Portfolio Chief Financial Officer

Sowena Group has been retained by a recently invested, fast-growing technology/services SME business delivering a market-leading platform for workforce management and compliance. Serving sectors where operational agility and staff optimisation are critical, our client is poised for significant growth as it prepares for a private equity investment.

The business is led by a visionary and highly driven CEO with a clear roadmap and a passion for innovation. They are now seeking a commercially astute, hands-on Portfolio CFO to partner with the CEO and investors to drive financial performance, maturity, and readiness for its next investment milestone for 2 days a week.

This is a newly created, high-impact role for a part-time Portfolio CFO who will work closely with the CEO, investors, and broader leadership team. The CFO will lead the financial strategy and operations of the business from early investment stage through to achieving private equity backing.

The successful candidate will provide leadership on financial governance, investor readiness, forecasting, and value creation, while maintaining a practical, sleeves-rolled-up approach suitable for a scaling business.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Develop and implement financial strategies aligned to the business’s growth and investment goals.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the CEO and investors on financial planning, capital strategy, and value creation.
• Investor Readiness & Fundraising
• Lead all aspects of preparation for private equity investment including data room readiness, financial modelling, and due diligence support.
• Liaise with corporate finance advisors, legal teams, and prospective investors.
• Financial Operations & Control
• Oversee core finance functions, ensuring timely and accurate reporting, budgeting, and cash flow management.
• Establish robust processes, controls, and systems that can scale with the business.
• Performance Management
• Develop KPIs and dashboards that support commercial decision-making and performance tracking.
• Translate financial insight into actionable recommendations for the CEO and board.
• Team Leadership & Development
• Build and guide a small but capable finance function over time, outsourcing where necessary.
• Mentor finance staff and support broader team on financial literacy and alignment.

Qualifications / Skills:

Experience: Proven success as a CFO or Finance Director in a growth-stage, VC/angel-backed business, ideally in related sectors.

Track Record: Experience taking a business from early-stage investment through to private equity or strategic funding round.

Commercial Acumen: Strong commercial instincts with ability to influence strategy beyond finance.

Technical Skills: Deep experience in forecasting, cash flow modelling, investment readiness, and management reporting.

Mindset: Hands-on, adaptable, and execution-focused. Comfortable operating independently in a dynamic environment.

Qualifications: ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified or equivalent experience.

Details:

£900pd - £1000pd (2 days a week)

If you are an experienced and pragmatic finance leader looking for a flexible but high-impact role in an exciting, fast-growing tech company — we’d love to hear from you.