Outsourced CFO & virtual FD services in South Africa A Finance Director, when you need one.
Real-time reporting, cash-flow control and a Virtual FD who actually knows your business — without the cost of a full-time hire. Built on cloud accounting, so the numbers are current, not months-old.
A finance function, without the full-time hire
You've outgrown a bookkeeper but you're not ready for a full-time FD. That's exactly the gap a Virtual FD fills.
Whether you call it an outsourced CFO (Chief Financial Officer), a virtual FD or a fractional finance director, it is the same job: a senior finance person who owns your reporting, cash flow and forecasts, without the cost of a full-time executive. Our outsourced CFO guide explains what the role costs and when to hire one.
Outsourced finance
- Full outsourced accounts department
- Cloud accounting setup (Xero / Sage)
- Cash-flow & creditor/debtor management
- Monthly management accounts
Virtual FD
- Board-ready reporting packs
- Cash-flow forecasting & scenario planning
- KPI tracking & financial controls
- Outsourced CFO / fractional FD — a few days a month
Growth support
- Budgeting & forecasting
- Financial modelling
- Covenant & funder reporting
- Systems & process improvement
Preparing the business for a raise or a sale?
Getting investor-ready or preparing for a transaction is deal work — it sits with our corporate finance colleagues at Caban Corporate Advisors. One group, seamless handover.
Go to CabanFrequently asked questions
Short, plain answers to what South African business owners ask us most.
What is an outsourced CFO or virtual FD?
An outsourced CFO (Chief Financial Officer), also called a virtual FD (Finance Director) or fractional finance director, is a senior finance professional who owns a business's reporting, cash flow and forecasts on a part-time basis, typically a few days a month, without the cost of a full-time executive.
When does a business need an outsourced CFO?
Usually when you have outgrown a bookkeeper but are not ready for a full-time FD, cannot see cash flow until it becomes a problem, or get reports too late to act on. Common triggers are raising money, a lender asking for a forecast you cannot produce, or a big decision such as a new site or a large hire. Our outsourced CFO guide explains when to hire.
How is an outsourced CFO different from a bookkeeper or an accountant?
A bookkeeper records what happened, an accountant prepares the financial statements and tax returns, and a CFO uses those numbers to decide what to do next. See accountant vs bookkeeper. An outsourced CFO works alongside your bookkeeper and accountant, not instead of them.
Is an outsourced CFO cost-effective compared with a full-time hire?
Often, because you pay for a few days a month rather than a full-time executive package. Published South African pay data puts a full-time CFO or finance director at roughly R0.8 million to R2.6 million a year before employer costs, though the samples are small. Ask any provider for a fixed monthly fee against a written scope; the outsourced CFO guide sets out the figures.
What are the benefits of outsourced financial leadership?
Real-time reporting built on cloud accounting, cash-flow forecasting and scenario planning, board-ready reporting packs, KPI tracking and financial controls, and funder reporting, without the cost of a full-time hire. It suits owners who need an outsourced financial manager, not just a bookkeeper.
What is an outsourced financial manager?
It is another name for the same service: a senior finance professional who runs your reporting, cash flow and forecasts on a part-time basis. Some businesses say outsourced financial manager, others say outsourced CFO, virtual FD or fractional finance director.
Which outsourced CFO service is best for a South African SME?
Judge any provider on four things: who exactly does the work (a named, qualified finance professional, not a rota), a written scope with a fixed monthly fee, the deliverables you get (monthly management accounts, a cash-flow forecast, a board or funder pack), and whether they work on your cloud accounting system. Those are the standards TBL Accounting works to.
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Talk to a real accountant, not a call centre.
Tell us where the finance function is straining and a named, qualified accountant will scope exactly what you need — no queue, no junior.
- 1You tell us where things stand.
- 2A named accountant tells you what they would look at first.
- 3You decide what happens next.