Part-Time CFO

Part-Time CFO for SaaS & Tech Companies

Not every growing business needs a full-time CFO. But every growing business needs CFO-level thinking. A part-time CFO gives you senior financial leadership - strategic planning, cash flow management, investor relations, and financial rigour - on a flexible basis that matches your stage and budget.

What a Part-Time CFO Does for Your Business

A part-time CFO is a senior financial leader who works with your business on a flexible retainer - typically 1 to 4 days per month. They handle financial modelling, cash flow forecasting, board reporting, budgeting, fundraising support, and exit preparation. Unlike a bookkeeper or accountant who focuses on historical records, a part-time CFO is forward-looking and strategic.

At ScaleWithCFO, I don't just review your numbers once a month. I embed into your team, attend your leadership meetings, and bring financial clarity to every strategic decision. The model works the same whether you're in London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, or anywhere else in the UK - a combination of on-site and remote working, tailored to what your business actually needs.

Why SaaS Founders Choose a Part-Time CFO

Most UK SaaS companies between Seed and Series A aren't ready for a full-time CFO. A senior finance hire comes with significant salary, equity, benefits, and the risk of hiring the wrong person. But you still need the strategic thinking.

A part-time CFO gives you that expertise without the overhead. Typically 1-3 days per week, scaling up when you need it - fundraising, board meetings, year-end - and scaling down when you don't. It's the model that's taken off across the UK because it matches how modern businesses actually operate.

How the Engagement Works

Engagements run on a fixed monthly retainer — no day rates, no billable hours. The scope flexes up or down with your needs, from a light engagement focused on reporting and cash flow to an active engagement leading fundraising or exit preparation.

Scope and fees are scoped in writing after the discovery call, NDA, and access to your financials — once we understand the actual work required. Month-to-month terms with 30-day notice, so you can scale up before a fundraise and scale down once you have raised.

What a Typical Engagement Looks Like

A typical engagement includes weekly or bi-weekly financial review calls, monthly board pack preparation, quarterly strategic financial planning, on-demand advice between scheduled calls, and introductions to accountants, auditors, and banking partners.

Every engagement starts with a discovery phase. In the first two weeks, I review your current financial state - P&L, balance sheet, cash position - identify what reports exist and what is missing, understand your business model and growth trajectory, and pinpoint the immediate pain points.

In months one and two, we build the foundation. This means reviewing your chart of accounts, building your first proper monthly financial package, defining the 8 to 12 KPIs that matter for your business, and cleaning up old accounting entries, misclassifications, and reconciling accounts.

Signs Your SaaS Company Needs a Part-Time CFO

  • You have no monthly forecast, or your forecast is wildly inaccurate
  • You are surprised by your bank balance at month-end
  • You do not know your unit economics - CAC, LTV, churn - and your financial statements are always late or missing
  • You are approaching a funding round and your board is asking for monthly reporting you cannot produce
  • Investors are asking about unit economics and you are making it up
  • You cannot quickly answer what your runway is or how much you are burning
  • You are considering a major hire and do not know if you can afford it
  • Your founder is spending 20+ hours per week on financial admin instead of growth

Who I Work With

The businesses I work with share a few characteristics: they've found product-market fit, they're growing but the finances feel chaotic, their investors are asking harder questions, or they're preparing for a fundraise or exit. Most are SaaS, AI, or tech companies based in London, but I also work with founders in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, and across the UK.

Typical engagements start at 2 days per month and go up to 3 days per week, depending on complexity and what's on the horizon.

What Makes ScaleWithCFO Different

No day rate

Fixed monthly retainer covers everything. No billable hours, no surprise invoices.

SaaS/AI specialist

I work exclusively with SaaS, AI and tech companies. Deep expertise in MRR, ARR bridges, and investor language.

Hands-on

We restructure your chart of accounts, fix your gross profit margin, and build the models ourselves - not just advise.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

A part-time CFO works 2–8 days per month providing strategic finance leadership. This includes cash flow forecasting, financial modelling, board reporting, budgeting, fundraising support, and exit preparation — without the cost of a full-time hire.

A part-time CFO provides the same strategic expertise as a full-time CFO on a fixed monthly retainer and a flexible day commitment. You keep the overhead low while still getting senior finance leadership for cash flow, fundraising, board reporting, and exit planning.

Most SaaS companies benefit from a part-time CFO once they have clear product-market fit, are preparing to raise funding, or are outgrowing founder-led finance. At this stage you need financial strategy, investor-ready models, and proper cash flow planning.

A bookkeeper records past transactions, reconciles accounts, and prepares basic financial records. A part-time CFO drives forward-looking strategy: financial planning, forecasting, fundraising, pricing decisions, and helping founders make better business decisions.

Ready to get your finances under control?

Free 30-minute discovery call. No obligation - just a straight conversation.

Book a discovery callFree · 30 minutes · No commitment