FRACTIONAL CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (CFO)

THE OPPORTUNITY

An established strategic communications consultancy is seeking an experienced, commercially astute Fractional Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to provide strategic financial leadership and help drive sustainable profitability and financial growth.

This is an opportunity for a senior finance professional who understands the commercial realities of the PR, communications, advertising or broader professional services industry and can translate financial information into practical business decisions.

The business has an established Financial Manager responsible for the day-to-day finance function. The Fractional CFO will focus on the bigger financial picture, identifying opportunities to improve profitability, strengthening forecasting and cash-flow management, and ensuring the business is making sound commercial decisions.

The initial commitment will be approximately two days per week, with the possibility of reducing to one day per week once financial processes, reporting and commercial oversight are firmly established.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Commercial Finance & Profitability

• Analyse client and project profitability, identifying underperforming accounts and opportunities to improve margins.
• Review client pricing structures, retainers, project fees and resource allocation to ensure commercial sustainability.
• Provide recommendations on repricing, rescoping or restructuring unprofitable client relationships.
• Assess the financial viability and profitability of new business proposals and client engagements.
• Identify financial inefficiencies, cost leakage and opportunities to improve overall business performance.

Financial Planning, Forecasting & Cash Flow

• Develop and maintain reliable revenue, profitability and cash-flow forecasts.
• Oversee working-capital management, debtor exposure and financial risks associated with extended client payment terms.
• Lead annual budgeting and quarterly financial reforecasting.
• Evaluate revenue pipelines, client concentration risks and financial sustainability.
• Provide forward-looking financial insights to support strategic business decisions.

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Work closely with the Founder to provide practical, commercially focused financial advice.
• Translate financial data into clear, actionable recommendations.
• Establish meaningful financial performance indicators and reporting structures.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen financial health, improve margins and support sustainable growth.
• Provide independent financial oversight and challenge commercial assumptions where necessary.

Finance Team Leadership

• Provide strategic guidance, oversight and mentorship to the existing Financial Manager.
• Ensure accurate, timely and commercially meaningful financial reporting.
• Strengthen financial accountability, processes and decision-making across the business.

EXPERIENCE & REQUIREMENTS

• Extensive experience in a senior financial leadership position, ideally as a CFO, Finance Director, Head of Finance or experienced Fractional CFO.
• Strong preference for financial leadership experience within a PR, communications, advertising or marketing agency environment.
• Exceptional candidates from founder-led professional services or consultancy businesses will also be considered.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience in client and project profitability, commercial pricing, margin management and financial forecasting.
• Strong expertise in cash-flow management, working capital, budgeting and financial risk assessment.
• Proven ability to identify commercial challenges and implement practical financial improvements.
• Comfortable working directly with business owners, founders and senior leadership teams.
• Able to operate independently within a lean organisational structure.
• Strong analytical, commercial and interpersonal skills.
• Relevant tertiary qualification in Finance, Accounting or a related discipline. Professional accounting qualifications will be advantageous.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

The successful candidate will be expected to make a meaningful commercial contribution within the first 90 days.

First 30 Days: Assess the financial health of the business, review client profitability and identify key financial risks and opportunities.

First 60 Days: Strengthen forecasting, pricing oversight and financial reporting, with clear recommendations to improve commercial performance.

First 90 Days: Implement practical improvements, establish stronger financial visibility and demonstrate progress towards improved profitability and financial sustainability.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

We are looking for a financially sophisticated yet practical professional who is equally comfortable analysing client margins, challenging pricing assumptions and advising a business founder on important financial decisions.

This is not a traditional bookkeeping, accounting or compliance-focused position. It requires a commercially minded financial leader who can look beyond the numbers, understand what drives profitability and take ownership of the financial health of the business.

The successful candidate will bring a hands-on, collaborative approach and the confidence to make sound recommendations that deliver measurable business value.

APPLICATIONS

Interested candidates who meet the above requirements are invited to submit their updated CV, together with details of their relevant commercial financial leadership experience, current availability and expected monthly retainer.