Fractional Finance Director (1 Day per Week)

AI overview

Join a growing design firm as a Finance Director, providing strategic oversight on a one-day-per-week schedule and influencing financial governance at the board level.

Location: Sandbach, Cheshire (on-site)
Day Rate: £600 (PAYE or LTD)
Start Date: From 1 April 2026 (earlier start considered)


We are acting as an introductory agent on behalf of a long-established, privately owned business operating within the design sector.

With a current headcount of circa 53 employees and 2025 turnover of £6.05m, the business has a clear strategic ambition to scale sustainably to £7.m+ in 2026 supported by strong EBITDA performance. The business is values-led, environmentally conscious and focused on long-term sustainability, both commercially and operationally.

This is a board-facing, hands-on Finance Director role, operating on a one-day-per-week basis, designed to bring objectivity, challenge and commercial rigour into the leadership team. You will act as a trusted right-hand advisor to the Managing Director and shareholders, taking ownership of the finance function while providing strategic oversight and governance. This role carries real influence and accountability, rather than being purely advisory in nature.

Key Responsibilities

  • Take full ownership of management accounts, reporting accuracy and financial discipline
  • Strengthen financial governance, controls and accountability at board and shareholder level
  • Act as a commercial sounding board, constructively challenging decisions and assumptions
  • Provide clarity and discipline around cash management, spend and shareholder drawings
  • Support the existing finance team (Accounts Manager plus two team members)
  • Improve data quality, insight and visibility to enable informed decision-making
  • Lead budgeting, forecasting and performance tracking
  • Support growth from £5m to £10m turnover, ensuring financial scalability
  • Advise on systems strategy (current Sage 50; ERP considerations from 2027 onwards)
  • Protect and enhance long-term enterprise value

The Ideal Candidate

This role will suit an experienced Finance Director or Fractional FD who thrives in SME, owner-managed environments and is comfortable operating with autonomy and authority.

You are likely to bring:

  • Proven experience at FD / Board level, ideally within SMEs (£5m–£20m turnover)
  • A track record of supporting growth, governance and commercial decision-making
  • The confidence to ask difficult questions and challenge constructively
  • A pragmatic, independent mindset with no emotional attachment to outcomes
  • Strong technical and commercial finance capability
  • Experience working with existing finance teams and external advisors
  • Exposure to system scalability and infrastructure planning

Formal qualifications (ACA / ACCA / CIMA) are advantageous but not essential if supported by demonstrable FD-level experience.

Working Pattern & Package

  • Commitment: 1 day per week
  • Day Rate: £600
  • Engagement: PAYE or LTD
  • Location: Sandbach, Cheshire (on-site)
  • Lunch provided on working day
  • On-site parking available

Why Consider This Role?

This is a high-impact, low-days commitment opportunity to partner with a stable, growing business at a pivotal stage of its journey. The board is open to challenge, values independent thinking and is actively seeking a finance leader who will take ownership rather than simply report numbers.

Perks & Benefits Extracted with AI

  • Free Meals & Snacks: Lunch provided on working day
  • On-site parking: On-site parking available

Universal Business Team (“UBT”) is a global enterprise spanning 19 countries across the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, Central America and Australasia. UBT, headquartered in Sydney, Australia, is a diversified business consultancy that supports clients with business-advisory and group-buying services with the objective to help businesses develop a competitive edge. UBT was launched in 2009 in response to the Global Financial Crisis to support client organisations that were either in distress or looking to improve their competitiveness and financial performance. Currently, UBT turns over $500M (AUD) and has aspirations for significant growth over the next three to five years. A recent decision was made to bring four separate global regions together under the one global brand and leadership team. UBT’s business advisory services comprise corporate training, consulting, recruitment, accounting, and group buying services. UBT facilitates leadership and business excellence for our client’s in their respective industries. Through the group buying function, UBT nurtures mutually-beneficial relationships between member businesses and world-leading providers of business goods and services. The outcome to which we strive is a “win-win” for small-to-medium enterprises and big business alike. UBT provides services and products to approximately 3,000 independent, family-owned businesses globally with combined annual revenues exceeding $12B (AUD). The majority are small to medium sized enterprises with typical annual revenue ranges between $5m-$20m. However, there are also some larger businesses with annual revenues in the range of $100m-$250m. The unifying feature of all UBT’s clients is that the owners are parishioners of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church (PBCC). UBT (which is owned by the PBCC) supports clients by providing products, services and support designed to increase their profitability and growth. The after-tax profits generated by UBT are reinvested into community initiatives, predominantly through schools (established to educate the children of Brethren families) and charities, such as the Rapid Relief Team (“RRT”) and the Red Cross. UBT Recruitment are an Equal Opportunities Employer. We will apply a rigorous, objective selection process using non-discriminatory criteria, as far as possible on behalf of all the businesses we recruit for.To view our policy in full please contact [email protected]

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£600 per day
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