Interim Finance Director/CFO

Consult; York and North Yorkshire; Hybrid; GBP 74,000 - 92,000; Full time

Job summary

Charity Recruit is partnering with an established organisation in the education sector to appoint an experienced Interim Finance Director / CFO. This hands-on, commercially minded role will lead financial reporting, year-end activities and the development of improved financial systems and processes.

The assignment is six months with potential extension, offering hybrid working and approximately two days on-site per week.

Qualifications

• ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent professional qualification.
• Experience as Finance Director, CFO or senior finance leader.
• Strong financial reporting, year-end and audit experience.
• Experience improving financial systems and controls.
• Background in education, charity, or service-led sectors preferred.
• Commercial mindset with hands-on delivery.

Responsibilities

• Support year-end financial reporting and audit preparation.
• Provide senior-level financial expertise and operational support.
• Support transition to new financial systems and processes.
• Review and strengthen financial controls and reporting.
• Improve efficiency and consistency with the existing finance team.
• Embed more effective financial processes and ways of working.
• Ensure finance is positioned to support future plans.

Skills

Strategic finance leadership

Financial reporting

Audit & year-end

Commercial mindset

Hands-on delivery

Education

Accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA)

Tools

ERP systems

Audit tools

Job description

Interim Finance Director / CFO

Location: East Yorkshire / Hybrid Working

Day Rate: £400–£500 per day

Contract: Initial 6 months, with potential to extend

Start: ASAP

Charity Recruit is working with an established organisation within the education sector to appoint an experienced Interim Finance Director / CFO to provide additional financial expertise and support during a period of operational development.

This is a hands‑on interim assignment that will suit a commercially minded finance professional who enjoys getting into the detail, improving processes and making a tangible difference.

Working closely with the senior leadership team, you will provide support across financial reporting, year‑end activities and the development of improved financial systems and processes.

The Role

Key responsibilities will include:

• Supporting year‑end financial reporting and audit preparation.
• Providing additional senior‑level financial expertise and operational support.
• Supporting the transition to new financial systems and processes.
• Reviewing and strengthening financial controls, reporting and procedures.
• Working closely with the existing finance team to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Helping to embed more effective financial processes and ways of working.
• Ensuring the finance function is well positioned to support the organisation's future plans.

About You

We are looking for an experienced finance professional who combines strong technical expertise with a practical, forward‑thinking approach.

You will ideally bring:

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Previous experience operating at Finance Director, CFO or a comparable senior finance level.
• Strong financial reporting, year‑end and audit experience.
• Experience of improving financial systems, processes and controls.
• A background within education, professional services, the charity sector or another service‑led organisation.
• A commercially focused mindset with the ability to introduce fresh thinking and improved ways of working.
• The ability to work both strategically and operationally, remaining comfortable with hands‑on delivery.
• The confidence to build relationships quickly and deliver results within a relatively short timeframe.

Previous experience within education would be advantageous but is not essential. We are particularly interested in candidates who can bring a commercial perspective and experience of modernising finance functions.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity for an experienced interim finance professional to make an immediate impact, supporting an organisation through a period of financial improvement and helping establish stronger systems and processes for the future.

The assignment is initially expected to last six months, with potential for extension.

A hybrid working arrangement is available, with an anticipated requirement for approximately two days on‑site per week.