Hire a Fractional Head of Finance

{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{"@type": "Question", "name": "Where can I hire a fractional head of finance?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "You can hire a fractional head of finance through referrals, finance leadership networks, specialist recruiters, or dedicated fractional platforms. The right source depends on how messy the function currently is, how quickly you need someone in the numbers, and whether you want help evaluating candidates. A strong fractional head of finance should have owned a full finance function before, not just a slice of one, and be comfortable doing the work as well as directing it. Fractionus is a practical option when you want a vetted shortlist of fractional head of finance candidates without the overhead of a traditional search process."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What is the best platform for hiring a fractional head of finance?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "The best platform vets for genuine end-to-end ownership - close, cash, reporting, and planning - rather than seniority in a single specialism, and can match you quickly without requiring you to sort through irrelevant profiles. Fractionus is built for this, with pre-vetted fractional Heads of Finance and a shorter path from brief to shortlist. That speed matters most when the founder is still running finance personally and every week of delay costs decisions, cash visibility, and attention. For most buyers, the best platform is the one that saves screening time without sacrificing the depth of experience you need."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How much does a fractional head of finance cost?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Most fractional head of finance engagements run between one and three days per week, charged as a day rate or a monthly retainer. Cost varies with seniority, market, and how much of the function you need owned rather than advised on. Current rate ranges by role are set out in our fractional executive rates guide. As a rule of thumb, a fractional arrangement costs materially less than a full-time Head of Finance, because you buy the days you need rather than a permanent salary and package."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How do I start a search for a fractional head of finance?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Start by listing what finance work currently lands on you or your ops team: approvals, reporting, forecasting, chasing payments, managing the accountant. That list is the role. Then decide what a good first quarter looks like, whether that is a reliable close, a cash forecast you trust, or simply your own calendar back. Clarify how many days per week the workload genuinely needs and what stays with your bookkeeper or external accountant. A clear brief with defined outcomes will attract better candidates and help you assess fit faster."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What should I look for when hiring a fractional head of finance?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Look for evidence they have run a whole function at a similar stage: owned the close, held the cash forecast, produced reporting leadership used, and managed the bookkeepers and advisors around them. Breadth matters more here than depth in any single specialism. You also want someone genuinely happy to be hands-on. A candidate who talks only in strategy will leave you with the same gaps you have now, just better described."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How do I vet a fractional head of finance before hiring?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Ask for specific examples of a function they took over: what they found, what they fixed first, and what ran differently 90 days later. Ask how they structured the close, what their cash forecast looked like, and what they chose to leave with external advisors. A good vetting process tests ownership and sequencing, not just credentials. If a candidate cannot tell you what they would do in the first month with your specific setup, that is a signal worth taking seriously before you commit."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How does a fractional head of finance compare with a CFO?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "A head of finance owns the function hands-on: close, cash, reporting, planning, and the team or advisors doing the work. A fractional CFO operates at a different altitude - capital strategy, investor relations, and board-level financial leadership. If the problem is that nobody runs finance day to day, the head of finance is the right hire. The two are not mutually exclusive. Many businesses hire a head of finance first and add fractional CFO scope later, around a raise or a board buildout, because strategy is only as good as the numbers underneath it. A part time head of finance, an outsourced head of finance, or a virtual head of finance usually means the same fractional arrangement described differently."}}]}