How much do accounting recruitment agencies charge?

For permanent placements, fees typically range from 15-25% of first-year salary depending on seniority and difficulty. A £100,000 Finance Director placement might cost £15,000-25,000. For interim and fractional placements, agencies usually charge a margin of 15-25% on top of the day rate, or a flat introduction fee for longer-term fractional arrangements.

What is the difference between a Finance Director and CFO?

The CFO is typically a board-level role focused on strategy, investor relations, and supporting the CEO. The Finance Director manages the finance function operationally, including financial reporting, controls, and team management. In smaller businesses, these roles are often combined. In larger organisations, the CFO sets strategy while the FD executes.

What qualifications should a Finance Director have?

Most Finance Directors hold professional accounting qualifications: ACA (chartered accountant), ACCA, or CIMA. Many have trained at Big 4 firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) before moving into industry. For senior roles, relevant sector experience and track record often matter more than specific qualifications.

How long does it take to recruit a Finance Director?

A Finance Director search typically takes 6-10 weeks from briefing to accepted offer. This includes market mapping and candidate approaches (2-3 weeks), first interviews (2-3 weeks), final interviews and offer (2-3 weeks). Interim placements can be completed in 1-3 weeks for urgent requirements.

Should I hire a permanent or fractional Finance Director?

Consider fractional if: your revenue is under £10-15m, you have a capable FC or Finance Manager, you need strategic input rather than operational capacity, or you cannot justify £100k+ salary. Choose permanent when: you need full-time finance leadership, the business is complex enough to occupy someone fully, or you are scaling rapidly.

How much do accounting recruitment agencies charge?

For permanent placements, fees typically range from 15-25% of first-year salary depending on seniority and difficulty. A £100,000 Finance Director placement might cost £15,000-25,000. For interim and fractional placements, agencies usually charge a margin of 15-25% on top of the day rate, or a flat introduction fee for longer-term fractional arrangements.

What is the difference between a Finance Director and CFO?

The CFO is typically a board-level role focused on strategy, investor relations, and supporting the CEO. The Finance Director manages the finance function operationally, including financial reporting, controls, and team management. In smaller businesses, these roles are often combined. In larger organisations, the CFO sets strategy while the FD executes.

What qualifications should a Finance Director have?

Most Finance Directors hold professional accounting qualifications: ACA (chartered accountant), ACCA, or CIMA. Many have trained at Big 4 firms (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) before moving into industry. For senior roles, relevant sector experience and track record often matter more than specific qualifications.

How long does it take to recruit a Finance Director?

A Finance Director search typically takes 6-10 weeks from briefing to accepted offer. This includes market mapping and candidate approaches (2-3 weeks), first interviews (2-3 weeks), final interviews and offer (2-3 weeks). Interim placements can be completed in 1-3 weeks for urgent requirements.

Should I hire a permanent or fractional Finance Director?

Consider fractional if: your revenue is under £10-15m, you have a capable FC or Finance Manager, you need strategic input rather than operational capacity, or you cannot justify £100k+ salary. Choose permanent when: you need full-time finance leadership, the business is complex enough to occupy someone fully, or you are scaling rapidly.

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Accounting & Finance Recruitment

Specialist recruitment for senior accounting and finance professionals. From Financial Controllers to CFOs, permanent to fractional.

£800-2,000

Day Rate

2-6 weeks

Time to Hire

50-70%

Cost Savings

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📖1 min read

📅Updated 30 Jan 2026

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£800-1500

Day Rate

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1-3

Days/Week

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50-70%

Cost Savings

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500+

UK Placements

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Key Takeaways

1Fractional CFOs work 1-3 days per week, providing senior expertise without full-time costs
2UK day rates range from £800 to £1500, depending on experience and sector
3Typical engagements save 50-70% compared to full-time executive hires
4Ideal for startups, scale-ups, and SMEs needing strategic leadership
5No employment overhead: no pension, NI, benefits, or notice periods

Finance & Accounting Roles

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Senior Accounting & Finance Recruitment Specialists

Unlike generalist agencies that treat finance as just another function, we specialise exclusively in senior accounting and finance recruitment. Our consultants understand the difference between a technical Financial Controller and a commercial Finance Director. We know what separates a compliance-focused CFO from one who can drive strategy.

This depth of expertise means better shortlists, faster placements, and higher retention rates. Whether you need a permanent Finance Director, an interim Financial Controller, or a fractional CFO, we deliver candidates who genuinely match your requirements—not just keyword matches from a database.

Finance Roles We Recruit

We cover the full spectrum of senior accounting and finance positions:

Why Use a Specialist Accounting Recruitment Agency?

Generalist agencies struggle with senior finance recruitment for several reasons:

Fractional & Interim Finance Professionals

We are particularly strong in fractional and interim finance placements—a growing segment that many agencies struggle with:

Permanent vs Fractional Finance Hires

Not sure which model suits your business? Here is a guide:

Finance Day Rate Guide 2024

Current market rates for interim and fractional finance professionals:

Sector Experience

We have placed finance professionals across all major sectors:

Start Your Finance Search

Whether you need a permanent Finance Director, fractional CFO, or interim controller, our specialist team can help. Contact us to discuss your requirements.

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Cost Comparison

Fractional vs Full-Time Executive

Full-Time Executive£286k/year

Salary + Benefits + Overhead

Fractional Executive£106k/year

1-2 days/week average

Your Potential Savings

£180k+

63%

saved

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Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%

Operations25%

Leadership20%

Governance15%

Technology10%

UK Fractional Executive Day Rates

Compare day rates across C-suite roles

CFOThis Role£800 - £1500/day

£1100

CTO£900 - £1600/day

£1200

CMO£750 - £1400/day

£1000

COO£800 - £1400/day

£1050

CDO£900 - £1450/day

£1150

CISO£900 - £1550/day

£1200

Rate Range

Average

Source: UK Market Data 2025

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Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time

Choose the right engagement model

Aspect	Fractional	Interim	Full-Time
Time Commitment	1-3 days/week	4-5 days/week	5 days/week
Duration	Ongoing/flexible	3-12 months	Permanent
Annual Cost	£50-150k	£150-300k	£200-400k+
Best For	SMEs, startups, scale-ups	Crisis, transitions	Large enterprises
Flexibility	★★★ High	★★☆ Medium	★☆☆ Low

Costs are indicative UK market rates. Actual costs vary by role, experience, and sector.

Calculate Your Day Rate

Fractional CFO Earnings

Calculate Your Potential Income

Your Day Rate

£1,000

£750Avg: £1000£1500

Days Per Client/Week

2.5 days

1 day5 days

Number of Clients

2 clients

Weekly

£5,000

Monthly

£21,650

Annual

£240,000

Based on 2.5 days/week x 2 clients x 48 working weeks. CFO UK average day rate: £1000.

BetaThis calculator provides rough estimates for illustration only. Actual rates and salaries vary based on location, experience, industry, and market conditions.

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Related Executive Roles

Complementary leadership for your organisation

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Fractional COO

Operations aligned with financial goals

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Finance Director

Day-to-day financial management

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Fractional CEO

Strategic leadership and governance

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Fractional CDO

Data-driven financial insights

→

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Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know

An accounting recruitment agency specialises in placing accountants and finance professionals in permanent, interim, and fractional roles. Unlike generalist recruiters, specialist agencies have deep knowledge of accounting qualifications, finance function structures, and the specific requirements of different finance roles from bookkeepers to CFOs.