Fractional Finance Director

Cedar is partnering with a PE-backed specialist recruitment business in Central London to appoint a Fractional Finance Director on an initial 6-month contract at 2-4 days per week. The business has established strong positions in technical markets and is preparing for a potential transaction within the next 12-18 months. Operational finance is outsourced, and this role exists to build greater financial rigour across the function.

Reporting to the founders, the Finance Director will lead the commercial finance agenda, serve as the primary finance contact for the Board and PE investor, and deliver practical improvements to reporting, forecasting, and governance. The role suits an experienced PE-backed Finance Director or CFO who is comfortable operating autonomously and influencing senior stakeholders.

• Rebuild rolling cash flow forecasts and improve working capital visibility.
• Redesign monthly management accounts, Board packs, and investor reporting.
• Develop KPI dashboards covering revenue, EBITDA, margin, consultant productivity, and cash generation.
• Partner with founders and the PE investor to provide commercial insight and financial challenge.
• Oversee the outsourced finance function, ensuring accurate and timely reporting.
• Support transaction readiness, including financial due diligence and Quality of Earnings preparation.

• ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified.
• Prior Finance Director or CFO experience within a PE-backed business.
• Strong commercial finance, FP&A, and financial modelling skills.
• Demonstrated experience improving cash flow management, forecasting, and reporting quality.
• Experience overseeing outsourced finance providers and managing senior stakeholder relationships.
• Prior involvement in a sale process, refinancing, or PE exit is highly desirable.

Cedar is a specialist finance and accounting recruitment consultancy. In this context, Cedar is acting as the hiring partner for a PE-backed recruitment business based in Central London that operates across specialist technical markets and is entering a growth and transaction-readiness phase.