Management Reporting & Board Packs
Monthly or quarterly board-ready management accounts with useful commentary, analysis and explanation so management can make faster, better-informed decisions.
Strategic Advisory
Finance Director Services
without the full-time cost
Board-level financial leadership for ambitious SMEs across West London and Surrey. We help you understand the numbers, improve decision-making, strengthen cash flow and build a business that is better controlled, more profitable and ready for growth.
Cash Flow Forecasting
Board Reporting
KPI Dashboards
Funding & Banking Support
Flexible Part-Time FD
Why it matters
What a Finance Director actually brings to your business
Most SMEs do not need a full-time Finance Director from day one, but many reach a stage where bookkeeping, annual accounts and tax compliance are no longer enough. Once turnover grows, margins tighten, borrowing becomes part of the picture or management needs better information, the business requires stronger financial control and more forward-looking support.
A Finance Director helps management move beyond simply understanding what happened last month. The role is about improving what happens next: building better reporting, introducing realistic forecasting, monitoring cash flow properly, analysing profitability, creating accountability around numbers and giving directors clearer financial insight when important decisions need to be made.
At Harnett & Co, our Finance Director service is designed for owner-managed and growing businesses that need senior financial leadership without the cost and commitment of a full-time board hire. It combines strategic oversight with practical action so that finance becomes a tool for control and growth, not just year-end compliance.
Our founder, Damien Harnett, has direct commercial experience including working as Finance Director for a medium-sized multinational group. That means our advice is grounded not only in accountancy and compliance, but in the real operational pressures business owners face.
Forward-looking decisions — forecasts, budgets and scenarios to support confident planning rather than guesswork
Board-level reporting — management information that explains performance clearly, not just numbers exported from software
Cash flow discipline — stronger visibility over working capital, liabilities and short-term funding pressure
Funding support — reliable reporting and forecasts for banks, lenders, investors and stakeholders
Profitability focus — clearer visibility on which customers, projects, services or products really generate return
Flexible engagement — monthly, quarterly or project-based involvement tailored to your business stage
What’s included
What our Finance Director service covers
A practical and strategic service tailored to your leadership needs, internal team structure and stage of growth.
Cash Flow Forecasting
Rolling cash flow forecasts that highlight pressure points early, support planning and give you stronger control over liquidity and working capital.
Budgeting & Reforecasting
Annual budgets, updated forecasts and scenario modelling to help you assess performance against plan and make timely commercial adjustments.
KPI Dashboards
Relevant KPIs tailored to your sector, business model and objectives so leadership can focus on the numbers that actually drive results.
Funding & Banking Support
Covenant reporting, forecasts, management information and supporting analysis for lenders, banks, refinancing and external funding discussions.
Profitability Analysis
A clearer view of margins by service line, customer, project or department so you can understand where value is created and where it is lost.
Systems & Controls Improvement
Review and refinement of reporting processes, finance systems, controls and routines to create better visibility and internal discipline.
Board & Leadership Support
Participation in management or board meetings where needed, helping challenge assumptions and shape decisions with stronger financial insight.
Growth, Investment & Exit Readiness
Strategic financial preparation for scale-up, investment, acquisition, sale, succession or major business change.
When it helps most
When businesses usually need Finance Director support
Finance Director services are most valuable when a business is no longer small enough to run by instinct but not yet large enough to justify hiring a full-time senior finance leader. This often happens when turnover is rising, staffing is growing, margins are less predictable or borrowing becomes part of the business model.
It is also common when the owner feels they are making decisions without enough reliable management information, or when reporting exists but is too slow, too backward-looking or too unclear to be genuinely useful.
Another trigger is external pressure: lenders, investors, shareholders or prospective buyers often expect better forecasting, stronger reporting and more financial discipline than a compliance-only finance setup can provide. In those situations, strategic FD-level input can be transformational.
💡
Many SMEs only need an FD part-time
A few days of high-quality board-level finance support each month can often deliver more value than a costly full-time hire made too early.
Typical triggers
1
Growth stage
Revenue is rising but cash still feels under pressure
Sales growth does not automatically mean control. Better forecasting and working capital management become essential.
2
Control stage
Management reporting is too basic or too slow
The numbers arrive too late or without enough analysis to support decisions around pricing, costs, hiring or investment.
3
Funding stage
You need lender or investor-ready information
External stakeholders expect structured reporting, realistic forecasts and stronger financial discipline than many SMEs currently have.
4
Strategic stage
The owner needs insight, not just compliance
The business has outgrown a finance function built only around year-end work and now needs strategic financial leadership.
Flexible delivery
A Finance Director service that fits your stage
Not every business needs the same level of support. We tailor our involvement to your priorities, pace and internal capability.
Monthly FD Support
Most popular
Ideal for growing SMEs that need regular board-level reporting, clearer cash flow visibility and dependable strategic support month after month.
Best for: Established owner-managed businesses that need stronger control and better reporting.
Quarterly Strategic Reviews
Light-touch
A flexible option for businesses with internal reporting in place but which still want independent senior review, challenge and financial direction.
Best for: Businesses that want strategic input without monthly involvement.
Project-Based FD Support
Focused
Support around a specific event such as funding, restructuring, systems improvement, budgeting, performance turnaround or management reporting redesign.
Best for: Businesses going through a specific financial or operational change.
Investment or Exit Preparation
High impact
Strategic preparation for investment, refinancing, acquisition, succession or business sale so your numbers stand up to commercial scrutiny.
Best for: Founders planning a major transaction or next-stage growth event.
How it works
A practical, low-disruption onboarding process
We strengthen your finance function in a way that supports the business rather than slowing it down.
1
Diagnostic review
We review your current finance setup, reporting quality, controls, cash position and commercial priorities.
2
Scope and priorities
We agree the outputs and focus areas that will add most value first, whether that is reporting, cash flow, funding or profitability.
3
Implementation
We improve reporting routines, forecasting and finance processes so management gets clearer numbers and faster insight.
4
Ongoing strategic support
Regular review meetings and board-level input that help leadership make stronger commercial decisions over time.
What you receive
Clear reporting, not just spreadsheets
A good Finance Director service does not overwhelm management with reports no one uses. It provides a small number of consistent, decision-relevant outputs that improve control and create confidence around the numbers.
Depending on your business, this can include board packs, management accounts, KPI dashboards, rolling cash flow forecasts, budget versus actual reporting, margin analysis and commercial scenario modelling.
Monthly Management Accounts
Fast, relevant and decision-focused
13-Week Cash Flow
Short-term visibility and control
KPI Dashboards
Track performance properly
Budget vs Actuals
Monitor delivery against plan
Who we help
Finance Director support for ambitious SMEs
We work best with businesses that have moved beyond basic compliance and want stronger financial leadership to support better decisions and more controlled growth.
Growing Founder-Led Businesses
When turnover is rising but the owner is still carrying too much of the financial decision-making load.
Professional Services Firms
Businesses that need stronger visibility on utilisation, margins, forecasting and leadership reporting.
Construction & Property Businesses
Project-driven businesses that need better cost control, cash planning and clearer financial oversight.
Retail & E-commerce
Stock-sensitive businesses that need tighter margin analysis, reporting discipline and working capital management.
Healthcare & Specialist SMEs
Businesses with regulated operations, changing cost bases or growing teams that need more structured reporting.
Businesses Seeking Funding
Companies preparing for lending, refinancing, shareholder review, investor discussions or eventual sale.
Common questions
Finance Director Services — your questions answered
An outsourced or part-time Finance Director gives your business access to senior financial leadership without the cost of hiring a full-time FD. It usually covers strategic reporting, forecasting, cash flow planning, budgeting, performance review and support with bigger commercial decisions.
An accountant usually focuses on compliance and historical reporting, such as annual accounts, tax, payroll and bookkeeping. A Finance Director focuses more on the future by helping management understand the numbers, improve margins, manage cash flow and make better strategic decisions.
Usually when the business has outgrown basic compliance support. Common triggers include unclear cash flow, weak reporting, growth pressure, increased borrowing, tighter margins, the need for better KPIs or upcoming discussions with banks or investors.
Not always. Many SMEs only need senior financial input for part of the month or around specific strategic events. A flexible outsourced arrangement often gives stronger value while avoiding the cost and commitment of a full-time board appointment too early.
Yes. This is one of the most common reasons businesses bring in FD-level support. We can help prepare forecasts, management information, board packs, covenant reporting and financial commentary that make discussions with lenders or investors more credible and productive.
That depends on your needs. Some businesses need weekly or fortnightly input during a period of change, while others prefer monthly or quarterly strategic review meetings. The service can be tailored to suit your stage, pace and internal team structure.
Get started
Need stronger financial leadership in your business?
Get in touch for an initial consultation. We’ll look at your current reporting, discuss where FD-level support would add most value and recommend a practical level of involvement for your business.