Part-Time CFO Services — Expert Financial Leadership, On a Flexible Schedule

Each engagement is customized and usually combines:

• Strategic finance and planning. Budgeting, forecasting and financial modeling that link growth plans to cash.
• Cash flow and working capital. Thirteen-week cash forecasts, payment terms and a shorter average collection period, to find cash tied up in receivables and stock.
• Board reporting and investor engagement. Monthly packs and KPI dashboards.
• Fundraising and debt financing. Investor-ready models, lender negotiations and covenant monitoring.
• Tax strategy. Coordination with your CPA across jurisdictions, so taxes are planned rather than discovered.
• Systems and processes. Software, a close calendar and controls that raise operational efficiency.

The agreed hours go into four key areas:

• Oversight of the numbers. Reviewing the financial statements, checking the bookkeeping and supervising the controller, so errors are caught early.
• Decision support. Modeling new deals, testing hiring plans and evaluating investments against margins and payback.
• Budget control. Monthly performance analysis against the budget, explaining variances and showing where to optimize spending and improve efficiency in purchasing.
• Risk management. Watching covenants, currency exposure and customer concentration, and keeping controls audit-ready.

Because the schedule is fixed, the work builds week after week instead of restarting at each call. For a small team, finance is often the most stretched resource; a regular senior slot turns it into a valuable asset for operational decisions.

• Revenue is growing, but cash is always tighter than profit suggests.
• Investors, lenders or the board ask for forecasts that nobody in the company can produce.
• You plan to raise capital, take on debt or enter a new market within twelve months.
• Margins are slipping and you cannot say which customers or products are responsible.

If two or more apply, a fixed weekly slot with a senior finance leader is the most affordable way to regain control.

In the US, senior finance executives working part-time typically charge 150–450 per hour, depending on seniority and complexity. Most engagements are billed as a monthly retainer, which works like a subscription to a reserved block of time:

• Light-touch advisory (a few hours a month): about 1,500–3,000 a month.
• Standard engagement (one to two days a week): most often 3,000–12,000 a month.
• Mid-market or multi-entity groups: 9,000–15,000 or more.
• One-off projects such as a fundraise: from a few thousand dollars to $40,000+.

For comparison, hiring an in-house executive means salary, bonus, equity, benefits and a recruiting fee; on average, a one-day-a-week retainer costs a small fraction of that. BureauCFO engagements start from about €1,500 per month, with transparent pricing, no hidden fees and no long-term commitment. For billing models in detail, see our guide to CFO fees.

1. Discovery call. We discuss your goals, challenges and current finance setup.
2. Scope and schedule. We agree key areas, hours per week or month and fixed days, then confirm a fixed fee in a short contractual letter.
3. Matching. We introduce a vetted, experienced chief financial officer with relevant sector experience: SaaS, eCommerce, startups, SMBs or nonprofits.
4. First month. A review of the books, cash and systems, and a prioritized plan.
5. Ongoing rhythm. Weekly sessions, a monthly close review and quarterly results reviews with leadership.

That flexibility works both ways: hours go up or down with a month’s notice as you scale.