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Full-time temporary CFO assignments. 3-12 month engagements at £800-£1,500/day. Leadership gaps, transformations, turnarounds, and critical transitions.
An Interim CFO is a highly experienced Chief Financial Officer who takes on full-time, temporary assignments for 3-12 months. Unlike fractional or part-time CFOs, interim CFOs work exclusively with one company at a time, providing dedicated executive leadership during critical periods.
Interim CFOs are brought in to fill leadership gaps, lead transformations, manage crises, or navigate complex transactions. They combine deep CFO experience with the ability to quickly assess situations, make decisions, and drive results in compressed timeframes.
This is not part-time work. Interim CFOs are full-time, on-site (or hybrid) executives who take on the complete CFO role—leading the finance function, sitting on the executive team, and taking ultimate accountability for financial outcomes during their engagement.
CFO has left or on extended leave. You step in to maintain continuity while a permanent replacement is recruited. Typically 3-6 months.
Lead financial due diligence, deal structuring, integration, or carve-out. Intense, high-stakes work requiring transaction expertise.
Company in distress. Cash crisis, creditor negotiations, operational restructuring. Requires crisis management experience and resilience.
Major ERP implementation, finance function rebuild, process transformation, or preparation for scale/exit. Project-led CFO work.
Prepare company for public markets or major funding round. Build investor materials, controls, and audit-ready processes.
Fast-growing company needs interim CFO to build financial infrastructure, hire team, and establish controls before permanent hire.
Typical Day Rate
£800-£1,500
per day
Annual Equivalent
£200k-£375k
based on 250 billable days
Assignment Length
3-12
months typical
You need substantive CFO or Finance Director experience in permanent roles first. Most interim CFOs have 15+ years in finance, with at least 5-7 years at CFO/FD level. You must have led teams, owned P&L accountability, and delivered tangible results.
Interim CFOs are hired for specific situations. The best interims have deep experience in one or more of these:
Most interim CFOs operate through a personal service company (PSC) or umbrella company. Set up your limited company, get professional indemnity insurance, and understand IR35 rules. Build a financial buffer—you'll have gaps between assignments.
Interim work is relationship-driven. Register with specialist interim agencies, maintain relationships with recruiters, stay visible on LinkedIn, and deliver exceptional results on every assignment. Your reputation is everything—most work comes from referrals and repeat clients.
The best interim CFOs are learning machines. Stay current with accounting standards, technology, and industry trends. Build skills in change management, stakeholder communication, and rapid diagnosis. You need to add value from day one—every time.
Unlike permanent CFOs who have months to settle in, interim CFOs must add value from day one. You need to quickly assess the situation, build credibility with stakeholders, prioritize ruthlessly, and deliver results in compressed timeframes. This requires confidence, commercial judgement, and the ability to make decisions with incomplete information.
Browse current interim CFO opportunities or register your profile to be matched with assignments.