Fractional CFO for SMEs: Professional Finance Leadership Without Fixed Costs

The cost of a Fractional CFO depends on the time committed and the scope of the service. A commitment of 1–2 days per week works out at roughly 60% less than a full-time finance director, with the advantage of senior experience from day one. The service can also be part-funded through Kit Consulting (up to €24,000) or ACCIÓ vouchers in Catalonia. We give you a fixed quote after the initial assessment.

The most common signals are: turnover above €1–2M a year without professional management control, the need to prepare the company for an investment round or a sale, R&D&I projects that generate tax deductions, little visibility over the real profitability of products or services, and the need to renegotiate terms with banks or restructure debt.

Yes, and it is one of the main advantages of working with Tecnocim. Our finance directors do not only run the company accounts: they also identify projects that qualify as R&D or technological innovation under article 35 LIS, the Spanish corporate income tax act. That can mean deductions of 25–42% on R&D and 12% on technological innovation. We also manage the 40% reduction in Spanish Social Security contributions for research staff.

The main difference is the link with public funding. Most external CFO services stop at traditional financial and tax management. At Tecnocim we also connect the finance function to the public grants, R&D&I tax deductions and Social Security contribution reductions available to your company. The result is a finance function that does not only control spending: it generates an active tax return.

Yes, fully. The Fractional CFO does not replace your tax adviser or your bookkeeper: the role sits at a higher, strategic level. While your adviser handles day-to-day tax and accounting obligations, the Fractional CFO defines the financial strategy, optimises the tax structure and looks for funding opportunities. In practice we coordinate our work with your adviser to keep everything consistent and maximise the tax benefits.

Yes, that is the most common arrangement. A part-time Fractional CFO spends between 1 and 3 days per week at your company, on site or remotely depending on what you need. It is the most efficient option for SMEs that need professional financial direction but cannot justify a full-time post. The scope is adjusted month by month as the company evolves.

A Fractional CFO improves the finances of your SME on three fronts: 1) Management control — dashboards, monthly reporting and visibility of profitability by product or project. 2) Tax optimisation — identifying R&D&I tax deductions, tax incentives and contribution reductions that your company is not applying. 3) Funding strategy — access to public grants, public loans (ENISA, ICO) and investment rounds with the right financial documentation.