FD-level cover for the months it actually matters.
Someone has gone on maternity leave, left a gap between hires, or you are heading into a raise or a sale and need a steady hand on the numbers. You need FD-level judgement now, not a permanent hire you cannot yet justify. Annabel has sixteen years of in-business experience, including as a Finance Director, is an AAT Licensed Accountant, and replies within one working day.
- FD-level input scoped to the exact gap you need covered
- Board-ready numbers and a view on what they mean
- Cover for maternity, a hiring gap, a raise or a sale
- Time-limited by design, with a clean handover at the end
This is short-term cover, scoped and priced per engagement. There is a three-month settling-in period, so if it is not the right fit you leave with clean books and nothing outstanding.
Get a free quote
Fees scoped to the engagement. Reply within one working day, from Annabel.
What our clients say
★★★★★
Advice That Grew The Business
“I now see her as a vital part of my business and its continued growth.”
★★★★★
Saved Thousands, Fixed The Mess
“offering amazing business advice & has saved me thousands!”
★★★★★
Set My Mind At Ease
“the support and advice I have had has been extremely helpful and has set my mind at ease”
★★★★★
Meticulously Thorough On The Numbers
“She has fixed so many lazy, unprofessional mistakes by my old accountant by being so meticulously thorough”
A finance seat has gone quiet at the worst moment.
Your FD or finance lead is on maternity leave, has moved on, or you are walking into a raise or a sale with no one senior watching the numbers. Decisions are stacking up and the person who usually answers them is not there. You do not want to rush a permanent hire just to plug the gap.
- A finance lead on leave or gone, with no senior cover
- A raise or sale looming and no one to own the numbers
- Board decisions waiting on figures nobody has time to pull
What covered looks like
You get FD-level judgement for the exact window you need it, without committing to a permanent salary. Annabel steps in, gets across your numbers, and gives you a clear view on what they mean and what to do next.
- Senior finance cover in place while your seat is empty
- Someone who owns the numbers through your raise or sale
- Board-ready figures and a view on what to do next
- Scoped and priced per engagement, then fixed, no surprises
What owners say about the advice
The clients who value FD-level input most are the ones weighing real decisions. Here is what two of them said about working with Annabel.
I switched accountants to work with Annabel because I felt she truly cared about helping businesses to take control of their finances. She opened my eyes to how an accountant actually should work with you! She has fixed so many lazy, unprofessional mistakes by my old accountant by being so meticulously thorough, offering amazing business advice & has saved me thousands! She even went through my dad’s accounts who had been through liquidation & had a really tough time just because she cared & wanted to see if she could help. I 100% trust Annabel & she proves time & time again why it was the best move for my business to switch to her. I highly recommend her to anyone who is looking for someone who genuinely cares, who is meticulously thorough & offers great advice!
Working with Annabel has been fantastic. She has made the whole process of changing accountants so smooth and stress-free. Her step-by-step guidance and clear communication made everything easy to follow, even for someone who does not naturally “speak accounts.” Annabel’s energy, passion, and genuine desire to help people understand their business finances really shine through in everything she does. Her support and knowledge have been superb, and I now see her as a vital part of my business and its continued growth. Thank you, Annabel, for all your help; you truly live up to your company name!
What interim FD cover includes
Every engagement is scoped to the gap you need covered. These are the pieces most interim briefs pull together, agreed up front so you know exactly what you are getting.
Someone To Own The Numbers
For the length of the engagement, one person is across your management accounts, cash position and forecasts, and answers to the board. Annabel steps in, gets on top of your figures, and gives you a clear read on where you stand. No decision waits on a number nobody has pulled.
Scoped per engagementBoard And Investor-Ready Reporting
If you are raising, selling, or reporting to a board, the numbers need to hold up under scrutiny. You get management accounts within five working days of month close, plus the commentary that explains what they mean. The people you are reporting to get answers, not a spreadsheet.
Delivered on timeA Clean Handover At The End
This is short-term cover by design, so it ends tidily. When your new hire lands or your finance lead returns, everything is documented and handed over properly. You are not left picking up loose ends after the interim seat empties.
Time-limitedMore than one good experience
Owners across different situations, from switching accountants to setting up a first company, describe the same thing: someone who is thorough and tells them what to do next.
Fixed The Mistakes And Saved Thousands
“She has fixed so many lazy, unprofessional mistakes by my old accountant by being so meticulously thorough, offering amazing business advice & has saved me thousands!”
A Vital Part Of The Business
“Her support and knowledge have been superb, and I now see her as a vital part of my business and its continued growth.”
Support And Advice That Set My Mind At Ease
“the support and advice I have had has been extremely helpful and has set my mind at ease knowing that any problems or queries I have will be handled or answered.”
Why owners bring Annabel in for the gap
An interim FD only works if the person can get across your numbers fast and give you a straight read. Here is what you are getting.
Actually Sat In The Seat
Annabel has sixteen years of in-business experience, including as a Finance Director, so she has done the interim brief from the inside. The input is commercial, not just a set of numbers handed back. She has weighed the same decisions you are weighing now.
Board Numbers In Five Days
Management accounts land within five working days of month close, every month, with commentary that explains what they mean. Through a raise, a sale or a board cycle, that timing matters. The people you report to get current figures, not last month’s.
In Place Without The Delay
The work runs on Xero, so an interim brief in Bournemouth, wider Dorset, Hampshire or anywhere in the UK starts without waiting on someone to be in the room. Remote onboarding means cover is in place quickly. Your location is not the thing that holds it up.
In place in four steps
Interim briefs move fast, so this does too. From first call to cover in place, the effort on your side is minimal.
Free Discovery Call
A free 20 to 30 minute call to understand the gap: what is happening, how long you need cover, and what the numbers need to do. No script, no pitch deck. You get an honest view on whether an interim brief is the right answer.
Scoped Proposal
A proposal built around the actual engagement, not a template. It sets out what is covered, for how long, and the fixed fee. You know exactly what you are getting before anything starts.
Onboard And Get Across The Numbers
The admin of getting set up is handled for you, over Xero and video. Annabel gets on top of your figures quickly, so cover is genuinely in place, not just nominally. You carry on running the business.
Covered, Then Handed Over
You have senior finance judgement through the window that matters, then a clean handover when your hire lands or your lead returns. The gap is covered and nothing is left hanging afterwards.
“Friendly, supportive and very quick to respond to any queries or sort advice. I would 100% recommend.”
Interim FD questions, answered
What situations do you cover as an interim Finance Director?
Most briefs fall into four groups: maternity or other leave cover, a gap between a finance lead leaving and a replacement landing, preparing for a funding round, and getting numbers into shape ahead of a sale. Annabel has sixteen years of in-business experience, including as a Finance Director, so the input is commercial rather than purely compliance. On the free call she will tell you honestly whether an interim brief is the right fit.
What does an interim engagement cost?
There is no published price, because an interim brief depends on the scope and how long you need cover. Fees are scoped on the free discovery call and then fixed, so there are no surprises. You will know exactly what you are paying and what it covers before anything starts.
The finance function is a bit of a mess. Can you still step in?
Yes. Part of an interim brief is often getting across figures that are not in great shape and making them usable. If there is a backlog or errors to clear first, that is scoped in up front rather than sprung on you later. You are told what needs doing before the work begins.
Am I tied in? This is only meant to be short-term.
Interim cover is time-limited by design, so it is scoped to a set window from the start. There is no long-term contract, and there is a three-month settling-in period, so if it is not working you leave with clean books and nothing outstanding. When your hire lands or your lead returns, everything is handed over cleanly.
Can you work with us remotely if we are not near Bournemouth?
Yes. The practice is based in Bournemouth, Dorset and works with clients across Dorset, Hampshire and the wider UK entirely over Xero, video and phone. Remote onboarding means cover can be in place quickly without waiting on anyone to be in the room.
Will the numbers hold up in front of investors or a buyer?
That is the point of bringing in FD-level cover for a raise or a sale. You get management accounts within five working days of month close, plus the commentary that explains what they mean, so the people scrutinising them get clear answers. It is decision-ready information, not a raw spreadsheet.
Cover the gap without rushing a hire.
Tell Annabel what you need covered and for how long. You get an honest view on whether an interim brief is the right answer, and a fixed fee scoped to the engagement.