Finance Director

Based in South-West London, Caroline Gardner Publishing is a leading supplier of cards, stationery, and stylish home and gifting products, catering to design-focused retailers worldwide. From high street brands and department stores to independent galleries, our products find a home in a diverse range of retail spaces. We are looking for a Fractional Finance Director.

With a successful boutique on London’s Marylebone High Street and a vibrant ecommerce platform, our unique blend of quirky and sophisticated designs is also available directly to consumers. The brand enjoys a strong, loyal following and is both instantly recognisable and highly sought after by a wide array of customers. We’re excited to continue expanding into new product areas with ambitious growth plans on the horizon. Celebrating 30 years in 2023, we are a British brand known for our commitment to high-quality products and exceptional customer service.

We are deeply conscious of our environmental and community impact, focusing on creating timeless designs that resonate with modern life rather than fleeting trends. As part of our dedication to social and environmental responsibility, we have embarked on a continuous improvement journey and have recently received an accredited B-Corp certification. The business is at an exciting stage of growth and transformation. With ambitious plans to expand our presence across retail and ecommerce, we're looking for talented individuals to help drive this journey.

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Role Overview

The Fractional Finance Director provides strategic financial leadership, shaping the company’s financial strategy and governance while supporting sustainable growth. The FD acts as a trusted advisor to the SLT, ensures compliance and risk management, and oversees the finance function through the Financial Controller.
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Key Responsibilities

You will undertake a variety of duties, including but not limited to:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop the financial strategy aligned to the company’s vision.
• Provide financial insight and challenge to the Managing Director and SLT.
• Lead annual budgeting and quarterly reforecasting cycles.
• Drive financial modelling for major initiatives (e.g. warehousing, retail growth, licensing).

Governance & Risk

• Ensure compliance with statutory, tax, audit, and legal obligations.
• Maintain robust internal controls and risk management processes.
• Oversee treasury management, banking relationships, and FX hedging.

Performance & Decision Support

• ‍‍Provide clear and actionable financial reports to the Managing Director and SLT.
• Evaluate investment cases, scenario planning, and ROI assessments.
• Support commercial decision-making on pricing, margins, and new channels.

Technology & Projects‍

• Act as sponsor for key business and technology projects, ensuring budgets, risks, and resourcing are managed.
• Work with the Financial Controller to ensure finance processes and systems support growth.
• Support capacity planning across finance and project functions.

Team Oversight & Development

• ‍‍Provide mentorship and strategic direction to the Financial Controller.
• Ensure the finance team is appropriately structured and resourced for future needs.
• Champion continuous improvement in systems, reporting, and processes.

External Stakeholders

• ‍‍Act as key point of contact for external accountants and bankers.
• Maintain external relationships to support company growth and compliance.
• Support sustainability and B Corp reporting where financial data is required.

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Key Skills & Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA) with significant post-qualification experience.
• Prior experience as FD or senior finance leader in an SME or growth environment.
• Strong strategic, commercial, and analytical skills.
• Proven experience in business planning, cashflow forecasting, and financial modelling.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with senior stakeholders.
• Experience in overseeing finance-related technology projects is desirable.
• Ability to balance strategic oversight with hands-on involvement in a lean team.

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Salary & Benefits

Competitive salary depending on experience. Benefits include staff discounts of up to 65%, discretionary annual bonus scheme, pension and group life assurance policy, and an Employee Assistance Programme. This is a part-time role (two days per week, 15 hrs per week) on a permanent or contract basis. The start date is negotiable. This role is based at our Head Office in Putney, London.

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How to Apply

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