FD Recruit are seeking an experienced Interim Chief Financial Officer, 2-3 days per week for 6 months, based in South Wales (WITH OCCASSIONAL TRAVEL TO London for Board Meetings) to support a PE backed Group on a consultancy basis during a critical phase of transformation and growth.
Working closely with the Group CEO, Board and shareholders, you will provide strategic financial leadership, strengthen the finance function and support the delivery of the Group's value creation plan.
This engagement is ideally suited to an experienced CFO who has successfully supported private equity-backed, lender-owned or turnaround businesses and enjoys combining strategic advice with hands-on financial leadership.
A key objective of the engagement will be to mentor and develop the existing Group Finance Director, providing the coaching and support required to prepare him for the permanent CFO position. The successful consultant will leave behind a stronger finance function, improved financial governance and a robust succession plan to support the Group's long-term ambitions.
You will work collaboratively with the executive leadership team, private equity investors and lenders, providing independent financial expertise while helping to embed investor-grade reporting, controls and financial discipline across the Group.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Finance Advisory
- Act as a trusted adviser to the Group CEO, Board and shareholders on strategic financial matters.
- Provide independent financial leadership throughout the Group's transformation and growth journey.
- Advise on strategic initiatives including acquisitions, disposals, refinancing opportunities and future exit options.
- Support commercial decision-making through enhanced financial analysis, forecasting and performance reporting.
- Identify opportunities to improve profitability, cash generation and shareholder value.
Private Equity & Investor Engagement
- Serve as the principal finance adviser in dealings with Private Equity investor and other key stakeholders.
- Prepare and review Board papers, management information and investor reporting to institutional standards.
- Support covenant reporting and maintain effective relationships with lenders, advisers and external stakeholders.
- Provide financial insight to support delivery of the Group's value creation plan.
Cash, Liquidity & Financial Governance
- Provide oversight of Group cashflow management, including 13-week cash forecasting.
- Review and recommend improvements to working capital management and liquidity planning.
- Strengthen financial controls, governance and reporting processes across the Group.
- Support the delivery of accurate and timely monthly management reporting.
Transformation & Business Improvement
- Guide the finance workstream within the Group's transformation programme.
- Review financial systems, reporting processes and controls, recommending scalable improvements.
- Support pricing, margin enhancement and operational efficiency initiatives.
- Provide financial leadership during acquisitions, including due diligence, financial modelling and post-acquisition integration where required.
Finance Leadership & Capability Development
- Mentor and support the Group Finance Director, Financial Controller and wider finance leadership team.
- Recommend improvements to organisational structure, finance processes and governance.
- Share best practice to strengthen capability, accountability and commercial decision-making across the finance function.
Succession Planning (Key Deliverable)
A central objective of this consultancy engagement is to prepare the existing Group Finance Director to assume the permanent Chief Financial Officer position.
The successful consultant will:
- Mentor and coach the Finance Director across all aspects of CFO leadership.
- Develop board-level communication and stakeholder management capability.
- Build commercial, strategic and investor-facing experience.
- Create a structured succession and leadership development plan.
- Ensure an effective knowledge transfer and smooth transition at the conclusion of the engagement.
About You
We are interested in speaking with experienced finance leaders who can demonstrate:
Essential Experience
- Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA).
- Significant experience operating as CFO or Finance Director within private equity-backed, lender-owned or turnaround environments.
- Demonstrable experience managing investor, lender and Board relationships.
- Strong expertise in cash management, financial control and performance reporting.
- Experience supporting finance transformation within multi-entity businesses.
- Proven ability to mentor and develop senior finance leaders.
- Strong commercial judgement with the ability to balance strategic advice and operational delivery.
- Comfortable working primarily from Cardiff with occasional travel to London.
Desirable Experience
- Building services, engineering, construction, facilities management, renewable energy or infrastructure sectors.
- Buy-and-build strategies and acquisition integration.
- Exit readiness and sale processes.
- Experience operating within Topco, Midco and Bidco structures.
Why This Engagement?
This consultancy provides an opportunity to make a significant impact within an ambitious, private equity-backed Group operating in one of the UK's fastest-growing sectors.
Working alongside an experienced executive team, an engaged Board and PE Investor, you will help shape the Group's financial strategy while supporting the development of its future CFO.
Beyond delivering strategic financial leadership, this engagement offers the opportunity to leave a legacy by strengthening the finance function, embedding investor-grade governance and helping prepare the business for its next phase of growth and value creation.
Very competitive day rate is dependent on experience
