We all know businesses are increasingly becoming more agile, continuously striving for efficiency. You might have seen it in your own business – more and more employers are looking to automate or streamline processes to utilise resources and manpower effectively.
The same is true in the finance industry. While many businesses have permanent finance teams in place, many do not. It’s increasingly typical for a business to have a single finance professional that supports them when necessary, particularly for smaller businesses or start-ups.
But what happens when your business is facing growth, reorganisation or looking to bridge gaps? During these times, your existing financial support may not be enough.
This is where interim finance staff can be critical. Hiring interim finance professionals offers a range of benefits; ensuring the company can maintain stability, improve the performance of its financial operation and achieve strategic goals.
In this article, we’re exploring why a business might consider hiring interim finance staff – across various positions and experience levels – and the benefits they can deliver.
1. Interim staff offer flexibility
Perhaps the most compelling reason to hire interim finance staff is the flexibility they bring to the table. Think about it. Unlike permanent hires, these professionals can deliver specific expertise, exactly when it’s needed. They don’t typically need training, they can work specific short-term assignments and ensure there’s no need for lengthy, long-term commitments.
Whether you’re filling a gap during your recruitment search, covering maternity leave or managing a temporary surge in your workload, temporary or interim staff ensure immediate relief, without disrupting the existing team.
In our experience, this flexibility is critical in the finance industry, where seasonal workload fluctuations occur and unexpected financial reporting may be necessary. Likewise, consider how often new systems and processes have to be quickly adopted – these are all challenges that interim finance professionals can mitigate.
2. Interim staff are cost-effective
Hiring a permanent employee brings with it a whole host of admin and – potentially – headaches if they’re a bad hire. Remember, you’re not just paying a salary; you’re looking at benefits, training costs and associated legal or administrative costs.
For interim staff, many of these factors don’t exist. Interim staff generally don’t require training, for example, and have a clearly defined scope of work. This makes them an exceptionally cost-effective solution, especially if you need instant, specialised support on a short-term basis for a specific project – whether that’s implementing new accounting software or managing an acquisition.
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3. Interim staff offer expertise
In most cases, interim finance staff can provide a wealth of experience to an organisation with minimal onboarding. The majority of interim professionals – particularly the interim staff we work with here at AD Finance – have developed skills across various industries and functions, meaning they’re adaptable and able to quickly integrate into your business.
These staff members can support the implementation of best practices, optimise financial processes and ensure your day-to-day operation is unaffected. Additionally, you might find that interim staff members can provide support in more niche areas such as tax planning, treasury management, financial analysis or compliance. Because they understand how to quickly adapt to your business and your goals, they’re able to support you with navigating periods of change or uncertainty.
4. Interim staff help minimise disruption
There’s nothing worse than going through a period of transition or undertaking a larger project and experiencing ongoing disruption due to staffing. Transitions such as mergers, acquisitions, restructuring or the implementation of business-wide systems are generally complex and time-consuming. During this time, it’s critical to work alongside experienced professionals who reduce the strain on resources.
Depending on what you need, interim finance staff may fill specialised niches or even provide leadership during transitions, ensuring you’re receiving strategic insights while maintaining the status quo daily. Any interim professional worth their salt should acclimate to a new environment quickly while still providing solid contributions.
5. Interim staff can provide support during recruitment
The chances are, at some point, you may be hiring for a permanent finance role. The common challenge we see is the gap between the departure of the former employee and the hiring of a replacement. Interim staff are ideally positioned to support this transition, ensuring the business doesn’t experience delays in decision-making or accrue a backlog of important financial tasks.
During this time, interim staff are perfect for maintaining continuity and ensuring the company has the time to find the right hire, rather than rushing through the process and potentially making a long-term mistake.
6. Interim staff provide a fresh perspective
Interim professionals bring a fresh perspective to organisations, which can be invaluable when looking to optimise financial practices or identify areas for improvement. Since they are often external to the company, interim finance staff can offer unbiased insights into existing processes, identify inefficiencies, and suggest innovative solutions.
Their objective analysis of a company’s financial systems and strategies can help to streamline operations, cut costs, and improve profitability. Whether it’s refining budgeting processes or assessing financial performance, interim finance staff can contribute valuable input to support business growth and improvement.
7. Interim staff support business growth and scalability
As businesses grow, their financial needs evolve. Interim finance professionals can help companies scale their finance functions effectively. Whether the business is expanding into new markets, launching new products, or managing a significant increase in transactions, interim staff can provide the extra support needed during times of rapid growth.
Moreover, when a business is in the early stages of scaling, it might not yet have the resources or need for a full-time finance team. Hiring interim finance staff allows businesses to hire expertise at various levels to meet their immediate and mid-term needs without the overhead of full-time employees.
8. Interim staff can fill leadership roles
While many businesses tell us they’re wary of hiring interim leadership, the fact of the matter is that at senior levels, interim finance staff can provide crucial leadership and decision-making during times of change. Whether it’s a vacant CFO role or a need for an interim Financial Controller, having an experienced leader step in ensures that the strategic direction of the company is maintained.
Interim CFOs or Finance Directors can guide businesses through periods of growth, restructuring, or crisis management, providing leadership and insight that aligns with both short-term goals and long-term objectives. Their involvement can give confidence to investors, stakeholders, and teams during uncertain periods.
9. Interim staff may help you mitigate risk
Navigating the complexities of financial regulation and compliance can be challenging, especially for businesses operating in highly regulated industries. Interim finance staff with specialised expertise in areas such as tax law, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance can help mitigate risks associated with non-compliance.
Hiring interim finance professionals allows businesses to manage risk effectively by ensuring that financial operations adhere to relevant regulations and industry standards. Their expertise helps businesses avoid costly penalties and reputational damage.
So why should you think about hiring interim staff?
Ultimately, interim staff offer businesses a versatile solution to their short-term financial needs. Whether it’s covering for temporary vacancies, ensuring a project gets over the line or supporting ongoing business growth, an interim professional is a fantastic solution regardless of your business’s size or objectives.
Aside from reducing costs and providing valuable insights, interim staff offer flexibility and the ability to capitalise on opportunities without potentially over-committing – a problem many companies face as they begin to scale.
Here at AD Finance, we provide temporary and interim staff for hundreds of clients, utilising our extensive knowledge of the market and an exceptional candidate pool to ensure employers have the support they need.
If you’re looking for interim staff or want to explore the concept further, reach out to Nick Singh and his team at Alexander Daniels, where we’ll be happy to discuss your current needs, future goals and potential opportunities. As always, it’s our job to ensure that you have top-tier solutions on hand and can help your finance teams thrive throughout 2025.