Fractional CFO

Apotech is a Life Science Management Consultancy, delivering outsourced services in Quality and Regulatory! We are now looking for a fractional CFO to drive our finance function forward. You will partner with the co-founders and work alongside our Finance Manager, who owns the day to day running of the finance function, providing strategic direction, oversight, and challenge as we scale.

ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Act as a strategic finance partner to the co-founders and leadership team, providing insight and challenge on all commercial and financial decisions
• Set the financial strategy and lead long range planning to support Apotech’s growth
• Own the board reporting narrative and KPI framework, reviewing the monthly management accounts prepared by the Finance Manager and translating them into decisions for the leadership team
• Lead budgeting and forecasting across revenue, cost, headcount, and cash flow, working with sales and delivery leaders to build a reliable pipeline view
• Provide oversight of cash flow, working capital, and treasury across multi currency operations, ensuring the business is well funded through its growth phase
• Set the framework for best financial practice across the UK and French entities, including consolidated reporting and compliance with local statutory requirements
• Advise on pricing strategy across the business and provide commercial input on client and supplier contracts
• Re-design and refine the commission structure for the sales team to ensure it drives the right behaviours and remains commercially sustainable
• Lead financial planning for US expansion, whether through acquisition or setting up a local office, including entity setup, tax structuring, and transfer pricing
• Oversee tax and statutory audit across jurisdictions, working with external partners as required
• Advise on finance systems (Xero) and controls to ensure they scale with the business
• Coach and develop the Finance Manager and wider future finance team, building capability and succession as the function grows

REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) with a proven track record as a CFO, Finance Director, or Fractional CFO
• Experience leading finance for a consulting or professional services firm, with a strong understanding of different pricing models including project based, time and materials arrangements
• Track record of working through and coaching an in-house Finance Manager or small finance team, rather than owning the day-to-day operational work directly
• Working knowledge of UK accounting, with experience of French GAAP and ideally US GAAP
• Experience of multi entity, multi currency consolidation and reporting
• Track record of supporting international expansion, whether by setting up new offices, entering new markets, or executing acquisitions
• Familiarity with Xero or comparable cloud accounting systems, and strong financial modelling and Excel skills
• Commercial mindset with the ability to translate financial insight into clear recommendations for a non-finance leadership team
• Excellent communication skills, comfortable engaging directly with founders, clients, auditors, and external advisors
• Comfortable operating at a strategic level in a small, fast moving business, while rolling up sleeves where needed

NICE TO HAVE

• Experience of the life sciences, pharma services, or regulated industries sector
• Prior experience of M&A due diligence, deal structuring, or post acquisition integration
• Experience implementing or administering EMI share option schemes