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Ledger & LockFinance & security

Finance & Fractional FD · Manchester & the North West

Senior financial leadership, without the full-time cost.

For owner-managed businesses that have outgrown basic accounting support. We give you the numbers, insight and financial direction of an experienced Finance Director, for as many days as your business needs.
Arrange an introductory conversationSee how we help

Is this you?

Most growing businesses outgrow their finance function before they notice.

Turnover rises, the team grows and decisions get bigger, but the finance function is still set up for a smaller business. That gap is where profit, cash and control get lost.

Signs you need senior finance support

  • You're growing, but cash always feels tight
  • Management accounts arrive late, or not at all
  • You're not sure which customers, jobs or sites really make money
  • Your bookkeeper or accountant can't answer the questions you're asking now
  • Your bank, investors or board want better numbers
  • You're planning funding, an acquisition or an eventual sale
  • Your Finance Director has left, or you've never had one
  • Too many decisions are made on gut feel

Why a Fractional FD?

The experience of a Finance Director, sized to your business.

A business with £2m to £10m turnover often needs Finance Director thinking but not a full-time Finance Director. A fractional arrangement gives you senior expertise for the time you actually need, and scales up or down as the business changes.
How a Fractional Finance Director compares with an external accountant and a full-time Finance Director
CompareYour external accountantWhat we provideFractional Finance DirectorFull-time Finance Director
Main focusYear-end accounts, tax and complianceForward-looking decisions, performance, cash and growthForward-looking decisions, performance, cash and growth
SeniorityVaries, and usually not involved day to dayExperienced, senior finance leadershipExperienced, senior finance leadership
Time with your businessMainly around year-endFlexible: a set number of days a month, scaling with needFull time
CostTypically an annual compliance feeA fraction of a full-time packageFull salary, bonus, pension, National Insurance and recruitment costs
Best suited toStatutory accounts and taxGrowing businesses that need senior finance input but not five days a weekLarger or more complex businesses with daily finance leadership needs

A Fractional FD doesn't replace your accountant. We work alongside them: they handle compliance, we help you run and grow the business.

What we do

Seven ways we strengthen your finances.

Most clients start with a Fractional FD and draw on the other areas as priorities change. Each can also be delivered as a focused project.
01

Fractional Finance Director

Senior financial leadership for a set number of days a month, at a fraction of the cost of a full-time appointment.

What we do

  • Act as your finance lead at board and leadership meetings
  • Set financial priorities and hold the numbers to account
  • Lead conversations with banks, lenders, investors and auditors
  • Guide and develop your existing finance team

What changes for you

  • Decisions made with a senior finance voice in the room
  • Confidence with lenders and investors
  • Time back for the owner to run the business
02

Management reporting and financial insight

Clear, timely monthly reporting that tells you what is happening, why, and what to do next.

What we do

  • Design a monthly management pack around the measures that matter
  • Bring month-end forward so numbers arrive while they are still useful
  • Set up KPIs and dashboards for the leadership team
  • Explain the numbers in plain English, not just tables

What changes for you

  • A reliable view of performance every month
  • Problems spotted early, not at year-end
  • A leadership team that understands the numbers
03

FP&A, budgeting and forecasting

Budgets, forecasts and scenario models that turn your plans into numbers you can steer by.

What we do

  • Build an annual budget with the leadership team
  • Create rolling forecasts and three-way models (profit, balance sheet and cash)
  • Model scenarios: new sites, hires, price changes, major contracts
  • Track performance against plan and re-forecast as things change

What changes for you

  • Growth decisions tested before you commit
  • Realistic targets the team can own
  • Fewer surprises, more control
04

Cash flow and working capital

Forecast, protect and release cash, so growth does not leave the business short.

What we do

  • Introduce a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast
  • Tighten credit control, billing and payment terms
  • Review stock, work in progress and supplier terms
  • Plan funding needs early and support lender conversations

What changes for you

  • Cash pinch points visible weeks in advance
  • Cash released from debtors and stock
  • Growth funded on your terms
05

Financial control and governance

The controls, processes and oversight a growing business needs to stay accurate, compliant and protected.

What we do

  • Review and strengthen financial controls and approvals
  • Put payment and bank-detail controls in place to prevent fraud
  • Improve month-end, reconciliations and audit readiness
  • Set up board reporting and clear financial responsibilities

What changes for you

  • Fewer errors and less exposure to fraud
  • Smoother audits and year-ends
  • Governance that stands up to lenders, investors and buyers
06

Commercial finance and profitability

Understand where you really make money, and act on it through pricing, costs and the work you take on.

What we do

  • Analyse margins by product, service, customer, job or site
  • Review pricing, quoting and job costing
  • Identify cost savings and underperforming areas
  • Build business cases for investment decisions

What changes for you

  • Better margins from the same turnover
  • Pricing and quoting based on real costs
  • Investment decisions backed by numbers
07

Finance transformation

Modernise how your finance function works, so it keeps pace with the business.

What we do

  • Review finance processes, systems and team structure
  • Select and implement accounting and reporting systems
  • Automate manual work and spreadsheets that slow you down
  • Build a finance function ready for growth, funding or sale

What changes for you

  • Faster, more reliable numbers with less manual effort
  • A finance function that scales with the business
  • Readiness for investment or exit

The result

What our clients should expect to gain.

Finance work is only worth doing if it changes how the business performs. These are the outcomes we work towards.

Clarity

Reliable numbers every month, explained in plain English, so you know exactly where the business stands.

Cash

Better visibility and control of cash, so growth doesn't leave you short and funding is planned, not rushed.

Profitability

A clear view of what makes money and what doesn't, with practical steps to improve margins.

Control

Processes and controls that reduce errors, prevent fraud and stand up to scrutiny.

Direction

Budgets, forecasts and scenarios that let you plan growth with confidence.

Time back

A senior finance partner sharing the load, so owners can focus on running the business.

How we work

A clear start, then steady, senior support.

  1. 1

    Introductory conversation

    We learn about your business, your plans and what is getting in the way. No cost and no obligation.

  2. 2

    Finance review

    We look at your reporting, cash, controls and finance team, and agree the priorities with you.

  3. 3

    Proposal

    A clear written proposal setting out the scope, time commitment and fees.

  4. 4

    Ongoing leadership

    We work as part of your leadership team, reviewing priorities with you regularly.

Ways to work with us

  • Ongoing Fractional FD

    A regular number of days each month, on site and remotely, as your Finance Director. Best for businesses that need continuous senior leadership.

  • Projects

    Focused work with a clear end point: a forecasting model, a budget, a funding round, a systems implementation or a finance review.

  • Interim support

    Senior cover when a Finance Director leaves, during a period of change, or while you recruit a permanent hire.

Fees are tailored to the scope and time involved. We'll give you a clear proposal after an introductory conversation.

Who we work with

  • Owner-managed, founder-led and family businesses
  • Typically £2m to £10m turnover and 10 to 75 people
  • Manufacturing, engineering, construction, logistics, wholesale and multi-site retail and hospitality
  • Based in Manchester and the North West, with clients across the UK
Industries we know well

We are not a traditional accountancy practice.

We don't do bookkeeping, payroll or tax returns. We provide the financial leadership that sits above them, and work alongside your bookkeeper, accountant and auditors so everyone pulls in the same direction.

Finance that also protects the business.

Because Ledger & Lock also brings specialist cybersecurity expertise, we look at financial controls with a security lens: payment fraud, system access and how the business would cope with disruption.

About business resilience

One-minute check

How well do you know your numbers?

Six questions we ask every growing business. There is no score, and nothing is sent to us unless you ask for a copy.

0 of 6 answered

  1. 01Do you receive accurate monthly management accounts within about two weeks of month-end?
  2. 02Do you have a cash flow forecast that looks at least 13 weeks ahead, and is it kept up to date?
  3. 03Do you know which products, services, customers or sites make the most and least profit?
  4. 04Do you set an annual budget and review performance against it every month?
  5. 05Are payments and changes to supplier bank details approved by someone other than the person who processes them?
  6. 06Would your numbers stand up if a bank, investor or buyer asked to see them tomorrow?

Takes about a minute. Your answers stay in your browser unless you ask us to email them to you.

FAQs

Fractional FD questions, answered plainly.

Ask us something else
What is a Fractional Finance Director?

An experienced Finance Director who works with your business part time, typically a set number of days a month. You get senior financial leadership and strategic input without the cost and commitment of a full-time appointment.

How is this different from our accountant?

Most external accountants focus on year-end accounts, tax and compliance, looking back at what has already happened. A Fractional FD works inside your business, looking forward: helping you plan, make decisions, manage cash and improve performance. We work alongside your accountant, not instead of them.

Do you do bookkeeping, payroll or tax returns?

No. We provide financial leadership and advisory support. If you need bookkeeping, payroll or tax services, we are happy to work with your existing providers or help you find the right ones.

How much time would you spend with us?

It depends on what the business needs. Some clients need a few days a month on an ongoing basis; others need more intensive support for a project such as a forecast, funding round or systems change. We agree the scope with you at the start and review it as things change.

How much does it cost?

Every engagement is tailored, so we do not publish fixed prices. After an introductory conversation we will send you a clear proposal with the scope, time commitment and fees, so you know exactly what you are getting before you decide.

Will you work with our existing finance team?

Yes. We support and develop your team rather than replacing them, and help them take on more as the business grows.

Next step

Let's talk about where your business is heading.

An introductory conversation is free and comes with no obligation. We'll listen, ask the questions a Finance Director would ask, and tell you honestly whether we can help.

Arrange an introductory conversationBook an introductory call

  • 30 to 45 minutes, by video or in person

    At a time that suits you.

  • A conversation, not a sales pitch

    We want to understand your business first.

  • A clear proposal

    If we can help, you will know what we suggest and what it will cost.