannot justify a full-time hire, fractional is almost always the right model.
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Bring your management accounts, leave with a straight answer.
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