How Interim Finance Roles Could Accelerate Your Career

For finance and accounting professionals looking to accelerate their career progression, interim finance roles present an invaluable opportunity. Often overlooked, these roles provide exposure to diverse industries, fast-track skill development, and help candidates establish themselves as versatile and experienced professionals. And, as employers increasingly turn to interim roles to fill leadership gaps, support busy periods or manage change, more opportunities will appear.

Whether you're interested in immediate start finance jobs, interim senior finance roles, or aiming to expand your expertise through contract accounting positions, temporary and contract roles offer a powerful route to career progression in finance and accounting.

Contents

• Types of Interim Finance Roles Available
• How Interim Experience Improves Long-Term Career Opportunities
• Benefits of Interim Finance Roles for Different Career Stages
• Positioning Interim Finance Roles on Your CV
• How Global Accounting Network Supports Your Career Progression

Types of Interim Finance Roles Available

Interim finance roles can vary widely in scope and seniority. While entry-level contract accounting and finance positions exist, there are plenty of rewarding interim opportunities at mid-to-senior-level. In fact, a report from the Institute of Interim Management suggests that 22% of interim professionals in the UK are working at C-suite or Director level. These opportunities often provide the highest potential for an impactful experience and career acceleration.

Popular interim roles include:

Leadership Roles - Interim CFO, Interim Finance Director, Interim Financial Controller, Interim Head of Finance, and Interim Finance Manager.

Partnering Roles - Interim Commercial Finance Manager, Interim Finance Business Partner, Interim Senior Finance Business Partner, and Interim Divisional Finance Partner.

Analytical Roles - Interim FP&A Analyst, Interim Senior FP&A Analyst, and Interim Management Accountant.

Change & Transformation Roles - Interim Finance Transformation Lead, Interim Project Accountant, Interim ERP Implementation Lead, Interim Systems Accountant, and Interim Change Manager.

How Interim Experience Improves Long-Term Career Opportunities

Each of these interim finance roles provide experiences that support your long-term career potential in multiple ways:

1. Broadening Your Skillset
   Interim finance and accounting professionals frequently encounter unique challenges that demand problem-solving, adaptability, and technical expertise. This exposure accelerates skill development in areas such as financial modelling, stakeholder management and strategic decision-making.

2. Expanding Your Network
   Working across multiple businesses exposes you to a broader network of finance leaders, executive teams, and industry contacts. Building these relationships can unlock future job offers or lucrative interim CFO opportunities.

3. Increasing Your Market Value
   Interim roles offer a powerful way to enhance your market value. Employers seek candidates with diverse experience and a track record of delivering results in complex environments. By taking on interim roles, you gain exposure to a wide range of industries, business models, and challenges, broadening your skill set and demonstrating adaptability. The interim market is also seen as highly lucrative, with competitive day rates and the opportunity to work on high-impact projects.

4. Opening Permanent Opportunities
   Interim roles frequently lead to permanent job offers. By demonstrating impact in a short-term role, candidates often become key hires for permanent and leadership roles.

5. Gaining Career Flexibility
   If you value flexible working arrangements or are continuing to study, interim roles provide an opportunity to combine fulfilling finance and accounting projects with lifestyle balance. Almost half of businesses say they offer similar, if not identical, benefits to those in temporary and contract positions as they do to their permanent workforce.

Benefits of Interim Roles for Different Career Stages

The value of interim finance roles can vary depending on where you are in your career. Whether you're starting out or aiming for board-level influence, interim positions can unlock new opportunities.

Starting Out: Building a Foundation

For candidates exploring how to get a job in finance with no experience or developing your CV post-qualification, interim finance roles offer a valuable entry point. Immediate start finance and accounting jobs can help you develop your technical accounting skills and establish credibility in the profession.

Key Benefits:

• Hands-on exposure to financial processes.
• Opportunities to gain sector-specific knowledge.
• Ability to demonstrate adaptability and learning agility on your CV.

Mid-Level Professionals: Expanding Your Expertise

For established professionals seeking career progression in finance, interim senior finance roles offer an excellent way to gain management experience, move into a new specialism and expand your commercial acumen.

Key Benefits:

• Leading teams or managing complex projects.
• Gaining insights into strategic decision-making.
• Broadening your industry exposure, helping you transition into new sectors.

Senior Finance Leaders: Stepping into Strategic Roles

For experienced professionals pursuing leadership positions, interim CFO opportunities are an excellent way to grow management experience and demonstrate strategic value and operational oversight.

Key Benefits:

• Driving key financial transformations and turnaround projects.
• Gaining exposure to private equity-backed businesses or SMEs.
• Building a track record of successfully guiding businesses through change.

How to Position Interim Finance Roles on Your CV

If you do choose to pursue interim roles in your career, it's important to use them to your advantage on your CV, particularly if you are transitioning back to a permanent position. Highlighting interim finance roles effectively is crucial to ensuring your experience enhances your profile. Well-presented interim experience can demonstrate your adaptability, leadership, and ability to deliver results under pressure.

Best Practices for Showcasing Interim Roles:

• Emphasise Results: Focus on achievements and measurable impact, such as revenue growth, cost savings, or improved reporting processes.
• Highlight Key Skills: Tailor your descriptions to include leadership, technical expertise, and commercial impact.
• Demonstrate Adaptability: Show how you successfully transitioned between industries or projects.
• Be Clear with Dates: List contract accounting roles clearly, specifying the company name, project duration, and scope of responsibility.

For instance:

Interim Financial Controller
XYZ Plc – 6-Month Contract
Led finance transformation project, reducing reporting errors by 40% and improving cash flow forecasting accuracy.

By positioning interim finance roles as strategic stepping stones, you can demonstrate consistent progression in your career.

How Global Accounting Network Supports Your Career Progression

At Global Accounting Network, we specialise in connecting finance and accounting professionals with interim, contract, and permanent roles that support their career aspirations.

Whether you're seeking roles with an immediate start, exploring career paths in finance, or targeting interim CFO opportunities, our expert consultants provide tailored guidance to help you achieve your goals.

We understand that interim finance roles can be a powerful catalyst for career progression in finance. Our dedicated team is here to help you identify the right opportunities, prepare for success, and showcase your achievements.

Search our current job opportunities or contact us today to discuss how we can support your career journey.