Fractional FD / CFO (Consultancy)

About Toucanberry

Toucanberry is a boutique tech consultancy. We build AI and data engineering solutions for global reinsurers, helping them rebuild systems and processes with a depth of industry domain knowledge that generalist consultancies take years to reach. We have been delivering high-value transformations for five years and continue to scale rapidly.

Historically, our finance function has been self-managed by our executive leadership team. While we have kept the numbers accurate and the business financially healthy, we are now at a pivotal stage where we need professional financial leadership. We require robust operational structure, sophisticated reporting, precise budgeting, and strategic guidance on margin management as we enter our next growth chapter.

The Role & Engagement Structure

We are seeking a seasoned, hands-on Fractional Finance Director (FD) who brings equal parts CFO-level strategic vision and FD-level operational execution.

Please note: The immediate opportunity is strictly for Phase 1 (a fixed-price project). A broader, ongoing fractional retainer (Phase 2) will be evaluated and decided upon only following the successful completion and review of Phase 1.

·       Phase 1 (Immediate Scope - Fixed-Price Project): Year-End Finalisation & Financial Audit. Review, reconcile, and finalise our current year-end accounts, liaising with external accountants to establish a completely clean baseline, identify compliance/tax gaps, and deliver a financial remediation roadmap.

·       Phase 2 (Potential Follow-On Scope - Ongoing Retainer): Financial Transformation & Strategic Governance. Contingent upon Phase 1 outcomes, Phase 2 will focus on transitioning the finance function into a mature, consultancy-grade operation - implementing recurring management reporting, cash flow forecasting, margin tracking, and advising the leadership team on growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Phase 1: Year-End Accounts & Financial Audit (Active Mandate)

·       Year-End Finalisation: Drive the completion and finalisation of year-end accounts, liaising with external accountants/tax advisors to ensure compliance and accuracy.

·       Financial Baseline Audit: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing accounts, historical revenue, expense categorisations, and internal accounting processes.

·       Gap Analysis & Roadmap: Identify accounting, tax, or operational vulnerabilities and establish an actionable roadmap to raise our financial architecture to enterprise consultancy standards.

Phase 2: Ongoing Financial Strategy & Governance (Subject to Phase 1 Completion)

·       Consultancy-Grade Reporting: Design and implement robust monthly management reporting packages, variance analyses, and rolling cash flow forecasting models.

·       Margin & Profitability Tracking: Establish granular tracking of project margins, billable utilisation, realisation rates, and client account profitability to uncover true value drivers and commercial risks.

·       Budgeting & Planning: Build annual budgeting frameworks and forecasts aligned with sales pipelines and resource expansion plans.

·       Treasury & Cash Allocation: Define clear policies for working capital, dividend planning, cash reserve thresholds, and strategic investment allocations.

·       Strategic Leadership Advisory: Serve as a trusted advisor to the Founders and Leadership Team, providing commercial input on pricing models, day-rate structures, and major growth decisions.

About You & Requirements

·       Professional Services & Consultancy Background: Prior experience operating within a consulting or professional services environment is key. You must understand consultancy economics - including time & materials (T&M) vs. fixed-price contracts, bench costs, billable utilisation, and resource margin analysis.

·       Founder-to-Mature Transition Track Record: Proven experience entering founder-led, self-managed tech or consulting businesses and establishing structured, scalable finance operations will be highly beneficial.

·       Fractional FD/CFO Expertise: Demonstrated experience working successfully in a fractional or interim capacity, with the ability to rapidly assess complex scenarios and deliver quick, structured outcomes.

·       Formal Qualifications: Qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, CIMA, or equivalent) with significant post-qualification experience at FD or CFO level.

·       Hands-On & Strategic: Equally comfortable rolling up your sleeves to audit account reconciliations as you are advising board-level leadership on long-term capital strategy.

Fully Remote

Outside IR35

·Engagement Structure: Current engagement is strictly for Phase 1 (fixed-price project). Progression to Phase 2 will be evaluated upon successful delivery of Phase 1 outcomes.

·Location: Remote-first, with in-person meetings for strategic alignment, as required by the Directors.

·Compensation: Competitive fixed price for Phase 1. Phase 2 will likely be retainer-based, subject to experience and Phase 1 delivery.